JP2024069581A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a game machine which can favorably change an allocation state of an allocation member.SOLUTION: A protective cover Wd500 includes a body part, and an engagement part Wd530a formed separably from the body part and engaged with a box cover W200. Because the body part and the engagement part Wd530a separated from the body part are connectably formed, and are formed by using the engagement part Wd530a connected to the body part to allow changing of an allocation state of a seal WSL, carrying a tool (for example, a cutter knife) for changing the allocation state of the seal WSL is not required. In addition, because the body part of the protective cover Wd500 is relatively large and easy to be grabbed, it is easy to carry out a work of changing the allocation state of the seal WSL. Therefore, changing the allocation state of the seal WSL can be favorably carried out.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 87

Description

The present invention relates to gaming machines such as pachinko machines.

A gaming machine is known that includes a first member, a second member, an engagement member that is formed so as to be able to engage with at least the first member, and an arrangement member that is arranged on the first member and the second member (Patent Document 1).

JP 2011-244900 A

The gaming machine described above still has room for improvement in terms of changing the arrangement of the arrangement members.

The present invention was made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above, and aims to provide an amusement machine that allows the arrangement state of the arrangement members to be suitably changed.

To achieve this objective, the gaming machine of the present invention comprises a first member and a second member, an engagement member formed to be engageable with at least the first member, and an arrangement member disposed on the first member and the second member, the engagement member comprising a main body and an engagement portion formed to be separable from the main body and engaged with the first member, the main body and the engagement portion separated from the main body are formed to be connectable, and the arrangement state of the arrangement member is formed to be changeable using the engagement portion connected to the main body.

The gaming machine described in claim 2 is the gaming machine described in claim 1, in which the engaging portion is connected to the main body at a portion that engages with the first member.

The gaming machine described in claim 3 is the gaming machine described in claim 1 or 2, in which the engaging member has a regulation portion formed on the main body portion so as to be able to regulate the posture of engaging with the first member, and the regulation portion of the main body portion is connected to the engaging portion.

According to the gaming machine described in claim 1, the arrangement state of the arrangement members can be changed conveniently.

The gaming machine described in claim 2 has the same effect as the gaming machine described in claim 1, and can simplify the shape of the engagement part.

The gaming machine described in claim 3 has the same effect as the gaming machine described in claim 1 or 2, and can simplify the shape of the engagement part.

1 is a front view of a pachinko machine according to a first embodiment. FIG. FIG. 2 is a front view of the game board of a pachinko machine. FIG. 2 is a rear view of the pachinko machine. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the game board and the operating unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the game board and the operating unit. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a first operating unit. FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the first operating unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of a first operating unit; FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the first operating unit; FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the rotational motion unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the rotational motion unit. 13A and 13B are rear views of the rotational motion unit. 13A and 13B are rear views of the rotational motion unit. FIG. 4 is a front view of the first operating unit. FIG. 4 is a front view of the first operating unit. FIG. 4 is a front view of the first operating unit. FIG. 4 is a rear view of the first operating unit. FIG. 4 is a rear view of the first operating unit. FIG. 4 is a rear view of the first operating unit. FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a second operating unit. FIG. 13 is a rear perspective view of the second operating unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of a second operating unit; FIG. 13 is an exploded rear perspective view of the second operating unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the rotational motion unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the rotational motion unit. 13A and 13B are rear views of the rotational motion unit. 13A and 13B are rear views of the rotational motion unit. FIG. 13 is a front perspective view of a third operating unit. FIG. 13 is a rear perspective view of the third operating unit. FIG. 13 is an exploded front perspective view of a third operating unit. FIG. 13 is an exploded rear perspective view of the third operating unit. FIG. FIG. 4 is an exploded rear perspective view of the opening and closing operation unit. FIG. 11 is a rear view of the opening/closing operation unit of the third operation unit. FIG. 11 is a rear view of the opening/closing operation unit of the third operation unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the light guide plate unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the light guide plate unit. FIG. 4 is an exploded front perspective view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit. FIG. 4 is an exploded rear perspective view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit. FIG. 4 is a rear view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit. 47A is a cross-sectional view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit taken along line XLVIIIa-XLVIIIa in FIG. 47, and FIG. 47B is a cross-sectional view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit taken along line XLVIIIb-XLVIIIb in FIG. 5A to 5F are schematic front views of the auxiliary light guide plate unit. FIG. FIG. FIG. 4 is an exploded front perspective view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit. FIG. 4 is an exploded rear perspective view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit. FIG. 4 is a front view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit. 55 is a cross-sectional view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit taken along the line LV-LV in FIG. 54. FIG. 4 is an exploded front perspective view of a downstream guide member. FIG. 4 is an exploded rear perspective view of the downstream guide member. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a visual recognition appearance changing sheet. 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams showing how the downstream guide member appears when viewed from different directions. FIG. 11 is a rear view of the first operating unit in the second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a schematic rear view of the first operating unit in the third embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic rear view of the first operating unit. FIG. 4 is a schematic rear view of the first operating unit. 13A and 13B are cross-sectional views of a ball guide unit in a fourth embodiment. 13A and 13B are rear views of a rotational motion unit according to a fifth embodiment. FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view of a flow path front component in the sixth embodiment. FIG. 23 is a rear view of the pachinko machine according to the seventh embodiment. FIG. FIG. FIG. 71(a) is a rear view of the board box, and (b) is a side view of the board box as viewed in the direction of arrow LXXIb in FIG. 71(a). 1A is a partial front perspective view of a board box, and FIG. 1B is a partial rear perspective view of the board box. 1A and 1B are partial front views of the board box, and 1C and 1D are partial rear views of the board box. 73(b), (a) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box taken along line LXXIVa-LXXIVa in FIG. 73(b), and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box taken along line LXXIVb-LXXIVb in FIG. 73(b). 1A is a partial front view of the board box, and FIG. 1B is a partial rear view of the board box. A partial cross-sectional view of the board box taken along line LXXVI-LXXVI in Figure 75 (b). 1A is a partial front view of the board box, and FIG. 1B is a partial rear view of the board box. 78(a) is a partial rear view of the substrate box in the eighth embodiment, (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box along line LXXVIIIb-LXXVIIIb in FIG. 78(a), and (c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the protective cover in the ninth embodiment. 79(a) is a partial rear view of the substrate box in the tenth embodiment, (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box taken along line LXXIXb-LXXIXb in FIG. 79(a), (c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box taken along line LXXIXc-LXXIXc in FIG. 79(a), and (d) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box taken along line LXXIXd-LXXIXd in FIG. 79(a). 12(a) to 12(c) are partial cross-sectional views of a board box according to an eleventh embodiment, and FIG. 12(d) is a partial cross-sectional view of a board box according to a twelfth embodiment. 81(a) is a partial rear view of the board box in the thirteenth embodiment, and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box taken along line LXXXIb-LXXXLb in FIG. 81(a). 82(a) is a partial cross-sectional view of a substrate box in the fourteenth embodiment, (b) is a partial rear view of a substrate box in the fifteenth embodiment, and (c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box along line LXXXIIc-LXXXIIc in FIG. 82(b). 83(a) is a partial cross-sectional view of a substrate box in the sixteenth embodiment, (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box taken along line LXXXIIIc-LXXXIIIc in FIG. 83(a), and (c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box. 84(a) is a front view of the protective cover of the substrate box in the 17th embodiment, (b) is a side view of the protective cover as viewed in the direction of arrow LXXXIVb in FIG. 84(a), and (c) is a rear view of the protective cover as viewed in the direction of arrow LXXXIVc in FIG. 84(b). 85(a) is a rear view of the board box, (b) is a side view of the board box as viewed in the direction of arrow LXXXVb in FIG. 85(a), and (c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box along line LXXXVc-LXXXVc in FIG. 85(b). 73(a) is a side view of a protective cover of a board box in the 18th embodiment, and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box taken along line LXXIVb-LXXIVb in FIG. 73(b). FIG. 87(a) is a front view of the protective cover of the substrate box in the 19th embodiment, (b) is a side view of the protective cover as viewed in the direction of arrow LXXXVIIb in FIG. 87(a), and (c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box along line LXXIVb-LXXIVb in FIG. 73(b). 73(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box taken along line LXXIVb-LXXIVb in FIG. 73(b); FIG. 73(c) is a partial back view of the protective cover taken along line LXXXViiiid-LXXXVIIId in FIG. 88(c); and FIG. 88(d) is a partial cross-sectional view of the protective cover taken along line LXXXViiiid-LXXXVIIId in FIG. 88(c). 89(a) is a partial rear view of the protective cover Wg500 in the 22nd embodiment, (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the protective cover taken along line LXXXIXb-LXXXIXb in FIG. 89(a), and (c) is a partial rear view of the board box in the 23rd embodiment. 90(a) is a side view of a protective cover for a substrate box in the 24th embodiment, (b) is a side view of the substrate box, and (c) is a cross-sectional view of the substrate box along line XCc-XCc in FIG. 90(b). 91(a) is a partial rear view of the board box in the 25th embodiment, (b) is a partial side view of the board box as viewed in the direction of arrow XCIb in FIG. 91(a), and (c) is a rear view of the protective cover. 91(a) and (c) are rear views of the substrate box at part XCIIa in FIG. 91(a), (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box Wj100 at line XCIIb-XCIIb in FIG. 92(a), and (d) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box at line XCIId-XCIId in FIG. 92(c). 93(a) is a rear view of the board box in part XCIIa of FIG. 91(a), and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box along line XCIIIb-XCIIIb of FIG. 93(a). 94(a) is a partial front view of a substrate box in the 26th embodiment, (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box taken along line XCIVb-XCIVb in FIG. 94(a), and (c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box taken along line XCIVc-XCIVc in FIG. 94(a). 94(a) and (c) are partial cross-sectional views of the substrate box taken along line XCIVb-XCIVb in FIG. 94(a), and (b) and (d) are partial cross-sectional views of the substrate box taken along line XCIVc-XCIVc in FIG. 94(a). 96(a) is a partial rear view of the substrate box in the 27th embodiment, (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box taken along line XCVIb-XCVIb in FIG. 96(a), (c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box taken along line XCVIc-XCVIc in FIG. 96(a), (d) is a rear view of the protective cover, and (e) is a cross-sectional view of the protective cover taken along line XCVIe-XCVIe in FIG. 96(d). 96(a) is a rear view of the substrate box at part XCVIIa in FIG. 96(a), (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box at line XCVIb-XCVIb in FIG. 96(a), and (c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box at line XCVIc-XCVIc in FIG. 96(a). 98(a) is a partial front view of a board box in the twenty-eighth embodiment, and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box taken along line XCVIIIb-XCVIIIb in FIG. 98(a). 99(a) is a partial front view of a substrate box in the 29th embodiment, (b) is a side view of a protective cover as viewed in the direction of arrow XCIXb in Figure 99(a), and (c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box along line XCIXc-XCIXc in Figure 99(a). 100(a) is a partial rear view of the board box in the 30th embodiment, and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box taken along line Cb-Cb in FIG. 100(a). FIG. 31 is a rear view of the protective cover in the thirty-first embodiment. 102(a) is a partial rear view of the board box in the thirty-second embodiment, and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box taken along line CIIb-CIIb in FIG. 102(a). 3A is a partial cross-sectional view of a substrate box according to a thirty-third embodiment, and FIG. 3B is a partial cross-sectional view of a substrate box according to a thirty-fourth embodiment. 104(a) is a partial rear view of the board box in the thirty-fifth embodiment, and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box taken along line CIVb-CIVb in FIG. 104(a). A partial rear view of the substrate box in the thirty-sixth embodiment. 106(a) is a partial rear view of the board box in the thirty-seventh embodiment, and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box taken along line CVIb-CVIb in FIG. 106(a). 3A is a partial cross-sectional view of a substrate box in the 38th embodiment, FIG. 3B is a partial cross-sectional view of a substrate box in the 39th embodiment, and FIG. 3C is a partial rear view of a protective cover of the substrate box in the 40th embodiment.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, with reference to Figs. 1 to 55, a first embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a pachinko gaming machine (hereinafter simply referred to as a "pachinko machine") 10 will be described. Fig. 1 is a front view of the pachinko machine 10 in the first embodiment, Fig. 2 is a front view of the game board A13 of the pachinko machine 10, and Fig. 3 is a rear view of the pachinko machine 10.

In the following explanation, the front side of the paper will be referred to as the front (front) side and the back side of the paper will be referred to as the rear (rear) side with respect to the pachinko machine 10 in the state shown in Figure 1. Also, with respect to the pachinko machine 10 in the state shown in Figure 1, the top side will be referred to as the upper (upper) side, the bottom side will be referred to as the lower (lower) side, the right side will be referred to as the right (right) side, and the left side will be referred to as the left (left) side. Furthermore, the arrows U-D, L-R, and F-B in the figure (see Figure 2, for example) indicate the up-down direction, left-right direction, and front-back direction of the pachinko machine 10, respectively.

As shown in Figure 1, the pachinko machine 10 has an outer frame 11, the outer shell of which is formed by wooden frames assembled into a roughly rectangular shape, and an inner frame 12, which is formed to roughly the same external shape as the outer frame 11 and is supported so as to be openable and closable relative to the outer frame 11. Metal hinges 18 are attached to the outer frame 11 at two locations, top and bottom, on the left side when viewed from the front (see Figure 1), in order to support the inner frame 12, and the inner frame 12 is supported so as to be openable and closable towards the front, with the side where the hinges 18 are provided serving as the axis for opening and closing.

A game board A13 (see FIG. 2), which has numerous nails and winning holes 63, 64, etc., is removably attached to the back side of the inner frame 12. A pinball game is played by balls (game balls) flowing down the front of the game board A13. The inner frame 12 is also fitted with a ball launching unit 112a (see FIG. 4) that launches balls into the front area of the game board A13, and a launch rail (not shown) that guides the balls launched from the ball launching unit 112a to the front area of the game board A13.

On the front side of the inner frame 12, there is a front frame 14 that covers the upper front side, and a lower tray unit 15 that covers the lower side. Metal hinges 19 are attached to two places, top and bottom, on the left side when viewed from the front (see Figure 1), to support the front frame 14 and the lower tray unit 15, and the front frame 14 and the lower tray unit 15 are supported so that they can be opened and closed toward the front side, with the side where the hinges 19 are provided serving as the axis for opening and closing. The locks on the inner frame 12 and the front frame 14 can be released by inserting a special key into the keyhole 21 of the cylinder lock 20 and performing a specified operation.

The front frame 14 is fitted with decorative resin parts, electrical parts, etc., and has a window 14c formed in a roughly elliptical shape at approximately the center. A glass unit 16 having two glass plates is disposed on the back side of the front frame 14, and the front of the game board A13 can be seen from the front side of the pachinko machine 10 through the glass unit 16.

The front frame 14 has an upper tray 17 for storing balls, which is formed in a roughly box-like shape with an open top and extends out to the front, and prize balls and loan balls are discharged into this upper tray 17. The bottom of the upper tray 17 is formed with a downward slope to the right when viewed from the front (see Figure 1), and this slope guides balls dropped into the upper tray 17 to the ball launching unit 112a (see Figure 4). In addition, a frame button 22 is provided on the top surface of the upper tray 17. This frame button 22 is operated by the player, for example, when changing the stage of the performance displayed on the third pattern display device 81 (see Figure 2) or when changing the content of the Super Reach performance.

The front frame 14 is provided with various light-emitting means such as lamps around its periphery (for example, corners). These light-emitting means change and control the light-emitting state by lighting or blinking in response to changes in the game state such as when a jackpot is hit or when a certain reach is reached, and play a role in enhancing the presentation effect during the game. The periphery of the window portion 14c is provided with illumination units 29-33 incorporating illumination units such as LEDs. In the pachinko machine 10, these illumination units 29-33 function as presentation lamps such as jackpot lamps, and when a jackpot is hit or when a reach is reached, each illumination unit 29-33 lights up or blinks due to the built-in LEDs lighting up or blinking, thereby notifying that a jackpot is being hit or that the player is in the reach just before a jackpot. In addition, the upper left corner of the front frame 14 when viewed from the front (see Figure 1) is provided with an indicator lamp 34 incorporating an illumination unit such as an LED that can indicate when prize balls are being paid out and when an error has occurred.

A small window 35 is formed by attaching transparent resin to the underside of the right-side illumination section 32 from the back side so that the back side of the front frame 14 can be seen, and the certificate stamps and the like affixed to the attachment space K1 (see Figure 2) on the front of the game board A13 can be seen from the front of the pachinko machine 10. In addition, in order to create a more dazzling appearance, a plated member 36 made of chrome-plated ABS resin is attached to the area around the illumination sections 29-33 in the pachinko machine 10.

Below the window 14c, a ball lending operation unit 40 is provided. The ball lending operation unit 40 is provided with a number display unit 41, a ball lending button 42, and a return button 43. When the ball lending operation unit 40 is operated with bills, cards, etc. inserted into the card unit (ball lending unit) (not shown) arranged on the side of the pachinko machine 10, balls are lent out according to the operation. Specifically, the number display unit 41 is an area where the remaining balance information of the card, etc. is displayed, and the built-in LED is lit to display the remaining balance in numbers as the remaining balance information. The ball lending button 42 is operated to obtain loan balls based on the information recorded on the card, etc. (recording medium), and loan balls are supplied to the upper tray 17 as long as there is a remaining balance on the card, etc. The return button 43 is operated when requesting the return of the card, etc. inserted into the card unit. In addition, in pachinko machines where balls are directly dispensed from a ball dispensing device to the upper tray 17 without going through a card unit, i.e., in so-called cash machines, the ball dispensing operation unit 40 is not necessary, but in this case, a decorative sticker or the like may be added to the installation part of the ball dispensing operation unit 40 to make the parts configuration common. It is possible to standardize pachinko machines that use a card unit and cash machines.

The lower tray unit 15, located below the upper tray 17, has a lower tray 50 on the left side that is formed in a roughly box-like shape with an open top for storing balls that cannot be stored in the upper tray 17. An operating handle 51 is provided on the right side of the lower tray 50, which is operated by the player to shoot the ball into the front of the game board A13.

The operating handle 51 contains a touch sensor 51a for permitting the operation of the ball launching unit 112a, a launch stop switch 51b that stops the launch of balls while it is being pressed, and a variable resistor (not shown) that detects the amount of rotation (rotation position) of the operating handle 51 by changes in electrical resistance. When the operating handle 51 is rotated clockwise by the player, the touch sensor 51a is turned on and the resistance value of the variable resistor changes in response to the amount of rotation, and the ball is launched with a strength (launch strength) corresponding to the resistance value of the variable resistor, thereby hitting the ball into the front of the game board A13 with a flight amount corresponding to the player's operation. When the operating handle 51 is not being operated by the player, the touch sensor 51a and the launch stop switch 51b are off.

A ball removal lever 52 is provided on the lower front part of the lower tray 50 to be operated when discharging the balls stored in the lower tray 50 downward. This ball removal lever 52 is always biased to the right, and by sliding it to the left against this bias, the bottom opening formed on the bottom surface of the lower tray 50 opens, and the balls fall naturally from the bottom opening and are discharged. This ball removal lever 52 is usually operated with a box (commonly called a "senryo box") placed below the lower tray 50 to receive the balls discharged from the lower tray 50. As mentioned above, the operating handle 51 is disposed on the right side of the lower tray 50, and an ashtray 53 is attached to the left side of the lower tray 50.

As shown in Figure 2, the game board A13 is constructed by assembling a number of nails (not shown) and a windmill (not shown) for guiding balls to a base plate A60 machined into a roughly square shape when viewed from the front, as well as rails 61, 62, a general winning port 63, a first winning port 64, a second winning port 640, a variable winning device 65, a through gate 67, a variable display unit 80, etc., and the peripheral portion is attached to the back side (or front side) of the inner frame 12 (see Figure 1).

The base plate A60 is formed from a wooden plate member. The general winning opening 63, the first winning opening 64, the second winning opening 640, and the variable display unit 80 are arranged in through holes formed in the base plate A60 by router processing, and are fixed from the front side of the game board A13 with tapping screws or the like. The base plate A60 may be made of a light-transmitting resin material. In this case, it becomes possible for the player to see the various structures arranged on the back side of the base plate A60 from the front side.

The central front portion of the game board A13 can be seen from the front side of the inner frame 12 through the window portion 14c (see FIG. 1) of the front frame 14. The configuration of the game board A13 will be described below, mainly with reference to FIG. 2.

An outer rail 62 formed by bending a strip-shaped metal plate into an approximately arc shape is set up on the front of the game board A13, and an arc-shaped inner rail 61 formed from a strip-shaped metal plate like the outer rail 62 is set up inside the outer rail 62. The inner rail 61 and the outer rail 62 surround the front outer periphery of the game board A13, and the game board A13 and the glass unit 16 (see Figure 1) surround the front and back, forming a game area in front of the game board A13 where games are played based on the behavior of the ball. The game area is an area (where prize holes and the like are arranged and where the shot balls flow down) that is partitioned on the front of the game board A13 and is formed by the two rails 61, 62 and the resin outer edge member 73 that connects the rails.

The two rails 61, 62 are provided to guide the ball launched from the ball launching unit 112a (see Figure 4) to the top of the game board A13. A return ball prevention member 68 is attached to the tip of the inner rail 61 (upper left in Figure 2), which prevents a ball that has been guided to the top of the game board A13 from returning back into the ball guide passage. A return rubber 69 is attached to the tip of the outer rail 62 (upper right in Figure 2) at a position corresponding to the maximum flight part of the ball, and a ball launched with a certain amount of force or more hits the return rubber 69 and bounces back toward the center while its force is reduced.

At the lower left side of the game area when viewed from the front (lower left side of FIG. 2), the first pattern display devices 37A and 37B are provided, each equipped with a plurality of LEDs as light-emitting means and a seven-segment display. The first pattern display devices 37A and 37B display information according to the controls performed by the main control device 110 (see FIG. 4), and mainly display the game status of the pachinko machine 10. In this embodiment, the first pattern display devices 37A and 37B are configured to be used differently depending on whether the ball has entered the first winning hole 64 or the second winning hole 640. Specifically, when the ball has entered the first winning hole 64, the first pattern display device 37A is activated, while when the ball has entered the second winning hole 640, the first pattern display device 37B is activated.

The first symbol display devices 37A and 37B also use LEDs to indicate whether the pachinko machine 10 is in a special mode, a time-saving mode, or a normal mode, whether it is fluctuating, whether the stopped symbol corresponds to a special mode jackpot, a normal jackpot, or a miss, and the number of reserved balls, while the seven-segment display device displays the number of rounds during a jackpot and any errors. The multiple LEDs are configured to emit different colors (e.g., red, green, blue), and the combination of these colors can indicate various game states of the pachinko machine 10 with a small number of LEDs.

In addition, in this pachinko machine 10, a lottery is held when a prize is won in the first winning slot 64 and the second winning slot 640. In the lottery, the pachinko machine 10 determines whether or not there is a jackpot (jackpot lottery), and if it determines that there is a jackpot, it also determines the type of jackpot. The types of jackpots that can be determined here include a 15R special jackpot, a 4R special jackpot, and a 15R regular jackpot. The first pattern display devices 37A, 37B not only show whether or not the result of the lottery is a jackpot as the stopping pattern after the fluctuation has ended, but also show a pattern according to the type of jackpot if there is a jackpot.

Here, a "15R special jackpot" is a special jackpot that transitions to a high probability state after a jackpot with a maximum number of rounds of 15, and a "4R special jackpot" is a special jackpot that transitions to a high probability state after a jackpot with a maximum number of rounds of 4. A "15R normal jackpot" is a jackpot that transitions to a low probability state after a jackpot with a maximum number of rounds of 15, and is in a time-saving state for a specified number of changes (for example, 100 changes).

The "high probability state" refers to a state in which the probability of a jackpot increases after the jackpot as an added value, that is, when the probability is fluctuating (during a probability change), in other words, a state in which it is easy to transition to a special game state. In this embodiment, the high probability state (during a probability change) includes a game state in which the probability of hitting the second symbol, which will be described later, is increased and the ball is likely to enter the second winning hole 640. The "low probability state" refers to a time when the probability change is not in progress, and refers to a state in which the probability of a jackpot is normal, that is, a state in which the probability of a jackpot is lower than when the probability change is in progress. In addition, the time-saving state (during time-saving) of the "low probability state" refers to a game state in which the probability of a jackpot is normal and the probability of a jackpot remains the same, only the probability of a jackpot increases, and the ball is likely to enter the second winning hole 640. On the other hand, the pachinko machine 10 is in a normal state, which is neither a probability change nor a time-saving state (a state in which neither the probability of a jackpot nor the probability of a jackpot for the second symbol is increased).

During the special rate or time-saving period, not only does the probability of winning the second symbol increase, but the time that the electric device 640a associated with the second winning slot 640 is opened is also changed and set to a longer time than during normal play. When the electric device 640a is in an open state (open state), it is easier for the ball to win the second winning slot 640 than when the electric device 640a is in a closed state (closed state). Therefore, during the special rate or time-saving period, it is easier for the ball to win the second winning slot 640, and the number of times the jackpot lottery is held can be increased.

The state change of the electric role 640a between the open state and the closed state occurs by the opening and closing action of an opening and closing plate that can slide back and forth. When the electric role 640a is in the open state, the opening and closing plate is retracted rearward from the front surface of the base plate A60, allowing the game ball to enter the second winning opening 640 side, and when the electric role 640a is in the closed state, the opening and closing plate blocks the space between the game area and the second winning opening 640, making it difficult for the ball to enter the second winning opening 640 (the ball is swept to the left).

The change between the open and closed states of the electric device 640a may be caused by the opening and closing of an opening and closing plate that has a rotating shaft at the bottom end and rotates and displaces in a manner that tilts or stands up toward the play area. In this case, when the electric device 640a is in the open state, it is configured so that the ball is easily guided along the top surface of the opening and closing plate to the second winning hole 640, and when the electric device 640a is in the closed state, the opening and closing plate can be configured to block the gap between the play area and the second winning hole 640, making it difficult for the ball to enter the second winning hole 640.

In addition, during the probability bonus or time-saving period, instead of changing the opening time of the electric role 640a associated with the second winning slot 640, or in addition to changing the opening time, the number of times the electric role 640a opens with one win may be increased compared to normal. Also, during the probability bonus or time-saving period, the winning probability of the second symbol may not be changed, and at least one of the time when the electric role 640a associated with the second winning slot 640 is opened and the number of times the electric role 640a opens with one win may be changed. Also, during the probability bonus or time-saving period, the time when the electric role 640a associated with the second winning slot 640 is opened and the number of times the electric role 640a opens with one win may not be changed, and only the winning probability of the second symbol may be changed to be increased compared to normal.

In the play area, there are a number of general winning holes 63 through which 5 to 15 balls are paid out as prize balls when a ball enters the hole. In addition, a variable display unit 80 is arranged at a position visible through the center of the play area (behind the window of the base plate A60). The variable display unit 80 is provided with a third pattern display device 81 consisting of a liquid crystal display (hereinafter simply abbreviated as "display device") that performs a variable display of a third pattern in synchronization with the variable display in the first pattern display device 37A, 37B, triggered by the winning of the first winning hole 64 and the second winning hole 640 (initial winning), and a second pattern display device (not shown) consisting of an LED that displays a variable display of a second pattern, triggered by the passage of a ball through the through gate 67. In addition, a center frame A86 is arranged on the base plate 60 so as to surround the third pattern display device 81 in a front view.

The third symbol display device 81 is composed of a large liquid crystal display of about 9 inches to 19 inches, and the display contents are controlled by the display control device 114 (see FIG. 4), so that, for example, three symbol rows, upper, middle, and lower, are displayed. Each symbol row is composed of multiple symbols (third symbols), and these third symbols are scrolled horizontally for each symbol row, so that the third symbols are variably displayed on the display screen of the third symbol display device 81. The third symbol display device 81 of this embodiment performs decorative display according to the display of the first symbol display device 37A, 37B, while the display of the game state associated with the control of the main control device 110 (see FIG. 4) is performed by the first symbol display device 37A, 37B. Note that the third symbol display device 81 may be configured using, for example, a reel instead of a display device.

The second symbol display device performs a variable display in which a "circle" and an "x" symbol as display symbols (second symbol (not shown)) are alternately lit for a predetermined period of time each time the ball passes through the through gate 67. In the pachinko machine 10, when it is detected that the ball has passed through the through gate 67, a winning lottery is held. If the winning lottery results in a winning lottery, the second symbol display device displays a static "circle" symbol after the second symbol is displayed in a variable manner. If the winning lottery results in a losing lottery, the second symbol display device displays a static "x" symbol after the third symbol is displayed in a variable manner.

The pachinko machine 10 is configured so that when the variable display in the second pattern display device stops at a predetermined pattern (in this embodiment, a "circle" pattern), the electric device 640a attached to the second winning port 640 is activated (opened) for a predetermined period of time.

The time it takes for the second symbol to change display is set to be shorter during a special probability or time-saving mode than during normal game mode. As a result, during special probability and time-saving mode, the second symbol changes display in a short time, so more winning lotteries can be held than during normal game mode. This increases the chances of winning in the winning lottery, giving the player more opportunities for the electric device 640a of the second winning slot 640 to be in an open state. Therefore, during special probability and time-saving mode, it is possible to create a state in which it is easier for the ball to win the second winning slot 640.

Note that if the state is such that the ball is more likely to enter the second winning slot 640 during a special probability or time-saving period by increasing the probability of winning, increasing the opening time or number of times the electric device 640a opens for one win, or by other methods, the time it takes for the second symbol to change display may be kept constant regardless of the game state. On the other hand, if the time it takes for the second symbol to change display is set shorter during a special probability or time-saving period than during normal times, the probability of winning may be kept constant regardless of the game state, and the opening time or number of times the electric device 640a opens for one win may be kept constant regardless of the game state.

The through gate 67 is attached to the game board A13 in the area to the right of the variable display unit 80, and is configured to allow a portion of the ball launched at the game board A13 to pass through. When a ball passes through the through gate 67, a winning lottery for the second pattern is held. After the winning lottery, a variable display is performed on the second pattern display device, and if the winning lottery results in a winning lottery, a "○" pattern is displayed as the stopping pattern of the variable display, and if the winning lottery results in a losing lottery, an "X" pattern is displayed as the stopping pattern of the variable display.

The number of times that a ball passes through the through gate 67 can be reserved up to a maximum of four times in total, and the number of reserved balls is displayed by the above-mentioned first pattern display devices 37A, 37B, and is also displayed by lighting the second pattern reserved lamp (not shown). There are four second pattern reserved lamps, the maximum number of reserved balls, and they are arranged symmetrically below the third pattern display device 81.

The change in the second pattern may be displayed by switching on and off a number of lamps in the second pattern display device as in this embodiment, or may be displayed using a part of the first pattern display device 37A, 37B and the third pattern display device 81. Similarly, the second pattern hold lamp may be turned on by a part of the third pattern display device 81.

In addition, the maximum number of balls that can be held for passing through the through gate 67 is not limited to four times, but may be set to three times or less, or five times or more (e.g., eight times). In addition, the number of through gates 67 that can be installed is not limited to one, but may be, for example, two.

The installation position of the through gate 67 is not limited to the right side of the variable display unit 80, but may be, for example, on the left, right, or bottom of the variable display unit 80. The number of reserved balls is indicated by the first symbol display device 37A, 37B, so the second symbol reserved lamp may not be lit.

A first winning hole 64 into which a ball can enter is disposed below the variable display unit 80. When a ball enters this first winning hole 64, a first winning hole switch (not shown) provided on the back side of the game board A13 turns on. When the first winning hole switch turns on, a lottery for a jackpot is held by the main control device 110 (see FIG. 4), and a display according to the lottery result is shown on the first symbol display device 37A.

On the other hand, a second winning hole 640 into which a ball can enter is disposed on the lower right side of the through gate 67 when viewed from the front. When a ball enters this second winning hole 640, a second winning hole switch (not shown) provided on the back side of the game board 13 is turned on, and when the second winning hole switch is turned on, a lottery for a jackpot is held by the main control device 110 (see FIG. 4), and a display according to the lottery result is shown on the first symbol display device 37B. Note that the location of the second winning hole 640 is not limited to this. For example, it may be below the first winning hole 64 when viewed from the front, or it may be to the left of the center of the game area.

The first winning port 64 and the second winning port 640 are also each one of the winning ports through which five balls are paid out as prize balls when a ball enters the winning port. In this embodiment, the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the first winning port 64 is the same as the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the second winning port 640, but the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the first winning port 64 and the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the second winning port 640 may be different numbers, for example, the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the first winning port 64 may be three, and the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the second winning port 640 may be five.

An electric device 640a is attached to the second winning opening 640. This electric device 640a is configured to be able to open and close, and is usually in a closed state (reduced state), making it difficult for the ball to win the second winning opening 640. On the other hand, when the second pattern display device displays a "○" pattern as a result of the variable display of the second pattern, which is triggered by the passage of the ball through the through gate 67, the electric device 640a opens (expands), making it easier for the ball to win the second winning opening 640.

As mentioned above, during the special rate and time-saving period, the probability of the second symbol winning is higher than during normal play, and the time it takes for the second symbol to change is also shorter, so the "○" symbol is more likely to appear in the change display of the second symbol, and the number of times the electric device 640a is in the open state (expanded state) increases. Furthermore, during the special rate and time-saving period, the time that the electric device 640a is open is also longer than during normal play. Therefore, during the special rate and time-saving period, it is possible to create an environment in which the ball is more likely to win the second winning slot 640 than during normal play.

The probability of winning a jackpot when a ball enters the first winning slot 64 and when a ball enters the second winning slot 640 is the same in both low and high probability states. However, the probability of a 15R special jackpot being selected as the type of jackpot to be selected when a jackpot occurs is set higher when a ball enters the second winning slot 640 than when a ball enters the first winning slot 64. On the other hand, the first winning slot 64 does not have the electric device 640a found in the second winning slot 640, and the ball is always capable of winning.

Therefore, during normal play, the electric device 640a associated with the second winning port 640 is often in a closed state, making it difficult to win at the second winning port 640. Therefore, it is more advantageous for the player to aim for a big win by shooting the ball toward the first winning port 64, which does not have the electric device 640a, so that the ball passes to the left of the variable display unit 80 (the so-called "left shot") and having the ball win at the first winning port 64, thereby gaining more opportunities to win the big win lottery.

On the other hand, during the special bonus period or the time-saving period, the electric device 640a attached to the second winning slot 640 is likely to be opened by passing the ball through the through gate 67, making it easier to win at the second winning slot 640. Therefore, it is more advantageous for the player to shoot the ball toward the second winning slot 640 so that it passes to the right of the variable display device 80 (the so-called "right hit"), passing through the through gate 67 to open the electric device 640a and aiming for a 15R special bonus jackpot by winning at the second winning slot 640.

Unlike the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment, when the game board 13 is configured symmetrically, it is possible to aim for the first winning slot 64 with a "right hit" and for the second winning slot 640 with a "left hit". Therefore, the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment does not require the player to change the way the ball is shot between "left hit" and "right hit" depending on the game state of the pachinko machine 10 (whether it is in a special mode, a time-saving mode, or a normal mode). This eliminates the hassle of having to change the way the ball is shot.

On the other hand, the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment is configured so that it is not possible to aim at the first winning slot 64 with a "right hit", and so that a ball shot with a "left hit" does not pass through the through gate 67. Therefore, the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment can request the player to change the way the ball is shot between "left hit" and "right hit" depending on the game state of the pachinko machine 10 (whether it is in a special mode, a time-saving mode, or a normal mode). Therefore, by adding a game feature that changes the way the ball is shot, it is possible to prevent the game from becoming sluggish.

The variable winning device 65 (see FIG. 2) is disposed to the right of the first winning port 64, and the specific winning port 65a is disposed in the approximate center of the variable winning device 65. In the pachinko machine 10, when a jackpot lottery performed due to winning in the first winning port 64 or the second winning port 640 results in a jackpot, after a predetermined time (variable time) has elapsed, the first pattern display device 37A or the first pattern display device 37B is turned on to show the jackpot stop pattern, and the stop pattern corresponding to the jackpot is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 to indicate the occurrence of the jackpot. After that, the game state transitions to a special game state (jackpot) in which the ball is more likely to win. In this special game state, the specific winning port 65a, which is normally closed, is opened for a predetermined time (for example, until 30 seconds have elapsed, or until 10 balls have won).

This specific winning opening 65a is closed after a predetermined time has elapsed, and after this closure, the specific winning opening 65a is opened again for a predetermined time. The opening and closing operation of this specific winning opening 65a can be repeated up to, for example, 15 times (15 rounds). The state in which this opening and closing operation is taking place is one form of a special game state that is advantageous to the player, and the player is paid out a larger number of prize balls than usual as an addition of game value (game value).

The special game state is not limited to the above-mentioned form. A large opening that opens and closes separately from the specific winning opening 65a is provided in the game area, and when the LED corresponding to the big win is lit in the first pattern display device 37A, 37B, the specific winning opening 65a is opened for a predetermined time, and while the specific winning opening 65a is open, a ball enters the specific winning opening 65a, triggering the large opening provided separately from the specific winning opening 65a to be opened for a predetermined time and a predetermined number of times, and a game state may be formed as a special game state. In addition, the specific winning opening 65a is not limited to one, and one or more than two (for example, three) may be arranged, and the arrangement position is not limited to the right of the first winning opening 64, but may be, for example, the lower right side of the first winning opening 64, the lower left side of the first winning opening 64, the left or right side of the variable display unit 80, or above.

The lower right corner of the game board A13 is provided with an attachment space K1 for attaching stamps, identification labels, etc., and the stamps, etc. attached to the attachment space K1 can be seen through a small window 35 in the front frame 14 (see Figure 1).

The game board A13 is provided with an outlet 71. Balls that flow down the game area and do not enter any of the winning holes 63, 64, 65a, 640 are guided through the outlet 71 to a ball discharge path (not shown).

The game board A13 has many nails planted in it to appropriately distribute and adjust the direction in which the balls fall, and various parts (gimmicks) such as windmills are also arranged on it.

As shown in FIG. 3, the rear side of the pachinko machine 10 is mainly equipped with control board units 90, 91 and a back pack unit 94. The control board unit 90 is unitized with a main board (main control device 110), a voice lamp control board (voice lamp control device 113) and a display control board (display control device 114). The control board unit 91 is unitized with a payout control board (payout control device 111), a launch control board (launch control device 112), a power supply board (power supply device 115) and a card unit connection board 116.

The back pack unit 94 is a unit consisting of the back pack 92, which forms the protective cover, and the payout unit 93. In addition, each control board is equipped with an MPU as a one-chip microcomputer that controls each part, ports for communicating with various devices, a random number generator used in various lotteries, a clock pulse generating circuit used for time counting and synchronization, etc. as necessary.

The main control device 110, the voice lamp control device 113 and the display control device 114, the payout control device 111 and the launch control device 112, the power supply device 115, and the card unit connection board 116 are each stored in the board boxes 100-104. The board boxes 100-104 each include a box base and a box cover that covers the opening of the box base, and the box base and the box cover are connected to each other to store the respective control devices and boards.

The board box 100 (main control device 110) and the board box 102 (dispensing control device 111 and launch control device 112) are connected to the box base and box cover by a sealing unit (not shown) so that they cannot be opened (connected by a crimping structure). A sealing seal (not shown) is attached to the connection between the box base and the box cover, spanning the box base and the box cover. This sealing seal is made of a brittle material, and if you try to peel off the sealing seal to open the board box 100, 102 or forcefully open the board box 100, 102, it will be cut into the box base side and the box cover side. Therefore, by checking the sealing unit or sealing seal, you can know whether the board box 100, 102 has been opened.

The payout unit 93 is equipped with a tank 130 located at the top of the back pack unit 94 and opening upward, a tank rail 131 connected to the bottom of the tank 130 and gently sloping toward the downstream side, a case rail 132 connected vertically to the downstream side of the tank rail 131, and a payout device 133 provided at the most downstream part of the case rail 132, which pays out balls using a specified electrical configuration of a payout motor 216 (see Figure 4). The tank 130 is successively replenished with balls supplied from the island equipment of the game hall, and the payout device 133 pays out the required number of balls as appropriate. A vibrator 134 is attached to the tank rail 131 to impart vibration to the tank rail 131.

The payout control device 111 is also provided with a state recovery switch 120, the firing control device 112 with a variable resistor control knob 121, and the power supply device 115 with a RAM erase switch 122. The state recovery switch 120 is operated to clear ball jams (return to normal state) when a payout error occurs, such as ball jamming in the payout motor 216 (see FIG. 4). The control knob 121 is operated to adjust the firing force of the firing solenoid. The RAM erase switch 122 is operated when the power is turned on to return the pachinko machine 10 to its initial state.

Next, the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10.

The main control device 110 is equipped with an MPU 201, which is a one-chip microcomputer that is an arithmetic device. The MPU 201 contains a ROM 202 that stores various control programs and fixed value data executed by the MPU 201, a RAM 203 that is a memory for temporarily storing various data when executing the control programs stored in the ROM 202, and various other circuits such as an interrupt circuit, a timer circuit, and a data transmission/reception circuit. In the main control device 110, the MPU 201 executes the main processes of the pachinko machine 10, such as the jackpot lottery, the display settings on the first pattern display devices 37A, 37B and the third pattern display device 81, and the lottery for the display results on the second pattern display device.

In addition, in order to instruct the sub-control devices such as the dispensing control device 111 and the voice lamp control device 113 to operate, various commands are sent from the main control device 110 to the sub-control devices via a data transmission/reception circuit, but such commands are sent only in one direction, from the main control device 110 to the sub-control devices.

RAM 203 has various areas, counters, and flags, as well as a stack area in which the contents of the internal registers of MPU 201 and the return addresses of control programs executed by MPU 201 are stored, and a work area (working region) in which various flags, counters, I/O values, etc. are stored. Note that RAM 203 is configured so that it can retain (back up) data by receiving a backup voltage from power supply device 115 even after power to pachinko machine 10 is cut off, and all data stored in RAM 203 is backed up.

When the power supply is cut off due to a power outage or the like, the stack pointer and the values of each register at the time of the power outage (including the occurrence of a power outage; the same applies below) are stored in RAM 203. On the other hand, when the power is turned on (including the power turned on when the power outage is resolved; the same applies below), the state of the pachinko machine 10 is restored to the state before the power outage based on the information stored in RAM 203. Writing to RAM 203 is performed by main processing (not shown) when the power supply is turned off, and the restoration of each value written to RAM 203 is performed during start-up processing (not shown) when the power supply is turned on. Note that the NMI terminal (non-maskable interrupt terminal) of MPU 201 is configured to receive a power outage signal SG1 from the power outage monitoring circuit 252 when the power supply is cut off due to a power outage or the like, and when the power outage signal SG1 is input to MPU 201, NMI interrupt processing (not shown) is immediately executed as a power outage processing.

The MPU 201 of the main control device 110 is connected to an input/output port 205 via a bus line 204 consisting of an address bus and a data bus. The input/output port 205 is connected to the payout control device 111, the sound lamp control device 113, the first pattern display device 37A, 37B, the second pattern display device, the second pattern reservation lamp, and solenoids 209 consisting of a large opening solenoid for driving the opening and closing plate of the specific winning port 65a in the forward and backward directions and a solenoid for driving the electric role 640a, and the MPU 201 transmits various commands and control signals to these via the input/output port 205.

The input/output port 205 is also connected to various switches 208, which are made up of a group of switches (not shown) and a group of sensors including a slide position detection sensor S and a rotation position detection sensor R, and a RAM erase switch circuit 253 (described below) provided in the power supply device 115. The MPU 201 executes various processes based on the signals output from the various switches 208 and the RAM erase signal SG2 output from the RAM erase switch circuit 253.

The payout control device 111 drives the payout motor 216 to control the payout of prize balls and loan balls. The MPU 211, which is a calculation device, has a ROM 212 that stores the control program executed by the MPU 211, fixed value data, etc., and a RAM 213 that is used as a work memory, etc.

The RAM 213 of the payout control device 111, like the RAM 203 of the main control device 110, has a stack area in which the contents of the internal registers of the MPU 211 and the return addresses of the control programs executed by the MPU 211 are stored, and a work area (working area) in which the values of various flags, counters, I/O, etc. are stored. The RAM 213 is configured to be able to retain (back up) data by receiving backup voltage from the power supply device 115 even after the power supply of the pachinko machine 10 is cut off, and all data stored in the RAM 213 is backed up. Note that, like the MPU 201 of the main control device 110, the NMI terminal of the MPU 211 is also configured to receive a power outage signal SG1 from the power outage monitoring circuit 252 when the power supply is cut off due to a power outage or the like, and when the power outage signal SG1 is input to the MPU 211, an NMI interrupt process (not shown) is immediately executed as a power outage process.

The MPU 211 of the payout control device 111 is connected to an input/output port 215 via a bus line 214 consisting of an address bus and a data bus. The main control device 110, payout motor 216, launch control device 112, etc. are each connected to the input/output port 215. In addition, although not shown, a prize ball detection switch for detecting the paid-out prize balls is connected to the payout control device 111. Note that the prize ball detection switch is connected to the payout control device 111, but is not connected to the main control device 110.

When the main control device 110 issues an instruction to launch a ball, the launch control device 112 controls the ball launch unit 112a so that the strength of the ball launch corresponds to the amount of rotation of the operating handle 51. The ball launch unit 112a is equipped with a launch solenoid and electromagnet (not shown), and the launch solenoid and electromagnet are permitted to operate when certain conditions are met. Specifically, the touch sensor 51a detects that the player is touching the operating handle 51, and on condition that the launch stop switch 51b for stopping the launch of the ball is off (not operated), the launch solenoid is excited in response to the amount of rotation (rotation position) of the operating handle 51, and the ball is launched with a strength corresponding to the amount of rotation of the operating handle 51.

The audio lamp control device 113 controls the output of audio from the audio output device (such as a speaker not shown) 226, the output of turning on and off the lamp display device (such as the illumination units 29-33 and the display lamp 34) 227, and the setting of the display mode of the third pattern display device 81 performed by the display control device 114, such as variable performance (variable display) and advance notice performance. The MPU 221, which is a calculation device, has a ROM 222 that stores the control program executed by the MPU 221, fixed value data, etc., and a RAM 223 used as a work memory, etc.

An input/output port 225 is connected to the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 via a bus line 224 consisting of an address bus and a data bus. The input/output port 225 is connected to the main control device 110, the display control device 114, the voice output device 226, the lamp display device 227, other devices 228, the frame button 22, etc. The other devices 228 include the drive motors AMT1, AMT2, AMT3, AMT4, etc.

The voice lamp control device 113 determines the display mode of the third symbol display device 81 based on various commands (variation pattern command, stop type command, etc.) received from the main control device 110, and notifies the display control device 114 of the determined display mode by commands (display variation pattern command, display stop type command, etc.). The voice lamp control device 113 also monitors input from the frame button 22, and when the frame button 22 is operated by the player, instructs the display control device 114 to change the stage displayed on the third symbol display device 81 or change the performance content during a super reach. When the stage is changed, a back image change command including information about the changed stage is sent to the display control device 114 so that the third symbol display device 81 displays a back image corresponding to the changed stage. Here, the back image refers to an image displayed on the back side of the third symbol, which is the main image to be displayed on the third symbol display device 81. The display control device 114 displays various images on the third symbol display device 81 according to the command sent from this voice lamp control device 113.

The voice lamp control device 113 also receives a command (display command) from the display control device 114 that indicates the display content of the third pattern display device 81. Based on the display command received from the display control device 114, the voice lamp control device 113 outputs a voice corresponding to the display content of the third pattern display device 81 from the voice output device 226 in accordance with the display content, and also controls the turning on and off of the lamp display device 227 in accordance with the display content.

The display control device 114 is connected to the sound lamp control device 113 and the third pattern display device 81, and controls the display of the third pattern display device 81, such as the variable performance of the third pattern, based on commands received from the sound lamp control device 113. The display control device 114 also transmits display commands to the sound lamp control device 113 as appropriate, notifying the display contents of the third pattern display device 81. The sound lamp control device 113 can match the display of the third pattern display device 81 with the sound output from the sound output device 226 by outputting sound from the sound output device 226 in accordance with the display contents indicated by the display commands.

The power supply unit 115 has a power supply unit 251 for supplying power to each unit of the pachinko machine 10, a power failure monitoring circuit 252 for monitoring power interruption due to a power failure or the like, and a RAM erase switch circuit 253 provided with a RAM erase switch 122 (see FIG. 3). The power supply unit 251 is a device that supplies the necessary operating voltage to each of the control devices 110-114, etc. through a power supply path not shown. In summary, the power supply unit 251 takes in an externally supplied 24-volt AC voltage, generates a 12-volt voltage for driving various switches such as the various switches 208, solenoids such as the solenoid 209, motors, etc., a 5-volt voltage for logic, a backup voltage for RAM backup, etc., and supplies the necessary voltages to each of the control devices 110-114, etc.

The power failure monitoring circuit 252 is a circuit for outputting a power failure signal SG1 to each NMI terminal of the MPU 201 of the main control unit 110 and the MPU 211 of the dispensing control unit 111 when the power is cut off due to a power failure or the like. The power failure monitoring circuit 252 monitors the voltage of 24 volts DC, which is the maximum voltage output from the power supply unit 251, and when this voltage falls below 22 volts, it determines that a power failure (power failure, power cut) has occurred and outputs a power failure signal SG1 to the main control unit 110 and the dispensing control unit 111. By outputting the power failure signal SG1, the main control unit 110 and the dispensing control unit 111 recognize the occurrence of a power failure and execute NMI interrupt processing. The power supply unit 251 is configured to maintain the output of the 5 volt voltage, which is the drive voltage of the control system, at a normal value for a sufficient time to execute the NMI interrupt processing, even after the voltage of 24 volts DC becomes less than 22 volts. Therefore, the main control unit 110 and the dispensing control unit 111 can execute and complete the NMI interrupt processing (not shown) normally.

The RAM clear switch circuit 253 is a circuit for outputting a RAM clear signal SG2 to the main control device 110 to clear the backup data when the RAM clear switch 122 (see FIG. 3) is pressed. When the main control device 110 inputs the RAM clear signal SG2 when the pachinko machine 10 is powered on, it clears the backup data and sends a payout initialization command to the payout control device 111 to clear the backup data in the payout control device 111.

Next, the structure of the game board A13 and the operation unit A200 will be described. FIG. 5 is an exploded front perspective view of the game board A13 and the operation unit A200, and FIG. 6 is an exploded rear perspective view of the game board A13 and the operation unit A200. Note that in FIGS. 5 and 6, the liquid crystal display device (variable display unit 80) disposed in the opening A211a of the rear case A210 is omitted, and the rear side is shown as being visible through the opening A211a. In addition, FIG. 2 will be referred to as appropriate in the explanation of FIGS. 5 and 6.

The operating unit A200 includes a rear case A210 formed in a box shape with the front side open from a bottom wall A211 and an outer wall A212 erected from the outer edge of the bottom wall A211. The rear case A210 is formed in a rectangular frame shape when viewed from the front by forming a rectangular opening A211a in the center of the bottom wall A211. The opening A211a is formed to a size that corresponds to the outer shape (outer edge) of the display area of the third pattern display device 81 (i.e., capable of dividing the display area of the third pattern display device 81 when viewed from the front).

The rear case A210 is provided as a flat plate extending from the front end of the outer wall A212 along the rear surface of the game board A13 (e.g., arranged parallel to the rear surface), and includes a support plate A213 that is supported by a surface of the game board A13 in the assembled state (see FIG. 2).

With the support plate portion A213 supported by the surface of the game board A13, the game board A13 and the operating unit A200 can be fixed together by screwing a fastening screw into the base plate A60 of the game board A13, thereby improving the overall rigidity of the game board A13 and the operating unit A200.

A pair of displacement control devices A214 are disposed on the rear side of the rear case A210. The displacement control devices A214 are configured to be able to change between a protruding state and a immersed state by manual operation from the rear of the rear case A210, and in the protruding state, they control the movable parts (first operating unit A400 and second operating unit A500) described below from starting to move from the performance standby state.

By adopting the displacement control device A214, it is possible to facilitate shipping and transporting the pachinko machine 10, even when the central opening of the base plate A60 is blocked by the light guide plate unit A700, as in this embodiment.

In more detail, in the past, the displacement of the movable parts was suppressed by stuffing the area in which the movable parts would displace with shock-absorbing material (cushioning material such as cotton) and removing the shock-absorbing material after the game arrived at the game hall, which sometimes prevented the movable parts from displacing during shipping or transportation. However, when the central opening of the base plate A60 is blocked as in this embodiment, there is no penetration for removing the shock-absorbing material, and therefore the shock-absorbing material cannot be removed without disassembling the game board A13 and the back case A210, which can cause a great burden on the game hall.

To address this issue, this embodiment employs a displacement restriction device A214. This allows the state of the displacement restriction device A214 to be switched between a protruding state in which the movement of the movable parts is restricted, and a recessed state in which the restriction is released, without releasing the fixation of the game board A13 and the rear case A210.

The pair of displacement restriction devices A214 are arranged as members that restrict the movement of different movable parts. In other words, if the number of movable parts increases or decreases, this can be accommodated by increasing or decreasing the number of displacement restriction devices A214.

The base plate A60 is formed into a plate shape from a light-transmitting resin material, and is configured to make it easy for the player to see the various structures arranged on the back side of the base plate A60 from the front side. This allows the structures arranged on the back side to be seen regardless of the shape or arrangement of the base plate A60, and can be used for various effects. Note that if there are areas that you do not want the player to see, you can deal with this by attaching a seal material with low light transmittance (or no light transmittance), etc.

The operation unit A200 is disposed on the rear side of the game board A13, and various light emitting means and various operation units are disposed inside. That is, the operation unit A200 includes a rear case A210, a first operation unit A400 disposed on the inner right part and upper part of the rear case A210 when viewed from the front and disposed near the front side of the rear case A210, a second operation unit A500 disposed on the inner left part and upper part of the rear case A210 when viewed from the front and disposed between the first operation unit A400 and the bottom wall part A211 of the rear case A210, a third operation unit A600 disposed on the inner lower part of the rear case A210 when viewed from the front, and a light guide plate unit A700 fastened and fixed to the front end surface of the outer wall part A212 of the rear case A210 in front of the first operation unit A400.

Specifically, the third operating unit A600 is fastened to the bottom wall A211 of the rear case A210 at a lower position of the opening A211a, and the second operating unit A500 is fastened to the bottom wall A211 of the rear case A210 at a left position and an upper position of the opening A211a. The first operating unit A400 is fastened to the bottom wall A211 of the rear case A210 at a right position of the opening A211a, and is fastened to the front side of the second operating unit A500 at an upper position of the opening A211a. First, an overview of the operation control of this operating unit A200 will be described.

Figures 7 to 12 are front views of the operating unit A200 showing an example of the operation control of the operating unit A200. Figure 7 illustrates the first operating unit A400, the second operating unit A500, and the third operating unit A600 in a performance standby state, and Figure 8 illustrates the first operating unit A400 in an extended state, and the second operating unit A500 and the third operating unit A600 in a performance standby state.

Furthermore, FIG. 9 illustrates the second operating unit A500 in an extended state, and the first operating unit A400 and the third operating unit A600 in a performance standby state, FIG. 10 illustrates the first operating unit A400 and the second operating unit A500 in an extended state, and the third operating unit A600 in a performance standby state, and FIG. 11 illustrates the third operating unit A600 in an extended state, and the first operating unit A400 and the second operating unit A500 in a performance standby state.

Figure 12 also shows the first operating unit A400 and the second operating unit A500 after rotating from the performance standby state without any change in external shape, and the third operating unit A600 after rising while maintaining the external shape in the performance standby state.

7 to 12, the shape surrounded by the edge of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b of the light guide plate unit A700, the edge of the decorative member A808, and the edge of the center frame A86 is shown by imaginary lines. The shape surrounded by this imaginary line is the actual size at which the third pattern display device 81 can be seen when viewed from the front, and outside the shape surrounded by this imaginary line (especially on the left and right sides), the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b of the light guide plate unit A700 and the decorative member A808 are hidden, so the visibility of the first operating unit A400 and the second operating unit A500 in the retracted state can be reduced.

As shown in Figures 8 to 10, the displacement trajectory of the first operating unit A400 and the displacement trace of the second operating unit A500 partially overlap when viewed from the front, but since the displacement trajectory of the first operating unit A400 and the displacement trajectory of the second operating unit A500 are offset from each other in the front and rear (they do not overlap when viewed from above), the first operating unit A400 and the second operating unit A500 do not collide with each other during operation. Therefore, as shown in Figure 10, both the first operating unit A400 and the second operating unit A500 can be in an extended state.

As shown in Figures 8 to 11, the displacement trajectory of the first operating unit A400 or the second operating unit A500 partially overlaps with the displacement trajectory of the third operating unit A600 in a front view. Therefore, for example, when the first operating unit A400 or the second operating unit A500 is in the extended state, if the third operating unit A600 changes state from the performance standby state, there is a possibility of a collision.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the state change of the first operation unit A400 or the second operation unit A500 from the performance standby state is controlled so as to be executable on the condition that the third operation unit A600 is in the performance standby state, and the state change of the third operation unit A600 from the performance standby state is controlled so as to be executable on the condition that the first operation unit A400 is in the performance standby state and the second operation unit A500 is in the performance standby state, thereby making it possible to avoid collision between the first operation unit A400 or the second operation unit A500 and the third operation unit A600. This makes it possible to improve the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the first operation unit A400, the second operation unit A500, and the third operation unit A600 (it is possible to allow the displacement trajectories to overlap when viewed from the front).

The operation of the first operating unit A400 and the second operating unit A500 is configured to be performed in such a manner that the length and width of the rotating rotation operation units A400b and A500b change during the rotation operation, as will be described in detail later.

The operation mode of the third operating unit A600 is configured so that the lifting and lowering operation of the opening and closing operating unit A600b and the opening and closing operation of the moving member A650 can be performed at different times. In other words, the opening and closing operation of the moving member A650 is controlled to be performed when the opening and closing operating unit A600b is positioned at the upper end position.

As described above, in this embodiment, the operation timing of each operating unit A400, A500, and A600 may be controlled to be staggered in anticipation of the possibility of a collision, but if the possibility of a collision can be eliminated from the beginning, it is of course possible to drive them simultaneously, and Figure 12 shows a case in which each operating unit A400, A500, and A600 is driven simultaneously from a standby state and moves to a position where they will not collide with each other.

In other words, the state change that moves each of the operating units A400, A500, and A600 from the standby state to the state shown in FIG. 12 can be realized by driving the drive devices that drive each of the operating units A400, A500, and A600, on the condition that each of the operating units A400, A500, and A600 is in the standby state, so that it is possible to realize a unified operation performance by the multiple operating units A400, A500, and A600.

In the state shown in FIG. 12, the first operating unit A400 and the second operating unit A500 are in a posture immediately before the length and width of the rotational operating units A400b, A500b begin to change during the rotational operation. In other words, if further tilting occurs, the driving force will be consumed in changing the length and width of the rotational operating units A400b, A500b, and the operating resistance of the rotational operating units A400b, A500b will increase. Therefore, it is easy to stop the operating units A400, A500 in the posture shown in FIG. 12, where the operating resistance begins to change.

As the tilting motion continues, the amount of change in the length and width of the rotational motion units A400b and A500b increases, and the motion resistance increases accordingly. This resistance creates a change in motion resistance similar to the elastic force of a spring, making it easier to maintain the motion units A400 and A500 in the position shown in FIG. 12, and to return them to their original position even if they have been tilted too far.

As described below, the third operating unit A600 has a drive unit used for lifting and lowering operations that is separate from the drive unit that opens and closes the moving member A650. By only driving the drive unit used for lifting and lowering operations and not driving the moving member A650, it is possible to easily control the third operating unit A600 to stop in the state shown in FIG. 12.

In this way, it is possible to execute control to drive the first operating unit A400, the second operating unit A500, and the third operating unit A600 simultaneously, realizing a sense of unity in operation while avoiding collisions between the operating units A400, A500, and A600.

The range in which the display of the third pattern display device 81 located behind it can be seen changes according to the positioning of each operating unit A400, A500, A600. In other words, when all of the operating units A400, A500, A600 are in a performance standby state, the range (area) in which the display of the third pattern display device 81 can be seen is at its maximum (see Figure 7), and the range (area and position) in which the display area of the third pattern display device 81 is hidden is configured to differ according to the operating units A400, A500, A600 that are in a protruding state.

The extent to which the display area of the third pattern display device 81 is hidden (area and position) also differs depending on the extent to which each operating unit A400, A500, A600 extends from the performance standby state. Also, for example, even when the same operating unit (e.g., first operating unit A400) is operating, the amount of operation and the external shape of the rotational operating unit A400b are different between the state shown in FIG. 8 and the state shown in FIG. 12 (the extended position side is larger), so the extent to which the display area of the third pattern display device 81 is hidden (area and position) is different.

Also, for example, even if the same operating unit (e.g., third operating unit A600) is operating, the state shown in FIG. 11 and the state shown in FIG. 12 have the same up-down position, but the left-right arrangement of the movable member A650 is different, so the range (area and position) that is hidden in the display area of the third pattern display device 81 is different.

In addition, even if multiple identical operating units (e.g., first operating unit A400 and second operating unit A500) are operating, the state shown in FIG. 10 differs from the state shown in FIG. 12 in terms of whether or not the multiple operating units A400, A500 intersect, and therefore the number of ranges that are continuously visible within the display area of the third pattern display device 81 as ranges that are not hidden by the multiple operating units A400, A500 (four above, below, left, and right in FIG. 10, and one in FIG. 12) differs.

In this way, by providing multiple ranges for hiding the display area of the third pattern display device 81 by each operating unit A400, A500, and A600, it is possible to increase the variety of presentations that allow the display of the third pattern display device 81 to be viewed together with each operating unit A400, A500, and A600.

In other words, the third pattern display device 81 is controlled to develop a display performance in the range that is not hidden by each of the operating units A400, A500, and A600. Since the range that is hidden by each of the operating units A400, A500, and A600 can be changed in multiple types, it is possible to increase the variation in the display performance in the range that is not hidden by each of the operating units A400, A500, and A600, thereby improving the presentation effect of the display performance.

For example, when a large, continuously visible display area is maintained as in FIG. 12, the player can be relaxed by viewing an animation on the full screen, whereas when the display area is viewed as being divided as in FIG. 8, FIG. 9 or FIG. 10, the displays in each divided area can be differentiated (for example, as displays distinguished between advantageous and unfavorable developments) and one of these displays can be selected to determine the subsequent development of the presentation, thereby increasing the attention to the displays in each divided area.

Next, the first operating unit A400 will be described with reference to Figures 13 to 26. Figure 13 is a front perspective view of the first operating unit A400, and Figure 14 is a rear perspective view of the first operating unit A400.

The first operating unit A400 includes a support unit A400a held in the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5) and a rotation operating unit A400b supported on the support unit A400a so as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft AJ1 located at the lower right side when viewed from the front.

In the first operating unit A400, the drive motor AMT1 is disposed on the upper left side, and the rotating shaft AJ1 is disposed on the lower right side. This simplifies the structure around the rotating shaft AJ1 compared to when the drive motor AMT1 is disposed near the rotating shaft AJ1, and allows the rotating shaft AJ1 to be positioned closer to the right corner.

Furthermore, the front-to-rear width of the first operating unit A400 can be made shorter than when the driving motor AMT1 is arranged on the front or rear side of the rotary operating unit A400b, as occurs when the driving motor AMT1 is arranged near the rotary shaft rod AJ1. Therefore, sufficient space can be secured when multiple movable parts are stacked in the front-to-rear direction of the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5).

Figure 15 is an exploded front perspective view of the first operating unit A400, and Figure 16 is an exploded rear perspective view of the first operating unit A400. In Figures 15 and 16, the support unit A400a is shown disassembled, and the rotation operating unit A400b is shown in an undisassembled state.

The support unit A400a includes a fixed support unit A410 that is fastened to the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5), and a drive transmission unit A420 that has a drive motor AMT1 that is fixed in position to the fixed support unit A410 and is configured to be able to transmit the drive force of the drive motor AMT1 to the rotational motion unit A400b.

The fixed support unit A410 includes a vertical member A411 fastened to the right side of the bottom wall A211 of the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5) when viewed from the front, a horizontal member A413 arranged opposite the upper end side of the vertical member A411 in the front-rear direction, a reinforcing member A415 formed by bending a sheet metal member disposed between the horizontal member A413 and the vertical member A411 forward, and an upper cover member A417 fastened to the horizontal member A413 with the bent portion of the reinforcing member A415 sandwiched between the horizontal member A413 and the reinforcing member A415.

The vertical member A411 includes a cylindrical support portion A411a through which the rotation shaft rod AJ1 of the rotation operation unit A400b is inserted, a non-performance hole A411b through which the protruding tip of the displacement control device A214 (see FIG. 6) disposed on the lower right side is inserted, a repair hole A411c formed through the hole large enough to allow a fastening screw to be attached and removed for maintenance purposes, and a detection sensor A411d for detecting whether the first operation unit A400 is in a performance standby state or an extended state by detecting the position of the rotation operation unit A400b.

The non-performance hole A411b is formed in a location that is concealed by the right decorative member A808 when viewed from the front (see FIG. 8). Therefore, regardless of the position of the rotational motion unit A400b, it is easy to prevent the player from seeing the displacement control device A214 (see FIG. 6) through the non-performance hole A411b.

This concealing effect also occurs with the upper displacement regulation device A214. That is, the upper displacement regulation device A214 is intended to regulate the displacement of the second operating unit A500, but by being concealed by the upper decorative member A808, it is also possible to easily prevent the displacement regulation device A214 from being seen by the player.

The detection sensor A411d is usually a photocoupler type sensor, but is not limited to this. For example, it may be a magnetic sensor or a contact type sensor.

The horizontally long member A413 includes a plate-shaped main body A413a formed from a resin material in the shape of a horizontally long plate, a guide elongated hole A414 formed through the plate-shaped main body A413a, a motor support hole A413b formed through the plate-shaped main body A413a in a bulging portion that bulges forward at the left end side of the plate-shaped main body A413a so as to be able to support the drive motor MT1, and a plate-shaped extension portion A413d that extends forward from the upper end of the plate-shaped main body A413a in a plate-like shape and has multiple protrusions A413c with female threads formed on the extension tip side.

The reinforcing member A415 is a member formed by bending a metal plate, and includes a plate-shaped main body A415a that is arranged to be attached to the back side of the plate-shaped main body A413a and is sandwiched between the vertical member A411 and the horizontal member A413 in the assembled state (see FIG. 13), a bent plate A415c that is bent from the upper end of the plate-shaped main body A415a to the front side and has a plurality of through holes A415b through which the plurality of protrusions A413c can be inserted, a pair of retaining bent portions A415d that are bent from the bent plate A415c and have through holes through which the metal rod AMB1 can be inserted, and a long hole A415e that is drilled in a shape that surrounds the guide long hole A414 from the outside.

The upper cover member A417 is a member formed from a resin material, and includes a plate-shaped main body A417a that is fastened to the horizontal member A413 by a fastening screw that is screwed into the female thread of the protrusion A413c that is inserted into the through hole A415b in a positional relationship in which the reinforcing member A415 is sandwiched between the plate-shaped main body A417a and the horizontal member A413, a biasing spring A417b whose one end is supported by the plate-shaped main body A417a, and a damper member A417c whose other end is supported by the biasing force of the biasing spring A417b and which is biased to the right end of the movable range extending in the left-right direction by the biasing force of the biasing spring A417b.

The drive transmission unit A420 includes a support member A421, which is a sheet metal member on whose left end the drive motor AMT1 is supported and which is fastened to the horizontal member A413 at both left and right ends, a transmission mechanism A423 composed of a plurality of rotating members rotatably supported on the front side of the support member A421, a covering cover A425 fastened to the support member A421 so as to cover the rotating members of the transmission mechanism A423 from the front side, and a connecting mechanism A427 which connects the transmission mechanism A423 to the rotation operation unit A400b.

The transmission mechanism A423 includes a ring-shaped belt A423a with teeth formed on the inner circumference, a pair of left and right pulleys A423b, A423c with teeth formed on the outer circumference that mesh with the teeth of the belt A423a and rotatably supported on the columnar portion A421a of the support member A421 so as to be able to support the belt A423a without slack, a drive gear A423d fixed to the drive shaft of the drive motor AMT1 so as not to move relative to it, and a transmission gear A423f rotatably supported on the columnar portion A421a of the support member A421 so as to mesh with the gear portion A423e formed on the back side of the left pulley A423c and the drive gear A423d.

The covering cover A425 is not only fastened to the female screw formed on the main plate portion of the support member A421, but also fastened to the female screw formed on the tip of the columnar portion A421a that supports the pulleys A423b, A423c and the transmission gear A423f. This improves the rigidity of the columnar portion A421a and stabilizes the rotation of the pulleys A423b, A423c and the transmission gear A423f.

The connecting mechanism A427 includes a connecting member A427a to which the upper end side of the rotational motion unit A400b is connected and which receives the metal bar AMB1 in a recess A427b on the front side, so that the direction of operation is left and right; a prevention member A427c which is fastened and fixed to the connecting member A427a so as to cover the recess A427b of the connecting member A427a from the front side, thereby preventing the metal bar AMB1 from falling out from between the connecting member A427a and the preventing member A427a; and a belt fixing member A427d which is fastened and fixed to the preventing member A427c in an arrangement in which the belt A423a is sandwiched between the preventing member A427c and the preventing member A427c.

A cylindrical collar A427f through which the metal bar AMB1 is inserted is disposed in the pair of recesses A427b, and a pulley A427g that supports the metal bar AMB1 in a groove on the outer periphery while it is inserted into the collar is rotatably supported by the connecting member A427a. This makes it easier to prevent the position of the connecting member A427a relative to the metal bar AMB1 from shifting, and reduces the operating resistance.

The upper surface of the belt fixing member A427d, which faces the belt A423a, is formed with an engagement protrusion A427h that corresponds to the tooth shape formed on the inner circumference of the belt A423a. The belt A423a is positioned so that this engagement protrusion A427h meshes with the teeth of the belt A423a, and the prevention member A427c is positioned facing the outer circumference of the belt A423a (above the upper belt A423a), thereby fastening and fixing the belt fixing member A427d and the prevention member A427c.

This prevents the belt A423a from falling off the engagement protrusion A427h. Also, unlike when the belt A423a is fixed by pressing it, it is possible to prevent the belt A423a from slipping relative to the connecting mechanism A427 while improving the durability of the belt A423a.

With this structure, the drive motor AMT1 is driven to rotate, and the left pulley A423c is rotated through meshing transmission, causing the portion of the belt A423a extending to the left and right to move left and right, and the connecting mechanism A427 is guided by the metal bar AMB1 to move left and right.

The connecting member A427a has a guide slot A427e extending in the vertical direction, through which the columnar protrusion A448 of the rotational motion unit A400b is inserted. The columnar protrusion A448 of the rotational motion unit A400b is inserted into the guide slot A427e and the guide slot A414 of the fixed support unit A410, so that as the connecting mechanism A427 moves left and right, the columnar protrusion A448 of the rotational motion unit A400b moves up and down and left and right.

In this way, a driving force is transmitted to the rotational motion unit A400b via the connecting mechanism A427, which moves in the left-right direction, and the rotational motion unit A400b is displaced. Details of the rotational motion unit A400b are described below.

Figure 17 is an exploded front oblique view of rotational motion unit A400b, and Figure 18 is an exploded rear oblique view of rotational motion unit A400b. As shown in FIG. 17 and FIG. 18, the rotational motion unit A400b includes a base plate member A430 with a rotational shaft rod AJ1 fitted to its lower end, a moving member A440 connected to the base plate member A430 so as to be slidable in a linear direction passing through the rotational shaft rod AJ1 on a plane perpendicular to the rotational shaft rod AJ1, a direction switching member A450 inserted through the base plate member A430 and the moving member A440 and movable in a direction perpendicular to the sliding movement of the moving member A440, a decorative member A460 for showing the player that the length of the short side of the rotational motion unit 400b changes as the position or posture of the direction switching member A450 changes, and a covering member A470 that is fitted or fastened to the base plate member A430 so as to arrange the direction switching member A450 in the space formed between the base plate member A430 and the direction switching member A450, and is formed in a shape that covers the direction switching member A450 from the front side.

The base plate member A430 includes a long plate-like plate-like body A431 into which the rotary shaft rod AJ1 is fitted, a pair of upper and lower guide elongated holes A432 drilled in the plate-like body A431 on the same straight line passing through the rotary shaft rod AJ1, a plurality of auxiliary elongated holes A433 drilled between the pair of guide elongated holes A432 so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the guide elongated holes A432, and a plurality of auxiliary elongated holes A433 drilled in the plate-like body A431 near the lower end of the upper guide elongated hole A432. The plate-shaped body A431 is provided with a pair of support elongated holes A434 formed as elongated holes parallel to the guide elongated holes A432 at the short end of the plate-shaped body A431, a malfunction prevention tube portion A435 that protrudes in a cylindrical shape from the plate-shaped body A431 to the rear side, a pair of guide extension portions A436 that protrude from the front of the lower end of the plate-shaped body A431 and extend parallel to the straight line along which the guide elongated holes A432 are arranged, and a plate-shaped detection piece A437 that protrudes downward in a plate shape from the lower end of the plate-shaped body A431.

The malfunction prevention tube A435 is a through hole formed to a size that allows the protruding tip of the right-side displacement restriction device A214 (see FIG. 6) to be inserted. This malfunction prevention tube A435 is positioned in front of the non-performance hole A411b (see FIG. 8) when the first operating unit A400 is in a performance standby state.

When the protruding tip of the displacement restriction device A214 is brought into a protruding state in which it protrudes forward, the protruding tip passes through the non-performance hole A411b and is inserted into the malfunction prevention tube portion A435, thereby restricting the rotational movement of the rotational movement unit A400b.

The plate-shaped detection piece A437 is formed in a front-rear position that allows it to be placed in the detection groove of the detection sensor A411d (see FIG. 15). The plate-shaped detection piece A437 is formed on the side (back side) where the rotating shaft rod AJ1 is supported. This makes it possible to minimize the positional deviation of the plate-shaped detection piece A437 even if the rotating shaft rod AJ1 is bent (tilted) due to deformation of the rotating shaft rod AJ1, making it easier to avoid the plate-shaped detection piece A437 being placed in a position that deviates from the front-rear position that fits into the detection groove of the detection sensor A411d.

The position of the plate-shaped detection piece A437 is detected by the detection sensor A411d (see FIG. 15), so that the posture of the rotational motion unit A400b can be grasped, and therefore collisions between the multiple motion units A400-A600 can be avoided even when they are driven by separate drive sources.

The movable member A440 is configured to be able to perform an effect in which the decorative plate A441 on the front side is brightly illuminated by light irradiated from the light emitting means of the light emitting board arranged inside, and is equipped with a plate-shaped main body A442 arranged to sandwich the light emitting board between the plate-shaped main body A442 and the decorative plate A441, a pair of insertion protrusions A443 protruding from the back surface of the plate-shaped main body A442, a plurality of functional long holes A444 drilled in a shape that combines the up-down direction and the left-right inclination direction at a position corresponding to the auxiliary long hole A433 of the base plate member A430, an extension part A445 extending parallel to the straight line on which the pair of insertion protrusions A443 are arranged, and a columnar protrusion part A448 protruding from the upper right corner of the plate-shaped main body A422 to the back side and inserted into the guide long hole A427e (see Figure 15) of the drive transmission unit A420.

The decorative plate A441 has a translucent area A441a extending in the longitudinal direction at the center of the translucent area A441a, and a plated area A441b on both sides of the translucent area A441a in the translucent area A441a.

As a result, even if the placement of the board is restricted to the center in the short side direction due to the formation of the functional long hole A444, the light emission effect is achieved in the translucent area A441a near the center in the short side direction, and the other plated area A441b uses reflection from the plating to achieve the effect, thereby avoiding a decrease in the presentation effect.

The insertion protrusion A443 is inserted into the long guide hole A432 of the base plate member A430 and is configured to be prevented from falling out of the long guide hole A432 by the screw and collar member AC1 screwed into the tip.

The functional long hole A444 is composed of four long holes: a pair of upper and lower long holes and another pair of upper and lower long holes that are inverted by a straight line connecting a pair of insertion protrusions A443, and the shapes of the long holes are the same except for the inversion relationship.

Of the multiple functional long holes A444, a pair of upper and lower long holes are formed at a position where one of the long holes is translated along a straight line connecting a pair of insertion protrusions A443. In other words, the corresponding parts of the pair of upper and lower long holes extend on the same straight line or maintain a relationship of being arranged in parallel.

The extension portion A445 is formed with a width and length slightly shorter than the distance between the pair of guide extension portions A436 of the base plate member A430, and functions as a guide when the moving member A440 moves. The extension portion A445 has a U-shaped cross section in the extension direction that is open on the front side, and this shape not only improves rigidity but also prevents breakage of the wiring A449 connected to the board. In other words, by holding the wiring A449 on the extension portion A445 from the open side of the U shape, contact between other moving members and the wiring A449 can be avoided.

The wiring A449 is made of a flat cable and is made up of wiring that can bend in a direction corresponding to the rotation around the rotating shaft AJ1 and wiring that can bend in the direction in which the extension portion A445 extends.

In this embodiment, the drive motor AMT1 is disposed at a position away from the rotating shaft rod AJ1 (see FIG. 14), which makes it easier to secure space around the rotating shaft rod AJ1, and this space can be used as space for the wiring A449 to flex. This makes it possible to prevent excessive load from being applied to the wiring A449, and improves the durability of the wiring A449.

The direction switching member A450 and the decorative member A460 will be described together. The direction switching member A450 is composed of a pair of left and right members, and includes a plate-shaped main body A451, a pair of upper and lower columnar members A452 protruding from the back surface on the left and right inner parts of the plate-shaped main body A451, and a pair of upper and lower through holes A453 drilled on the left and right outer parts of the plate-shaped main body A451.

The columnar portion A452 is inserted in turn through the functional long hole A444 of the movable member A440 and the auxiliary long hole A433 of the base plate member A430, and can be displaced in a direction perpendicular to the straight line connecting the pair of insertion protrusions A443 depending on the arrangement of the movable member A440. In other words, depending on the arrangement of the movable member A440, the direction switching member A450 can be displaced in a direction perpendicular to the straight line connecting the pair of insertion protrusions A443 (can be displaced in a direction perpendicular to the movement direction of the movable member A440).

The decorative member A460 comprises a pair of left and right parallel moving members A461 and a pair of left and right rotational moving members A465. The parallel moving members A461 comprise a plate-shaped main body A462, a columnar portion A463 protruding from the lower corners on the left and right outer sides of the plate-shaped main body A462 toward the rear side, and a long columnar portion A464 protruding from the center side on the left and right outer sides of the plate-shaped main body A462 toward the rear side.

The rotational movement member A465 includes a plate-shaped main body A466, a columnar portion A467 protruding from the rear surface at the upper end of the plate-shaped main body A466, and a through hole A468 drilled below the columnar portion A467.

The columnar portion A463 has a female thread formed at the tip. A fastening screw is inserted into the through hole A453 on the lower side of the direction switching member A450 and screwed into the female thread, thereby fastening the decorative member A460 and the direction switching member A450 together.

The long columnar portion A464 has a female thread at the tip, but this is not used for fastening, but rather to prevent the member from falling off. In other words, the rotational movement member A465 through which the long columnar portion A464 is inserted is configured to be capable of rotational movement relative to the parallel movement member A461.

The long columnar portion A464 is first inserted through the upper through-hole A453 of the direction switching member A450, and then through the through-hole A468 of the rotational movement member A465. A large head screw is fixed to the tip of the long columnar portion A464, thereby preventing the rotational movement member A465 from falling off the long columnar portion A464.

The columnar portion A467 of the rotational movement member A465 is supported by the support long hole A434 of the base plate member A430, so that the displacement is reduced. By configuring it in this way, the displacement of the opposite end (lower end) of the columnar portion A467 of the rotational movement member A465 can be made greater than the displacement of the direction switching member A450 that displaces the through hole A468.

The covering member A470 has a translucent area A471 extending in the longitudinal direction at the center of the translucent area A471, and a plated area A472 on both sides of the translucent area A471 in the translucent area A471.

As a result, the direction switching member A450 and decorative member A460 are arranged so that the presentation effect can be maintained at a high level even on both sides of the short side where the light irradiated from the movable member A440 is easily blocked. In other words, the light emission presentation is performed in the translucent area A471 near the center of the short side, and the other plated area A472 is performed using reflections from the plating, thereby avoiding a decrease in the presentation effect.

The covering member A470 has a pair of protruding portions A473 that protrude from the rear side at the lower end. The protruding portions A473 are positioned in a position corresponding to the front end of the guide extension portion A436 of the base plate member A430.

By arranging them in this manner, in the assembled state, the covering member A470 and the base plate member A430 can form an opening through which the extension portion A445 of the movable member A440 is inserted. This makes it possible to stabilize the movement direction of the movable member A440 in the extension direction of the extension portion A445.

Figures 19(a), 19(b), 20(a) and 20(b) are rear views of the rotational motion unit A400b. Figures 19(a), 19(b), 20(a) and 20(b) show the relative movement of the moving member A440 of the rotational motion unit A400b with respect to the base plate member A430 in chronological order.

That is, the relative movement is illustrated from the rotational movement unit A400b (see FIG. 19(a)) in the performance standby state (see FIG. 7) of the first movement unit A400 to the rotational movement unit A400b (see FIG. 20(b)) in the extended state (see FIG. 8). Note that the top and bottom on the paper of FIG. 19 and FIG. 19 differ from the actual top and bottom directions, and the direction of the sliding movement of the moving member A440 is illustrated in a position that matches the top and bottom of the paper.

The functional long hole A444 has a first parallel portion A444a that extends parallel to a straight line passing through the pair of insertion protrusions A443, an inclined portion A444b that is formed so that one end is connected to the first parallel portion A444a and extends linearly in a direction inclined relative to the first parallel portion A444a, and a second parallel portion A444c that is formed so that the other end is connected to the inclined portion A444b and extends parallel to the extension direction of the first parallel portion A444a.

Here, FIG. 19(a) illustrates a state in which the columnar portion A452 of the direction switching member A450 is disposed on the end side of the first parallel portion A444a, FIG. 19(b) illustrates a state in which the columnar portion A452 of the direction switching member A450 is disposed at the intersection of the first parallel portion A444a and the inclined portion A444b, FIG. 20(a) illustrates a state in which the columnar portion A452 of the direction switching member A450 is disposed at the intersection of the inclined portion A444b and the second parallel portion A444c, and FIG. 20(b) illustrates a state in which the columnar portion A452 of the direction switching member A450 is disposed on the end side of the second parallel portion A444c.

The length of the first parallel portion A444a is formed to be sufficiently long. As a result, even if the movable member A440 starts to move relative to the base plate member A430 from the state shown in FIG. 19(a), the direction switching member A450 does not move in the short direction of the movable member A440 for a while (until the state shown in FIG. 19(b) is reached), and the rotation operation unit A400b can be rotated while maintaining the appearance of a short width in the short direction.

The inclined portion A444b extends from the position where the first parallel portion A444a is formed toward the outside in the short side direction of the moving member A440. Therefore, when the moving member A440 moves relative to the base plate member A430 from a state in which the columnar portion A452 of the direction switching member A450 is arranged on the first parallel portion A444a, and the columnar portion A452 enters the inclined portion A444b, the direction switching member A450 moves toward the outside in the short side direction of the moving member A440.

A pair of columnar sections A452 of the direction switching member A450 are inserted into a pair of auxiliary long holes A433, and the pair is guided in parallel. Therefore, the relative movement of the direction switching member A450 with respect to the base plate member A430 is a parallel movement in the short direction of the base plate member A430.

The speed of this movement is proportional to the speed at which the moving member A440 moves relative to the base plate member A430 because the inclined portion A444b is formed in a straight line. This makes it easier for the moving member A440, the direction switching member A450, and the decorative member A460 to perform linked motion effects.

The second parallel part A444c is not as long as the first parallel part A444a, and is formed to the minimum necessary length. The purpose of forming the second parallel part A444c is to improve the presentation effect of the rotational motion unit A400b.

In other words, when the first operating unit A400 is driven to the extended state and the drive motor AMT1 (see FIG. 15) is stopped, the connecting mechanism A427 is pushed back slightly by the biasing force applied to the damper member A417c by the biasing spring A417b, and even if the moving member A440 moves in the opposite direction (return direction) relative to the base plate member A430, the presence of the second parallel portion A444c makes it possible to prevent the position of the direction switching member A450 in the short direction of the moving member A440 from changing.

This makes it easier to maintain the appearance of the first operating unit A400 in the extended state (the short-side length of the rotation operating unit A400b) even if a push-back action occurs due to the biasing force of the biasing spring A417b, which can occur when adopting control that stops the drive of the drive motor AMT1 when the first operating unit A400 is in the extended state.

In the state shown in FIG. 19(a), the distance between the rotating shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 is the first length AD1, and the angle between the line passing through the rotating shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 and the line passing through the pair of insertion protrusions A443 is the first angle Aθ1.

In the state shown in FIG. 19(b), the distance between the rotating shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 is the second length AD2, and the angle between the line passing through the rotating shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 and the line passing through the pair of insertion protrusions A443 is the second angle Aθ2.

The second length AD2 is configured to be longer than the first length AD1 (first length AD1 < second length AD2). The second angle Aθ2 is configured to be smaller than the first angle Aθ1 (first angle Aθ1 > second angle Aθ2).

In the state shown in FIG. 20(a), the distance between the rotating shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 is the third length AD3, and the angle between the straight line passing through the rotating shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 and the straight line passing through the pair of insertion protrusions A443 is the third angle Aθ3.

The third length AD3 is configured to be longer than the second length AD2 (first length AD1 < second length AD2 < third length AD3). The third angle Aθ3 is configured to be smaller than the second angle Aθ2 (first angle Aθ1 > second angle Aθ2 > third angle Aθ3).

In the state shown in FIG. 20(b), the distance between the rotating shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 is the fourth length AD4, and the angle between the line passing through the rotating shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 and the line passing through the pair of insertion protrusions A443 is the fourth angle Aθ4.

The fourth length AD4 is configured to be longer than the third length AD3 (first length AD1 < second length AD2 < third length AD3 < fourth length AD4). The fourth angle Aθ4 is configured to be smaller than the third angle Aθ3 (first angle Aθ1 > second angle Aθ2 > third angle Aθ3 > fourth angle Aθ4).

Therefore, when the first operating unit A400 goes from the performance standby state to the extended state, the rotation operating unit A400b changes so that the distance between the rotation shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 gradually increases, and accordingly, the angle between the straight line passing through the rotation shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 and the straight line passing through the pair of insertion protrusions A443 gradually decreases.

Figures 21, 22, and 23 are front views of the first operating unit A400. Figures 21, 22, and 23 chronologically illustrate how the first operating unit A400 is driven from the performance standby state to the extended state.

Figure 21 illustrates the first operating unit A400 in a standby state, Figure 22 illustrates a state between the standby state and the extended state of the first operating unit A400, where the appearance of the rotation operating unit A400b is the same as in the standby state except for the change in posture, and Figure 23 illustrates the extended state of the first operating unit A400.

In the state shown in FIG. 21, the plate-shaped detection piece A437 is placed in the detection groove of the detection sensor A411d. This allows the corresponding control device to know that the first operating unit A400 is in a performance standby state.

The long guide hole A414 has an arc portion A414a that follows an arc shape centered on the rotating shaft rod AJ1 and is formed to the right of the columnar protrusion A448 shown in FIG. 22, and a straight portion A414b that is formed in a straight line to the left of the columnar protrusion A448 shown in FIG. 22 and smoothly connects to the arc portion A414a (extending in the tangent direction of the arc portion A414a at the connecting portion).

In other words, when the columnar protrusion A448 is positioned on the arc portion A414a (see Figures 21 and 22), even if the rotational motion unit A400b rotates, the distance between the rotational shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 is maintained at the first length AD1 (see Figure 19(a)), and no relative movement of the moving member A440 with respect to the base plate member A430 occurs, so the appearance of the rotational motion unit A400b is maintained.

In the process of the rotational movement from the state shown in FIG. 22 to the state shown in FIG. 23, the appearance of the rotational movement unit A400b changes so that the rotational movement member A465 protrudes in the short side direction of the rotational movement unit A400b.

Between the state shown in FIG. 22 and the state shown in FIG. 23, the straight line portion A414b along which the columnar protrusion A448 is guided is arranged to intersect at one point with a circle centered on the rotating shaft rod AJ1, so there is a one-to-one correspondence between the arrangement of the columnar protrusion A448 and the distance between the rotating shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448.

The amount of protrusion of the rotational movement member A465 is configured to correspond to the distance between the rotational shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion portion A448 (see Figures 19 and 20), so the position of the columnar protrusion portion A448 at which the rotational movement member A465 begins to protrude and the amount of protrusion of the rotational movement member A465 corresponding to the position of the columnar protrusion portion A448 can be identified from a structural aspect.

This makes it possible to avoid a situation in which the amount of change (angle) in the attitude of the rotational motion unit A400b is insufficient, causing the rotational motion member A465 to protrude and collide with the rear case A210 (see Figure 5), which can be a problem when the change in attitude of the rotational motion unit A400b and the extension of the rotational motion member A465 are performed by separate drive sources.

When the driving force of the drive motor AMT1 (see FIG. 15) is transmitted and the belt A423a is operated, the connecting mechanism A427 is guided by the metal bar AMB1 and slid left and right. In this embodiment, by controlling the driving amount of the drive motor AMT1, the rotational motion unit A400b can be operated to move back and forth between the state shown in FIG. 21 and the state shown in FIG. 22, the rotational motion unit A400b can be operated to move back and forth between the state shown in FIG. 22 and the state shown in FIG. 23, or the rotational motion unit A400b can be operated to move back and forth between the state shown in FIG. 21 and the state shown in FIG. 23.

On the extended side (left side), the connecting mechanism A427 comes into contact with the damper member A417c and is decelerated by the elastic force of the biasing spring A417b. As a result, even if the belt A423a is operated at high speed in a direction that puts the first operating unit A400 in the extended state, the connecting mechanism A427 bounces back on the extended side (left side), making it easier to avoid excessive load being applied to the belt A423a, and improving the durability of the belt A423a and the connecting mechanism A427.

When the rotational motion unit A400b starts from the performance standby state of the first motion unit A400 shown in FIG. 21, the starting direction of the columnar protrusion A448 faces the tangent direction AT1 of a circle that passes through the columnar protrusion A448 and has the rotation shaft rod AJ1 as its center.

In this embodiment, in the state shown in FIG. 21, the angle between the tangential direction AT1 and the direction in which the metal bar AMB1 extends (left-right direction) is small, so that the driving force of the drive motor AMT1 can be efficiently transmitted to perform the rotational operation of the rotational operation unit A400b.

In the state shown in FIG. 22, the tangential direction AT1 is parallel to the straight line portion A414b. Therefore, the resistance in the rotational direction can be reduced when the rotational motion unit A400b is rotated counterclockwise when viewed from the front from the state shown in FIG. 22.

Between the state shown in FIG. 22 and the state shown in FIG. 23, the angle between the direction of the tangential direction AT1 and the direction in which the metal bar AMB1 extends (left-right direction) gradually increases, and the downward component of the tangential direction AT1 becomes larger. As a result, the proportion of the force that rotates the rotational motion unit A400b due to its own weight increases, creating a surplus in the driving force of the drive motor AMT1. This surplus driving force can be used for the relative movement of the movable member A440 with respect to the base plate member A430.

In this way, the driving force of the drive motor AMT1 is used for both the rotational movement of the rotational movement unit A400b and the relative movement of the movable member A440 with respect to the base plate member A430, and by configuring the timing at which the driving force is required for these multiple movements to be staggered, the maximum driving force required at one time can be reduced, making it possible to miniaturize the drive motor AMT1.

As shown in FIG. 23, the angle between the moving direction AM1, which is the direction in which the moving member A440 moves relative to the base plate member A430, and the extension direction of the metal rod AMB1 is smaller than the angle between the straight line connecting the rotating shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion portion A448, which is the point at which the driving force is transmitted, and the extension direction of the metal rod AMB1.

In this embodiment, the angle between the movement direction AM1 and the extension direction of the metal bar AMB1 is an acute angle, which makes it easier to ensure that the component of the driving force of the drive motor AMT1 transmitted in the extension direction of the metal bar AMB1 is directed in the movement direction AM1. This makes it possible to avoid a situation in which the driving force is transmitted in a direction that rotates the rotational motion unit A400b before the relative movement of the moving member A440 with respect to the base plate member A430, resulting in increased operating resistance of the rotational motion unit A400b. Note that in this embodiment, the movement direction AM1 coincides with the longitudinal direction of the rotational motion unit A400b.

When a load from the drive motor AMT1 is transmitted to the columnar protrusion A448 in the left-right direction, the load is resolved into a downward load that moves the movable member A440 relatively in the movement direction AM1, and an upward load that rotates (raises) the rotational motion unit A400b around the rotational axis rod AJ1. Because the load from the drive motor AMT1 is in the left-right direction (directly to the side), this kind of smooth resolution of the load in the up-down direction can occur.

At this time, the rotating shaft AJ1 is not positioned in the direction of the load that is resolved into the moving direction AM1, so that load also acts to rotate the rotational motion unit A400b around the rotating shaft AJ1.

In other words, in this embodiment, the columnar protrusion A448 is positioned at a position offset from a straight line passing through the rotation axis rod AJ1 and parallel to the movement direction AM1, so that the load component that moves the moving member A440 relatively in the movement direction AM1 also occurs in the rotation direction of the rotational movement unit A400b, making it easier to avoid malfunctions in rotation, such as when the load from the columnar protrusion A448 toward the rotation axis rod AJ1 becomes excessive.

Figures 24, 25, and 26 are rear views of the first operating unit A400. In Figures 24, 25, and 26, the first operating unit A400 is illustrated in chronological order as it is driven from the standby state to the extended state, and the illustration of the vertical member A411 is omitted.

Figure 24 illustrates the first operating unit A400 in a standby state, Figure 25 illustrates a state between the standby state and the extended state of the first operating unit A400, where the appearance of the rotation operating unit A400b is the same as in the standby state except for the change in posture, and Figure 26 illustrates the extended state of the first operating unit A400.

That is, FIG. 24 corresponds to a rear view of the rotational motion unit A400b in the state shown in FIG. 21, FIG. 25 corresponds to a rear view of the rotational motion unit A400b in the state shown in FIG. 22, and FIG. 26 corresponds to a rear view of the rotational motion unit A400b in the state shown in FIG. 23.

Mainly with reference to FIG. 25, the operation of the rotation operation unit A400b starting from the performance standby state of the first operation unit A400 will be described. Also, FIG. 19 and FIG. 20 will be referred to as appropriate.

When the rotational motion unit A400b is rotated clockwise when viewed from the rear from the state shown in FIG. 25 until the distance between the rotational axis rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 becomes the second length AD2 (see FIG. 19(b)), the movable member A440 moves relative to the base plate member A430, but the direction switching member A450 does not move in the short direction of the movable member A440. Therefore, the appearance of the rotational motion unit A400b changes to extend in the longitudinal direction, and no change occurs in the short direction.

When the rotational motion unit A400b is further rotated clockwise when viewed from the rear, and the distance between the rotational shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 changes from the second length AD2 to the third length AD3 (see FIG. 20(a)), the movable member A440 moves relative to the base plate member A430, and the direction switching member A450 moves in the short direction of the movable member A440.

Therefore, the appearance of the rotational motion unit A400b changes so that it extends in the longitudinal direction and also changes so that the width in the lateral direction becomes wider. In this way, the change in the appearance of the rotational motion unit A400b occurs in two stages during the rotational motion of the rotational motion unit A400b: a state in which only the longitudinal direction changes, and a state in which both the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction change.

When the rotational motion unit A400b is further rotated clockwise when viewed from the rear, and the distance between the rotational axis rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 changes from the third length AD3 to the fourth length AD4 (see FIG. 20(b)), the movable member A440 moves relative to the base plate member A430, but the direction switching member A450 does not move in the short direction of the movable member A440. Therefore, the appearance of the rotational motion unit A400b changes to extend in the longitudinal direction, and no change occurs in the short direction.

This makes it easier to maintain the appearance of the first operating unit A400 in the extended state (the short-side length of the rotation operating unit A400b) even if a push-back action occurs due to the biasing force of the biasing spring A417b (see FIG. 21), which can occur when adopting control that stops the drive of the drive motor AMT1 when the first operating unit A400 is in the extended state (see FIG. 26).

In this way, in the tilting operation of the rotational motion unit A400b, the number of members that move relative to the base plate member A430 varies in each section. By controlling the control load of the drive motor AMT1 to switch in accordance with the number of members that move relative to each other (for example, by increasing the control load in a range where the number of members is large and decreasing the control load in a range where the number of members is small), the effects of changes in the motion resistance can be suppressed, making it easier to prevent local changes in the motion speed of the rotational motion unit A400b.

The following describes the change in the rotation angle of the rotational motion unit A400b when the columnar protrusion A448 moves to the left at a constant speed component from the state shown in Figure 25. First, in the state shown in Figure 25, the straight line connecting the rotation shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 is perpendicular to the straight line portion A414b of the guide elongated hole A414.

When the columnar protrusion A448 moves with a constant speed component to the left from the state shown in FIG. 25, the columnar protrusion A448 is guided by the straight line portion A414b of the guide long hole A414, and the rotation angle Aφ1 of the rotation motion unit A400b is specified as the acute angle of a right triangle with the straight line connecting the rotation shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 as the hypotenuse, the straight line connecting the rotation shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 shown in FIG. 25 as the base, and the straight line along the straight line portion A414b as the height AX1, as shown in FIG. 26.

If we assume that the first length AD1 is a unit length, then the relational equation for a right-angled triangle is given by the trigonometric functions Equation 1 [tan Aφ1 = AX1], and the inverse function Equation 2 [Aφ1 = arctan AX1] is also given.

From Equation 2, when the height AX1 increases at a constant speed as the columnar protrusion A448 moves at a constant speed component to the left, the amount of change in the rotation angle Aφ1 gradually decreases. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the drive motor AMT1 is driven at a constant speed and the connecting member A427a (see FIG. 21) of the connecting mechanism A427 is moved left and right at a constant speed, the rotation operation unit A400b can be rotated in an operating mode in which the amount of change in the rotation angle Aφ1 at start-up from the state shown in FIG. 25 to the state shown in FIG. 26 is maximized, and then the amount of change in the rotation angle Aφ1 gradually decreases.

In other words, while adopting simple control of driving the drive motor AMT1 at a constant speed, an operating mode can be realized in which the rotation speed of the rotational motion unit A400b is gradually reduced.

As a result, when the first operating unit A400 operates from the performance standby state to the extended state, the rotation speed of the rotational operating unit A400b is reduced as it approaches the extended state, while rotating at high speed at start. This allows the player to be surprised when the rotational operating unit A400b appears, while maintaining the position and posture of the rotational operating unit A400b in the extended state, making it easier for it to remain in the player's field of vision, by controlling the drive motor AMT1 to drive at a constant speed.

On the other hand, when the first operating unit A400 operates from the extended state to the performance standby state, the rotation speed of the rotational operating unit A400b is increased as the first operating unit A400 approaches the performance standby state, while rotating slowly at start-up. Therefore, by increasing the rotational speed of the rotational operating unit A400b near the performance standby state while retaining the afterglow of the start-up of the rotational operating unit A400b toward the retreat side, the rotational operating unit A400b can be quickly retreated by controlling the drive motor AMT1 to drive at a constant speed.

As a result, the operation of the rotational motion unit A400b can simultaneously cause a displacement in the rotational direction and a displacement in the linear direction, and can be configured to have an operating state in which the displacement in the rotational direction is noticeable (the rotational speed is high) and an operating state in which the displacement in the rotational direction is not noticeable (the rotational speed is low) but the displacement in the linear direction is noticeable.

In other words, when the first operating unit A400 is rotated clockwise from the performance standby state (see FIG. 24) as viewed from the rear, the relative movement of the movable member A440 with respect to the base plate member A430 is hardly caused until the state shown in FIG. 25 is reached, and further, in the rotational operation from the state shown in FIG. 25, the rotational speed of the first operating unit A400 is gradually decreased when the drive motor AMT1 is driven at a constant speed.

This allows for a smooth and natural transition between an operating state in which the rotational displacement is noticeable and an operating state in which the linear displacement is noticeable but the rotational displacement is not noticeable, with the columnar protrusion A448 being positioned at a position where the tip of the straight line of the second length AD2 coincides with the center line of the guide long hole A414.

As shown in Figures 24 to 26, when the rotational motion unit A400b rotates from the performance standby state, from the start of rotation in Figure 24 to the state shown in Figure 25, the columnar protrusion portion A448 is guided by the arc portion A414a, so there is no relative movement of the moving member A440 with respect to the base plate member A430, and only a rotational motion occurs.

From the state shown in FIG. 25 to the state shown in FIG. 26, the rotation of the rotational motion unit A400b causes the moving member A440 to move relative to the base plate member A430. The manner of relative movement occurs in the order shown in FIG. 19 and FIG. 20.

In FIG. 25, the first length AD1, second length AD2, third length AD3, and fourth length AD4 shown in FIG. 19 and FIG. 20 are correspondingly illustrated. The postures of the first length AD1, second length AD2, third length AD3, and fourth length AD4 shown in FIG. 25 correspond to the postures of the rotational motion unit A400b in each state of the first length AD1, second length AD2, third length AD3, and fourth length AD4 shown in FIG. 19 and FIG. 20.

In other words, when the rotational motion unit A400b rotates from the state shown in FIG. 25 to the posture of the second length AD2, only the relative movement of the movable member A440 with respect to the base plate member A430 occurs (see FIG. 19(a) and FIG. 19(b)).

Furthermore, when the rotational motion unit A400b rotates from the position of the second length AD2 to the position of the third length AD3, in addition to the relative movement of the moving member A440 with respect to the base plate member A430, the direction switching member A450 also moves relative to the base plate member A430 (see Figures 19(b) and 20(a)).

Furthermore, when the rotational motion unit A400b rotates from the position of the third length AD3 to the position of the fourth length AD4, only the relative movement of the movable member A440 with respect to the base plate member A430 occurs (see Figures 20(a) and 20(b)).

In this manner, in this embodiment, the rotational motion of the rotational motion unit A400b is configured to cause relative motion of multiple other members, but the start timing of the relative motion of each member is not the same, but is configured to be shifted from one another. This makes it possible to avoid a sudden increase in the driving force required for the operation of the rotational motion unit A400b.

The relationship between changes in the first length AD1, second length AD2, third length AD3, and fourth length AD4 shown in Figure 25 and changes in posture will be explained. The angle between the first length AD1 and the second length AD2 and the angle between the second length AD2 and the third length shown on the right are almost the same (about 18 degrees), but the difference between the first length AD1 and the second length AD2 and the difference between the second length AD2 and the third length AD3 is more than three times larger than the former.

Therefore, the length of movement of the moving member A440 relative to the base plate member A430 per unit angle when the rotational motion unit A400b rotates from the position of the second length AD2 to the position of the third length AD3 is more than three times longer than the length of movement of the moving member A440 relative to the base plate member A430 per unit angle when the rotational motion unit A400b rotates from the position of the second length AD2 to the position of the third length AD3 shown on the right side.

Furthermore, the movement length of the moving member A440 relative to the base plate member A430 per unit angle when the rotational motion unit A400b rotates from the position of the third length AD3 to the position of the fourth length AD4 is longer than the movement length of the moving member A440 relative to the base plate member A430 per unit angle when the rotational motion unit A400b rotates from the position of the third length AD2 to the position of the third length AD3.

This allows the operating mode of the rotational motion unit A400b to be gradually shifted from a state in which rotational motion is the main focus to a state in which relative movement (linear motion) of the movable member A440 with respect to the base plate member A430 is the main focus.

Here, at the end of the rotational movement of the first operating unit A400 toward the extended state (for example, from the position of the third length AD3 to the position of the fourth length AD4 in FIG. 25), the moving direction AM1 is configured to be returned to the counterclockwise direction as viewed from the rear for the columnar protrusion portion A448, which moves in the clockwise direction as viewed from the rear around the rotation shaft rod AJ1 (see FIGS. 19 and 20).

In other words, the angle between the columnar protrusion A448 and the moving direction AM1 is reduced so as to partially offset the rotation angle of the rotational motion unit A400b, so that the change in angle of the moving direction AM1 (see FIG. 23) in the state shown in FIG. 26 can be suppressed. As a result, even if the rotational motion unit A400b is pushed back slightly by the biasing force of the biasing spring A417b via the damper member A417c (see FIG. 23), the resulting change in angle of the moving direction AM1 can be suppressed.

This not only makes it difficult for the width of the rotational motion unit A400b to change in the short direction when the first motion unit A400 is in the extended state (see Figure 20), but also suppresses the change in the angle of the movement direction AM1, making it easier to stabilize the first motion unit A400 in the extended state.

In addition, the rotational motion unit A400b is configured to become longer in the longitudinal direction as it approaches the extended state, so the air resistance applied to the rotational motion unit A400b from the rotational direction becomes greater as it approaches the tilt end. This makes it possible to effectively generate a braking action due to air resistance.

Furthermore, with the rotational motion unit A400b, the direction switching member A450 and the decorative member A460 protrude in the short direction as they approach the protruding state, increasing the area when viewed in the front-to-rear direction. This increases the air resistance against tipping in the front-to-rear direction, making it easier to prevent the rotational motion unit A400b from tipping in the front-to-rear direction.

Next, the second operating unit A500 will be described with reference to Figures 27 to 34. Figure 27 is a front perspective view of the second operating unit A500, and Figure 28 is a rear perspective view of the second operating unit A500.

The second operating unit A500 includes a support unit A500a held in the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5) and a rotation operating unit A500b supported on the support unit A500a so as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft AJ2 located at the lower left side when viewed from the front.

In the second operating unit A500, the drive motor AMT2 is disposed on the upper right side, and the rotating shaft AJ2 is disposed on the lower left side. This simplifies the structure around the rotating shaft AJ2 compared to when the drive motor AMT2 is disposed near the rotating shaft AJ2, and the rotating shaft AJ2 can be positioned closer to the left corner.

Furthermore, the front-to-rear width of the second operating unit A500 can be made shorter than when the driving motor AMT2 is arranged on the front or rear side of the rotary operating unit A500b, as occurs when the driving motor AMT2 is arranged near the rotary shaft rod AJ2. Therefore, sufficient space can be secured when multiple movable parts are stacked in the front-to-rear direction of the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5).

Furthermore, by orienting the axis of the drive motor AMT2 in the vertical direction, the front-to-rear width is kept to approximately the diameter of the main body of the drive motor AMT2. This allows the front-to-rear width of the second operating unit A500 to be shortened.

In addition, by making the axial direction of the drive motor AMT1 (see FIG. 14) and the axial direction of the drive motor AMT2 perpendicular to each other, it is easier to prevent the drive motor AMT2 from being moved (malfunctioning) by vibrations (vibrations on a plane perpendicular to the axis) that occur when one of the drive motors AMT1 is driven.

Figure 29 is an exploded front perspective view of the second operating unit A500, and Figure 30 is an exploded rear perspective view of the second operating unit A500. In Figures 29 and 30, the support unit A500a is shown disassembled, and the rotation operating unit A500b is shown in an undisassembled state.

The support unit A500a includes a fixed support unit A510 that is fastened to the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5), and a drive transmission unit A520 that has a drive motor AMT2 that is fixed in position to the fixed support unit A510 and is configured to transmit the drive force of the drive motor AMT2 to the rotational motion unit A500b.

The fixed support unit A510 includes a vertical member A511 fastened to the right side of the bottom wall A211 of the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5) when viewed from the front, a horizontal member A513 fastened to the upper end side of the vertical member A511, a reinforcing member A515 formed by bending a sheet metal member disposed on the rear side of the horizontal member A513, and a covering member A517 disposed on the lower side of the vertical member A511 and configured to cover the lower end of the rotation operation unit A500b from the front.

The horizontal member A513 includes a plate-shaped main body A513a formed from a resin material in the shape of a horizontal plate, a guide elongated hole A514 formed through the plate-shaped main body A513a, a support portion A513b formed so as to be able to support a drive gear A523d of the drive transmission unit A520 with a protruding portion protruding in a bifurcated shape toward the front side at the right end side of the plate-shaped main body A513a, a biasing spring A513c having one end supported by the plate-shaped main body A513a, and a damper member A513d having the other end supported by the biasing force of the biasing spring A513c and biased to the left end of a movable range extending in the left-right direction.

The shape of the guide slot A514 is symmetrical to the shape of the guide slot A414 (see FIG. 24) described above in the first operating unit A400. As a result, the relationship of the rotational operation of the rotational operation unit A500b (relationship between the rotation angle and the longitudinal movement width) is the same as the rotational operation described in the rotational operation unit A400b (see FIGS. 21 to 26) except for the left-right symmetry, so a description of the rotational operation of the second operating unit A500 will be omitted.

The guide slot A514 corresponds to the location where the protruding tip of the upper displacement restriction device A214 (see FIG. 6) is inserted. When the upper displacement restriction device A214 is in the protruding state, the protruding tip interferes with the columnar protruding portion A546 (see FIG. 28) and is configured to restrict the movement of the columnar protruding portion A546.

The reinforcing member A515 is a member formed by bending a metal plate, and includes a plate-shaped body A515a arranged to be attached to the back side of the plate-shaped body A513a, a pair of retaining bent portions A515b formed by bending the plate-shaped body A515a and having through holes through which the metal rod AMB2 is inserted, and a long hole A515c drilled in a shape that surrounds the guide long hole A514 from the outside.

The covering member A517 is a member formed from a resin material, and includes a main body A517a formed in a shape in which the left and right side ends and the lower end of a plate-like portion are extended toward the rear side, a cylindrical support portion A517b formed on the main body A517a and into which the rotation shaft rod AJ2 of the rotation operation unit A500b is inserted, and a detection sensor A517c for detecting whether the second operation unit A500 is in a performance standby state or an extended state by detecting the position of the rotation operation unit A500b.

The detection sensor A517d is usually a photocoupler type sensor, but is not limited to this. For example, it may be a magnetic sensor or a contact type sensor.

The drive transmission unit A520 includes a support member A521 that is fastened to the right end of the horizontal member A513 and supports the drive motor AMT2, a transmission mechanism A523 that is composed of a plurality of rotating members that are rotatably supported on the upper surface side of the support member A521, a left end holding member A525 that holds the rotating member at the left end of the transmission mechanism A523 and is fastened to the horizontal member A513, and a connecting mechanism A527 that connects the transmission mechanism A523 to the rotation operation unit A500b.

The transmission mechanism A523 includes a ring-shaped belt A523a with teeth formed on the inner circumference, a pair of left and right pulleys A523b, A523c with teeth formed on the outer circumference that mesh with the teeth of the belt A523a and rotatably supported on the horizontal member A513 via the support member A521 and the left end holding member A525 so as to be able to support the belt A523a without slack, a drive gear A523d fixed to the drive shaft of the drive motor AMT2 so as not to move relative to it, and a transmission gear portion A523e, which is a gear-shaped portion formed at the lower end of a cylindrical portion that extends from the underside of the right pulley A523b into a cylindrical shape centered on the rotation axis and which meshes with the drive gear A523d.

The rotation axes of the pulleys 523b, 523c and the drive gear A523d are parallel to each other. As a result, when the drive motor AMT2 is driven and the drive gear A523d rotates, the rotation is transmitted to the transmission gear portion A523e, causing the right pulley A523b to rotate, and the belt A523a is driven in such a manner that the portion of the belt A523a that extends in the left-right direction is moved in the left-right direction.

The left end holding member A525 is made of a resin material and includes an upper member A525a that is fastened to the plate-shaped main body A513a and rotatably supports the left pulley A523c, and a lower member A525b that is made of a metal material and fastened to the upper member A525a in such a way that the left pulley A523c is sandwiched between the upper member A525a and the lower member A525b.

The connecting mechanism A527 includes a connecting member A527a to which the upper end side of the rotational motion unit A500b is connected and which receives the metal rod AMB2 in a recess A527b on the front side, thereby making the direction of operation the left-right direction, and a prevention member A527c which is fastened and fixed to the connecting member A527a so as to cover the recess A527b of the connecting member A527a from the front side, thereby preventing the metal rod AMB2 from falling out from between the connecting member A527a and the connecting member A527a.

The connecting member A527a has a flat plate-like contact portion A527d at its upper end that contacts the rear surface of the belt 523a, and the preventing member A527c has a sawtooth-shaped contact portion A527e at a position corresponding to the contact portion A527d.

The contact portion A527d is disposed opposite the flat portion (outer peripheral portion) of the belt A523a, and the sawtooth contact portion A527e is disposed opposite the sawtooth portion (inner peripheral portion) of the belt A523a. By sandwiching the belt A523a between the contact portion A527d and the sawtooth contact portion A527e, it is possible to prevent misalignment due to slippage of the flat contact portion A527d and the sawtooth contact portion A527e relative to the belt A523a.

The connecting member A527a is formed with columnar fastening parts for fastening and fixing to the prevention member A527c, and the connecting mechanism A527 is designed so that the pulley A527g is rotatably supported on one of them and the metal bar AMB2 is placed in a groove on the outer periphery of the pulley A527g. This reduces the operating resistance generated between the connecting mechanism A527 and the metal bar AMB2, thereby reducing the driving force required of the drive motor AMT2 to operate the second operating unit A500 and making the drive motor AMT2 more compact.

With this structure, the drive motor AMT2 is driven to rotate, and the right pulley A523b is rotated through meshing transmission, causing the portion of the belt A523a extending to the left and right to move left and right, and the connecting mechanism A527 is guided by the metal bar AMB2 to move left and right.

The connecting member A527a has a guide slot A527f extending in the vertical direction, through which the columnar protrusion A546 of the rotational motion unit A500b is inserted. The columnar protrusion A546 of the rotational motion unit A500b is inserted into the guide slot A527f and the guide slot A514 of the fixed support unit A510, so that as the connecting mechanism A527 moves left and right, the columnar protrusion A546 of the rotational motion unit A500b moves up and down and left and right.

Through the connecting mechanism A527, which moves in the left-right direction in this manner, a driving force is transmitted to the rotational motion unit A500b, and the rotational motion unit A500b is displaced. Details of the rotational motion unit A500b are described below.

Figure 31 is an exploded front oblique view of the rotational motion unit A500b, and Figure 32 is an exploded rear oblique view of the rotational motion unit A500b. As shown in Figures 31 and 32, the rotational motion unit A500b includes a base member A530 rotatably supported on the rotational axis rod AJ2 at the lower end, a moving member A540 connected to the base member A530 so as to be slidable in a linear direction passing through the rotational axis rod AJ2 on a plane perpendicular to the rotational axis rod AJ2, a direction switching member A550 inserted through the base member A530 and the moving member A540 and movable in a direction perpendicular to the sliding movement of the moving member A540 when the moving member A540 slides, a change member A560 for changing the position or posture due to the movement of the direction switching member A550 so as to make the player see that the length of the short side of the rotational motion unit 500b changes, and a covering member A570 fixed to the base member A530 via a fixed support member A565 so as to arrange the moving member A540 and the direction switching member A550 in the space formed between the base member A530 and the change member A560 and to be disposed in front of the change member A560.

The base member A530 includes a long plate-shaped main body A531, a pair of upper and lower guide long holes A532 drilled as long holes parallel to the long direction of the plate-shaped main body A531, a plurality of functional long holes A533 drilled in a position between the pair of guide long holes A532 in a shape that combines the up-down direction and the left-right inclined direction, a spatial component A534 fastened to both ends of the short side direction of the lower end of the plate-shaped main body A531 so as to form a space between the plate-shaped main body A531, a support hole A535 drilled in the front-back direction in the spatial component A534 and supported by the rotating shaft rod AJ2, and a pair of protruding insertion parts A536 formed to protrude in the short side direction of the plate-shaped main body A531 above the position where the spatial component A534 is fastened and fixed, and function as an insertion part for the fastening screw.

The functional long hole A533 is composed of four long holes: a pair of long holes, one above the other, and another pair of long holes, the shape of which is the inverse of the first pair of long holes. The shapes of the long holes are the same except for the inversion.

Of the multiple functional slots A533, a pair of upper and lower slots are formed at positions where one of the slots is translated in parallel along the longitudinal direction of the guide slot A532. In other words, the corresponding portions of the pair of upper and lower slots are on the same straight line or maintain a relationship of being arranged in parallel.

Of the functional long holes A533, a pair of upper and lower long holes and another pair of upper and lower long holes are offset in the direction in which the guide long holes A532 extend. This configuration makes it easier to utilize the free space compared to when the arrangements are not offset, and makes it easier to ensure the length of the functional long holes A533 in the short direction of the plate-shaped main body A531 while suppressing the short-side length of the plate-shaped main body A531.

The spatial component A534 has a plate-shaped detection piece A534a that extends from the lower end on the front side in a plate-like shape in a direction away from the support hole A535. The plate-shaped detection piece A534a is formed in a front-rear position that allows it to be placed in the detection groove of the detection sensor A517c (see FIG. 30).

The plate-shaped detection piece A534a is formed on the side (front side) where the rotating shaft rod AJ2 is supported. This makes it possible to minimize the positional deviation of the plate-shaped detection piece A534a even if the rotating shaft rod AJ2 is bent (tilted) due to deformation of the rotating shaft rod AJ2, making it easier to avoid the plate-shaped detection piece A534a being positioned outside the front-rear position where it fits into the detection groove of the detection sensor A517c.

By detecting the position of the plate-shaped detection piece A534a using the detection sensor A517c, the posture of the rotational motion unit A500b can be grasped, so that even if multiple motion units A400 to A600 are driven by separate drive sources, collisions between them can be avoided.

The moving member A540 includes a plate-shaped main body A541 made of a resin material, a light-emitting substrate A542 fastened to the front side of the plate-shaped main body A541 and having a plurality of light-emitting means such as LEDs arranged on the front side, a decorative member A543 fastened to the plate-shaped main body A541 and configured to cover the upper side of the light-emitting substrate A542 and have a portion that can transmit light from the light-emitting means of the light-emitting substrate A542, a pair of insertion protrusions A544 protruding to an extent that they can be inserted into the guide elongated hole A532 of the base member A530, a plurality of auxiliary elongated holes A545 drilled at positions corresponding to the functional elongated holes A533 of the base member A530 so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the guide elongated hole A532, and a columnar protrusion A546 protruding from the upper left corner of the plate-shaped main body A541 to the rear side and inserted into the guide elongated hole A527f (see FIG. 30) of the drive transmission unit A520.

By configuring the movable member A540 in this manner, it is possible to create an effect in which the decorative member A543 is brightly illuminated by light irradiated from the light emitting means arranged on the light emitting board A542. In addition, the light emitting means such as LEDs arranged on the light emitting board A542 include not only LEDs arranged with their optical axes facing forward (perpendicular to the front surface of the board), but also LEDs arranged with their optical axes facing sideways (parallel to the front surface of the board), particularly at the short ends. This can improve the effect of the light-based presentation, and more details will be given below.

When the second operating unit A500 is in a standby state (see FIG. 27), the lower end of the movable member A540 is disposed in the space formed between the plate-shaped main body A531 of the base member A530 and the space forming member A534. In other words, when viewed from the front, the movable member A540 is configured to be able to overlap with the rotating shaft rod AJ2 inserted through the support hole A535, improving the degree of freedom in the placement of the movable member A540.

The decorative member A543 has a translucent area A543a extending in the longitudinal direction at the center of the translucent area A543a, and plated areas A543b on both sides of the translucent area A543a in the transverse direction.

As a result, even if the placement of the board is restricted to the center in the short side direction due to the formation of the functional long hole A533 and auxiliary long hole A545, the front-facing light emission effect is achieved in the translucent area A543a near the center in the short side direction, and the other plated area A543b uses reflections from the plating to achieve the effect, thereby avoiding a decrease in the presentation effect.

In addition, the short end of the decorative member A543 does not extend to the rear side and does not cover the side of the light-emitting substrate A542. This allows the light irradiated laterally from the light-emitting substrate A542 to be sufficiently illuminated in the light-emitting performance without being attenuated by the decorative member A543.

The insertion protrusion A544 is inserted into the long guide hole A532 of the base member A530 and is configured to be prevented from falling out of the long guide hole A532 by the screw and collar member AC1 screwed into the tip. By configuring it in this way, the moving member A540 is configured to be movable relative to the base member A530 along the long guide hole A532.

The direction switching member A550 is composed of a pair of corresponding left and right members, and includes a corresponding plate-shaped main body A551, a pair of front columnar parts A552 arranged in the longitudinal direction protruding toward the front side at the left and right inner parts of the plate-shaped main body A551, a pair of rear columnar parts A553 arranged in the longitudinal direction protruding toward the rear side in the same straight line as the protruding direction of the front columnar parts A552, through holes A554 drilled in the longitudinal direction at the left and right outer parts of the plate-shaped main body A551, a movable decorative member A555 fastened and fixed to the plate-shaped main body A551 at the left and right outer and upper outer peripheral ends of the plate-shaped main body A551 so as to maintain a space between the plate-shaped main body A551 and the movable member A540, and a through hole A556 drilled in the longitudinal direction (parallel to the through hole A554) from the lower end of the movable decorative member A555.

In this embodiment, the plate-shaped main body A551 and the movable decorative member A555 are formed from a colored, transparent, light-transmitting resin material in consideration of the presentation. In particular, the resin is yellow in color, which improves the color continuity with the plated area A543b (gold plating) of the movable member A540, improving the light-emitting presentation effect when in operation.

If the plate-shaped main body A551 and the movable decorative member A555 could be constructed from identically shaped components, it would be possible to standardize the components, which may be preferable. In contrast, in this embodiment, the plate-shaped main body A551 and the movable decorative member A555 are constructed from two corresponding components, and although they are not constructed with the exact same shape, this difference in shape is designed based on functional requirements.

For example, the difference in shape at the upper end is due to the fact that a notch is formed on the side where the columnar protrusion A546 of the moving member A540 is located to avoid interference with the columnar protrusion A546, resulting in a different shape.

In addition, for example, the difference in the arrangement of the front columnar portion A552 and the rear columnar portion A553 is that the functional elongated hole A533 and the auxiliary elongated hole A545 are arranged in asymmetric positions, resulting in different shapes.

By having the rear side configuration take care of such functional requirements, it is possible to improve the design freedom of the shape of the front side of the moving decorative member A555 that is visible to the player, and in this embodiment, by making the shape symmetrical, it is possible to improve the presentation effect of the rotational motion unit A500b.

The front columnar portion A552 is inserted into the auxiliary elongated hole A545 of the movable member A540, and the rear columnar portion A553 is inserted into the functional elongated hole A533 of the base member A530. This allows the direction switching member A550 to be displaced in the direction in which the auxiliary elongated hole A545 extends, depending on the position of the movable member A540 relative to the base member A530.

The rear columnar portion A553 is inserted into the functional long hole A533 of the base member A530 and is configured to be prevented from falling out of the functional long hole A533 by a screw and collar member AC1 that are screwed into the tip.

On the other hand, since the movable member A540 is connected to the base member A530 by the insertion protrusion A544, and the direction switching member A550 is connected by the rear columnar portion A553, which is sufficient to prevent them from falling off, a collar member AC1 is disposed between the front columnar portion A552 and the movable member A540, and no screw threading is used to prevent them from falling off.

As a result, even if the light-emitting substrate A542 is formed very close to the auxiliary elongated hole A545, friction does not occur between the collar member AC1 and the light-emitting substrate A542, so the durability of the light-emitting substrate A542 is not reduced and the design freedom of the shape of the light-emitting substrate A542 can be improved.

In addition, it is possible to prevent the screw head from interfering with the movable decorative member A555, and to shorten the front-to-rear distance between the movable decorative member A555 and the movable member A540. This allows the front-to-rear thickness of the direction switching member A550 to be shortened.

The change member A560 is composed of a pair of left and right members, and includes a guide support member A561 that is supported displaceably (rotatably and displaceably in the direction in which the through hole A554 extends) in the through hole A554 of the direction switching member A550, a wing-shaped member A562 to which the guide support member A561 is fastened to the back side, an intermediate displacement member A563 that is rotatably supported by the wing-shaped member A562, a fixed member A564 that is fastened to the wing-shaped member A562 in such a position that the intermediate displacement member A563 is sandwiched between the wing-shaped member A562, a fixed support member A565 that is fastened to the overhang insertion portion A536 of the base member A530 and rotatably supports the intermediate displacement member A563, and a fixed member A566 that is fastened to the fixed support member A565 in such a position that the intermediate displacement member A563 is sandwiched between the fixed support member A565.

The wing-shaped member A562 is a columnar part that rotatably supports the intermediate displacement member A563, and includes a support fastening part A562a to which the fixing member A564 is fastened by screwing a fastening screw into a female thread formed at the tip, and a fastened part A562b to which the guide support member A561 is fastened.

The intermediate displacement member A563 is a plate-shaped member and includes a first through hole A563a through which the support fastening portion A562a is inserted, a second through hole A563b through which the fixed support member A565 is inserted and which is rotatably supported by the fixed support member A565, and an insertion protrusion A563c which is inserted into the through hole A556 of the direction switching member A550 and supported so as to be displaceable (capable of rotational displacement and displacement in the direction in which the through hole A556 extends).

The fixed support member A565 has a symmetrical shape with a pair of straight leg parts formed from the outer periphery of the arc-shaped part, and includes a columnar fixing part A565a that protrudes from the lower end of the leg towards the rear side in a columnar shape and is fastened and fixed to the protruding insertion part A536 of the base member A530, and a columnar support part A565b that protrudes towards the rear side at the upper left and right ends of the arc-shaped part and rotatably supports the second through hole A563b of the intermediate displacement member A563.

The columnar support portion A565b has a female thread formed at its tip, and a fastening screw inserted into the insertion hole A566a of the fixed member A566 is screwed into the female thread, thereby fastening the fixed member A566 to the fixed support member A565 in a manner that prevents the intermediate displacement member A563 from falling off the fixed support member A565.

In this embodiment, in addition to the through hole A566a, the fastening screw of the fixing member A566 is inserted through a through hole A566b, through which the fastening screw is inserted to fasten the fixing member A566 to the fixed support member A565 without sandwiching any other member therebetween.

Therefore, the screwing position of the fastening screw can be changed flexibly. For example, the fastening screw may be inserted and screwed into all of the insertion holes A566a, A566b. In this case, the strength of the columnar support part A565b can be improved by the strength of the fastening screw, making it easier to avoid the columnar support part A565b being damaged and the intermediate displacement member A563 falling off.

Furthermore, for example, a fastening screw may be inserted and screwed into either the insertion hole A566a or the insertion hole A566b. In this case, the number of fastening screws required can be reduced, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the product.

The covering member A570 comprises a translucent region A571 extending in the longitudinal direction at the center in the translucent direction, a plated region A572 in which plating is applied on both sides in the translucent region A571 in the translucent direction, a pair of claw-shaped portions A573 extending from the outer end in the translucent direction to the rear side on the rear side of the plated region A572 in the translucent direction and formed by bending the extended end, and a plurality of fastened column-shaped portions A574 fastened to the fixed support member A565.

The translucent area A571 and the plated area A572 make it possible to maintain a high level of illumination effect even when the shape of the light-emitting substrate A542 is restricted to a shape that does not interfere with the auxiliary long hole A545. In other words, the illumination effect is achieved in the translucent area A571 near the center in the short direction, and in the other plated areas A572, the illumination effect is achieved by reflection from the plating, thereby avoiding a decrease in the illumination effect.

The claw-shaped portion A573 is configured to support and guide both short sides of the decorative member A543 of the movable member A540. This makes it possible to suppress misalignment of the movable member A540 in the front-to-rear direction, making it easier to prevent the movable member A540 from falling forward or backward relative to the base member A530, particularly in the extended state (see FIG. 9).

The fastened columnar portion A574 is positioned at a position corresponding to the central side of the pair of legs of the fixed support member A565 and the central portion of the arc-shaped portion, and is fastened to the fixed support member A565 by screwing in fastening screws that are inserted into the fixed support member A565 at each position.

Figures 33(a), 33(b), 34(a) and 34(b) are rear views of the rotational motion unit A500b. Figures 33(a), 33(b), 34(a) and 34(b) show in chronological order the relative movement of the moving member A540 of the rotational motion unit A500b with respect to the base member A530. Note that the collar member AC1 is omitted from Figures 33(a), 33(b), 34(a) and 34(b).

Figures 33(a), 33(b), 34(a) and 34(b) show the relative movement from the rotational motion unit A500b (see Figure 33(a)) in the performance standby state (see Figure 7) of the second motion unit A500 to the rotational motion unit A500b (see Figure 34(b)) in the extended state (see Figure 9).

The guide slots A532 are a pair of slots that extend parallel to one another, but are not formed in a straight line. The upper guide slot A532 is formed in the center of the short side of the base member A530, while the lower guide slot A532 is positioned slightly offset from the center of the short side to avoid the rotating shaft rod AJ2.

In this way, even if the guide long holes A532 are slightly shifted, the moving member A540 is supported by a pair of guide long holes A532, so the moving member A540 can be moved smoothly in the direction in which the guide long holes A532 extend. Also, by shifting the position of the guide long holes A532 in this way, the rotating shaft rod AJ2 can be disposed in the center position in the short direction of the base member A530.

The functional slot A533 includes a first parallel portion A533a extending parallel to the extension direction of the guide slot A532, an inclined portion A533b formed so that one end is connected to the first parallel portion A533a and extends linearly in a direction inclined relative to the first parallel portion A533a, and a second parallel portion A533c formed so that the other end is connected to the inclined portion A533b and extends parallel to the extension direction of the first parallel portion A533a.

Here, FIG. 33(a) illustrates a state in which the rear columnar portion A553 of the direction switching member A550 is disposed at the end side of the first parallel portion A533a, FIG. 33(b) illustrates a state in which the rear columnar portion A553 of the direction switching member A550 is disposed at the intersection of the first parallel portion A533a and the inclined portion A533b, FIG. 34(a) illustrates a state in which the rear columnar portion A553 of the direction switching member A550 is disposed at the intersection of the inclined portion A533b and the second parallel portion A533c, and FIG. 34(b) illustrates a state in which the rear columnar portion A553 of the direction switching member A550 is disposed at the end side of the second parallel portion A533c.

The length of the first parallel portion A533a is sufficiently long. As a result, even if the moving member A540 starts to move relative to the base member A530 from the state shown in FIG. 33(a), the direction switching member A550 is unlikely to move in the short direction of the moving member A540 for a while (until the state shown in FIG. 33(b) is reached).

During the operation of the second operating unit A500, the relative movement of the movable member A540 with respect to the base member A530 is performed simultaneously with the rotation of the rotational operating unit A500b around the rotation axis rod AJ2, but from the state shown in FIG. 33(a) to the state shown in FIG. 33(b), the rotational operating unit A500b can be rotated while maintaining its short appearance in the short side width.

The inclined portion A533b extends from the position where the first parallel portion A533a is formed toward the outside in the short side direction of the base member A530. Therefore, when the moving member A540 moves relative to the base member A530 from a state in which the rear columnar portion A553 of the direction switching member A550 is arranged on the first parallel portion A533a and the rear columnar portion A553 enters the inclined portion A533b, the direction switching member A550 moves toward the outside in the short side direction of the moving member A540.

The pair of rear columnar portions A553 of the direction switching member A550 are inserted into a pair of auxiliary long holes A545 (see FIG. 32), and the pair are guided in parallel. Therefore, the relative movement of the direction switching member A550 with respect to the moving member A540 is a parallel movement in the short direction of the moving member A540.

The speed of this movement is proportional to the speed at which the moving member A540 moves relative to the base member A530 because the inclined portion A533b is formed in a straight line. This makes it easier to perform a motion presentation in which the moving member A540 and the direction switching member A550 are linked together.

The second parallel part A533c is not as long as the first parallel part A533a, and is formed to the minimum necessary length. The purpose of forming the second parallel part A533c is to improve the presentation effect of the rotational motion unit A500b.

In other words, when the second operating unit A500 is driven to the extended state and the drive motor AMT2 (see FIG. 29) is stopped, the connecting mechanism A527 is pushed back slightly by the biasing force applied to the damper member A513d by the biasing spring A513c, and even if the moving member A540 moves in the opposite direction (return direction) relative to the base member A530, the presence of the second parallel portion A533c makes it possible to prevent the position of the direction switching member A550 in the short direction of the moving member A540 from changing.

This makes it easier to maintain the appearance of the second operating unit A500 in the extended state (the short-side length of the rotation operating unit A500b) even if a push-back action occurs due to the biasing force of the biasing spring A513c (see FIG. 29), which can occur when adopting control that stops the drive of the drive motor AMT2 when the second operating unit A500 is in the extended state.

Here, we will explain the differences between the rotational motion unit A500b of the second motion unit A500 and the rotational motion unit A400b of the first motion unit A400. First, as mentioned above, in the rotational motion unit A500b, the guide elongated holes A532 are not arranged in a straight line.

In the rotational operation unit A500b of the second operation unit A500, the functional long holes A533 are not aligned in the short direction of the base member A530, but are shifted in the longitudinal direction. This allows a portion of the functional long holes A533 formed on the opposite side in the short direction to fit into the gap between the functional long holes A533 aligned in the longitudinal direction of the base member A530, thereby shortening the short-side length of the base member A530.

The rear columnar portion A553 of the direction switching member A550 is configured to be vertically shifted in accordance with the vertical shift of the functional long hole A533. This allows the timing of the left and right direction switching members A550 to move in opposing directions (the short side direction of the moving member A540) to be synchronized.

In the rotational motion unit A400b, the functional long hole A444 is formed in the moving member A440, but in the rotational motion unit A500b, the functional long hole A533 is formed in the base member A530.

For this reason, in the first operating unit A400, as the rotational operating unit A400b rotates and the moving member A440 moves relative to the base plate member A430, the functional long hole A444 also moves relative to the base plate member A430 (see Figures 19 and 20), but in the second operating unit A500, even if the rotational operating unit A500b rotates and the moving member A540 moves relative to the base member A530, the arrangement of the functional long hole A533 does not move relative to the base member A530.

Conversely, in the first operating unit A400, the auxiliary elongated hole A433 (see FIG. 17) is formed in the base plate member A430, while in the second operating unit A500, the auxiliary elongated hole A545 is formed in the moving member A540 (see FIG. 32), so the correspondence is reversed.

Because of this relationship, the functional slot A533 formed in the rotational motion unit A500b of the second motion unit A500 is inverted in the up-down relationship with the functional slot A444 formed in the rotational motion unit A400b of the first motion unit A400.

In this way, by reversing the vertical relationship of the functional long holes A444, A533 and the auxiliary long holes A433, A545, the rotational motion unit A500b can also realize an operating mode similar to that of the rotational motion unit A400b, in which the length of the rotational motion unit A500b in the short direction increases as it extends in the longitudinal direction.

In the second operating unit A500, the arrangement of the direction switching member A550 in the longitudinal direction of the rotational operating unit A500b corresponds to the arrangement of the auxiliary long hole A545 of the moving member A540. Therefore, as the moving member A540 moves relative to the base member A530 in the longitudinal direction of the rotational operating unit A500b, the direction switching member A550 moves in the longitudinal direction of the rotational operating unit A500b by an amount similar to the amount of movement of the moving member A540, and at the same time, moves in the lateral direction of the moving member A540.

In other words, the movement of the direction switching member A550 is a relative movement with respect to the movable member A540 in the short direction of the movable member A540 (a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the guide long hole A532), and is a relative movement with respect to the base member A530 along the formation direction of the functional long hole A533.

The change member A560 is supported by the columnar support portion A565b of the fixed support member A565, the second through hole A563b of which is fixed to the base member A530, while the insertion protrusion A563c is supported by the through hole A556 of the displaceable direction switching member A550, and the guide support member A561 is supported by the displaceable through hole A554. This allows the change member A560 to rotate in response to the amount of displacement in the short direction of the moving member A540, with the base member A530 as the fulcrum, and causes a displacement different from the displacement of the moving member A540 and the displacement of the direction switching member A550.

In addition, as the second operating unit A500 goes from the performance standby state to the extended state, the rotation operating unit A500b changes so that the distance between the rotation axis rod AJ2 and the columnar protrusion A546 gradually increases, and accordingly, the angle between the line passing through the rotation axis rod AJ2 and the columnar protrusion A546 and the line extending in the longitudinal direction of the rotation operating unit A500b (the direction of movement of the moving member A540) gradually decreases. This is the same as what was described above in the explanation of the first operating unit A400 with reference to Figures 19 and 20, so a description of this will be omitted here.

Next, the third operating unit A600 will be described with reference to Figures 35 to 42. Figure 35 is a front perspective view of the third operating unit A600, and Figure 36 is a rear perspective view of the third operating unit A600.

The third operating unit A600 includes a support unit A600a held in the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5) and an opening/closing operating unit A600b supported on the support unit A600a so as to be movable up and down.

Figure 37 is an exploded front perspective view of the third operating unit A600, and Figure 38 is an exploded rear perspective view of the third operating unit A600. In Figures 37 and 38, the support unit A600a is shown disassembled, and the opening/closing operating unit A600b is shown in a non-disassembled state.

The support unit A600a includes a fixed support unit A610 that is fastened to the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5), and a drive transmission unit A620 that has a drive motor AMT3 that is fixedly positioned on the fixed support unit A610 and is configured to transmit the drive force of the drive motor AMT3 to the opening/closing operation unit A600b.

The fixed support unit A610 comprises a horizontal member A611 fastened to the lower part of the bottom wall portion A211 of the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5) when viewed from the front, a decorative member A613 fastened to the upper right side of the horizontal member A611, a right side member A615 fastened to the horizontal member A611 below the decorative member A613, and a left side member A617 fastened to the left side of the horizontal member A611 with a space between it and the left side of the horizontal member A611 to allow the drive transmission unit A620 to move.

The horizontal member A611 comprises a plate-shaped main body A611a, a pair of support formation parts A611b formed by bending the upper and lower ends of the plate-shaped main body A611a toward the front side, and a lift support rod A611c formed from a metallic cylindrical member that is inserted vertically through and fixed to the support formation parts A611b.

The lifting support rod A611c is supported by the support formation part A611b while being inserted into the rear side of the opening/closing operation unit A600b, thereby guiding the lifting direction of the opening/closing operation unit A600b and functioning to maintain the front-to-rear positioning of the opening/closing operation unit A600b relative to the plate-shaped main body A611a.

The decorative member A613 comprises a main body A613a formed in a box shape with an open back side, and a protruding portion A613b formed by protruding to the left from the left end of the front side surface of the main body A613a. The protruding portion A613b functions to prevent the opening/closing operation unit A600b from falling forward when the third operation unit A600 is in a standby state for performance, as will be described in detail below.

The right side member A615, together with the left side member A617, supports the light guide plate unit A700 (see FIG. 5) and is a member to which the light guide plate unit A700 is fastened. That is, the opening/closing operation unit A600b is disposed behind the light guide plate unit A700 when the third operation unit A600 is in a standby state for performance, and is configured to be displaced upward toward the center of the light guide plate unit A700 by changing its state to the protruding state.

The left side member A617 is made up of a plate-shaped main body A617a, a support portion A617b formed in a cylindrical shape protruding from the back side of the plate-shaped main body A617a, a fan-shaped through hole A617c drilled along an arc centered on the support portion A617b, an upwardly biased torsion spring A617d wound around a metal rod arranged on the plate-shaped main body A617a in an arrangement coaxial with the support portion A617b, one end of which is fixed and the other end of which is arranged in a position facing the fan-shaped through hole A617c, and a box-shaped member formed on the lower side of the plate-shaped main body A617a with the back side open. The box-shaped portion A617e includes a cylindrical support portion A617f protruding from the rear side of the box-shaped portion A617e, an insertion hole A617g drilled in the box-shaped portion A617e large enough to insert the drive gear AMG3 of the drive motor AMT3, a covering portion A617h extending from the lower edge of the insertion hole A617g to the rear side with an arc-shaped cross section and partially covering the insertion hole A617g at the extended end, and a detection sensor A617i fastened to the rear side of the box-shaped portion A617e with the detection gap facing the support portion A617f.

The covered portion A617h functions as a stopper that prevents the drive gear AMG3 from coming off the drive shaft of the drive motor AMT3 and falling off to the rear side. This makes it possible to prevent the drive gear AMG3 from falling off the drive motor AMT3.

The detection sensor A617i is a device that detects the position of the drive transmission unit A620, making it possible to determine whether the third operating unit A600 is in a performance standby state or an extended state.

The drive transmission unit A620 includes a rotational movement member A621 that is supported by the support portion A617b so as to be rotatable between the horizontal member A611 and the left side member A617 and is connected to the opening/closing movement unit A600b, and a transmission member A625 that is rotatably supported by the support portion A617f so as to be able to transmit the driving force of the drive motor AMT3 to the rotational movement member A621.

The rotating member A621 includes a plate-shaped main body A621a, an insertion hole A621b drilled at the end of the plate-shaped main body A621a so that the support part A617b of the left side member A617 can be inserted therethrough, a transmission long hole A621c drilled as a long hole with a straight line in the longitudinal direction passing through the insertion hole A621b, a spring receiving protrusion A621d protruding from the upper end close to the insertion hole A621b toward the front side and receiving the other end of the torsion spring A617d, and an insertion protrusion A621e protruding in a cylindrical shape toward the front side at the end opposite the end where the insertion hole A621b of the plate-shaped main body A621a is disposed and inserted into the opening/closing unit A600b.

The rotating member A621 is rotatably supported on the left side member A617 by inserting the support portion A617b into the insertion hole A621b. The retaining screw screwed into the tip of the support portion A617b is configured to be removable through the through hole A611d of the horizontal member A611. That is, in this embodiment, an assembly procedure can be adopted in which the left side member A617 is fastened to the horizontal member A611, and then the screw is screwed into the tip of the support portion A617b.

The transmission member A625 includes a main gear portion A625a that meshes with the drive gear AMG3, a protruding portion A625b that protrudes like a flange from the entire circumference on the back side of the main gear portion A625a, an insertion protrusion A625c that protrudes in a cylindrical shape from the outer peripheral end of the protruding portion A625b to the back side, and an extension portion A625d that is bent from the outer peripheral end of the protruding portion A625b and extends in a direction away from the rotation axis.

The insertion protrusion A625c is inserted into the transmission long hole A621c of the rotating member A621 via the collar member AC1. This allows the rotation of the transmission member A625 and the rotation of the rotating member A621 to be linked.

The extension A625d is disposed at a position that allows it to cross the detection gap of the detection sensor A617i. In other words, the corresponding control device can determine the position of the transmission member A625 depending on whether the extension A625d is disposed in the detection gap of the detection sensor A617i.

Figure 39 is an exploded front oblique view of the opening/closing operation unit A600b, and Figure 40 is an exploded rear oblique view of the opening/closing operation unit A600b. The opening/closing operation unit A600b includes a plate-shaped member A630 made of a resin material, a space forming member A640 fastened to the front side of the plate-shaped member A630 so as to form a space between the plate-shaped member A630, a pair of moving members A650 supported movably in the space between the plate-shaped member A630 and the space forming member A640, a drive motor AMT4 fastened to the plate-shaped member A630, a drive transmission unit A660 configured to transmit the driving force of the drive motor AMT4 to the moving member A650, a rear cover member A670 fastened to the plate-shaped member A630 so as to sandwich the drive transmission unit A660 between the plate-shaped member A630, and a guide unit A680 fastened to the rear cover member A670 so as to sandwich the lift support rod A611c between the rear cover member A670.

The plate-shaped member A630 comprises a plate-shaped main body A631, a protruding support part A632 that protrudes cylindrically from the rear side of the plate-shaped main body A631, a pair of arc-shaped holes A633 that are drilled in an arc shape centered on the protruding support part A632, a protruding support part A634 that protrudes parallel to the protruding support part A632, and a frame-shaped part A635 that protrudes toward the rear side in a frame shape along the outer edge of the plate-shaped main body A631 to form a space between the rear cover member A670.

The space forming member A640 includes a main body member A641 forming a framework, a light-transmitting member A642 fastened to the front side of the main body member A641, a non-transmitting plating member A643 that is hollowed out to surround the light-transmitting member A642 and fastened to the main body member A641 with plating applied to the front side, a light-emitting substrate A644 that is formed so as to be able to irradiate light over the entire area of the light-transmitting member A642 and fastened to the main body member A641, and a detection sensor A645 that is disposed on the back side of the main body member A641 to detect the position of the moving member A650.

The main body member A641 has a pair of guide grooves A641a on the back side that are long in the left-right direction, and a stopper portion A641b that is formed to protrude near the end of the guide groove portion A641a. The guide groove portion A641a is a pair of grooves that are arranged in parallel vertically, and is a linear, long groove that runs from the upper left to the lower right, and is configured to be able to guide the movement of the moving member A650. The stopper portion A641b is a protrusion that prevents the moving member A650 from falling off the space forming member A640, and is configured to be able to engage with the moving member A650 that is arranged at the end position of the moving range.

The flat cable A644a extending from the light emitting substrate A644 enables power to be supplied to the moving member A650. In this embodiment, the flat cable A644a is arranged to extend along the longitudinal direction of the guide groove portion A641a. This makes it easier to avoid excessive load being applied to the flat cable A644a when the moving member A650 moves, and improves the durability of the flat cable A644a.

The movable member A650 comprises a main body member A651 that is made up of a pair of members of the same shape arranged in rotational symmetry to form a framework, and a decorative member A655 that is formed in a different shape and fastened to the corresponding main body member A651.

By configuring it in this way, the shape of the parts where the driving force is transmitted can be standardized, simplifying the transmission mechanism and allowing the use of a resin mold, while by arranging decorative member A655 on the side visible to the player, it is possible to prevent the simplified shape from affecting the presentation.

The main body member A651 includes a long main body portion A652 that is arranged with its long dimension aligned with the long dimension of the guide groove portion A641a and extends from the leading side to the front side when moving outward in the left-right direction, forming an L-shape when viewed from above, and a pair of roller members A653 that are rotatable and sized to be placed inside the guide groove portion A641a.

The long body portion A652 includes a stoppered portion A652a that faces and can come into contact with the stopper portion A641b when it moves outward in the left-right direction, a detected portion A652b that protrudes in a plate-like shape in the short direction from approximately the center in the longitudinal direction, and a rectangular recessed portion A652c that extends in the short direction and is recessed from the back side.

The detected portion A652b is disposed in a shape that allows it to cross the detection groove of the detection sensor A645. By disposing the detected portion A652b in the detection groove of the detection sensor A645, the corresponding control device can be made to recognize that the moving member A650 has been placed at the end of its movement.

In this embodiment, the detection sensor A645 is disposed only on the underside of the lower body member A651, so it is sufficient for the detection part A652b to be disposed on the lower body member A651, and the detection part A652b is not necessary on the upper body member A651. However, due to the need to share the resin mold, the detection part A652b is also formed on the upper body member A651.

The roller member A653 functions to reduce the operating resistance of the moving member A650 against the guide groove portion A641a. In other words, compared to when the moving member A650 slides against the guide groove portion A641a, the frictional force can be reduced by the rolling of the roller member A653, so that the moving member A650 can move smoothly.

The decorative member A655 is a member that is fastened to the front side of the end opposite the end where the stoppered portion A652a of the main body member A651 is disposed, and includes a translucent member A656 formed from a light-transmitting resin material, a frame-shaped member A657 formed in a frame shape surrounding the translucent member, and a light-emitting substrate A658 equipped with light-emitting means such as an LED that irradiates light toward the translucent member A656 and the frame-shaped member A657.

By fastening the decorative member A655 to the main body member A651, a U-shape that is open on one side in the left or right direction when viewed from above can be formed. A flat cable A644a is arranged inside this U-shape, and one end of the flat cable A644a is connected to the light-emitting substrate A658. By configuring it in this way, it is possible to prevent the flat cable A644a from protruding outside the main body member A651 or decorative member A655 and being visible to the player.

When the movable members A650 are in a closed state (see FIG. 7) and are arranged close to each other, the decorative member A655 is arranged to cover the front side of the translucent member A642, and when the movable members A650 are in an open state (see B5) and are separated from each other, the decorative member A655 is arranged to retreat from the front side of the translucent member A642 so that the translucent member A642 and the decorative member A655 can be seen at the same time.

In other words, it is possible to switch between a state in which only the decorative member A655 is visible to produce a light-emitting effect, and a state in which the translucent member A642 is placed between the decorative members A655 and both are visible at the same time to produce a light-emitting effect, depending on the position of the movable member A650.

The drive transmission unit A660 includes a drive gear A661 that is fixed to the drive shaft of the drive motor AMT4 so as not to rotate relative to the drive shaft, a rotating plate member A662 that is rotatably supported on the protruding support portion A632 of the plate-shaped member A630, and a transmission gear A663 that is rotatably supported on the protruding support portion A634 of the plate-shaped member A630 and that links the drive gear A661 and the rotating plate member A662.

The rotating plate member A662 includes a through hole A662a through which the protruding support portion A632 can be inserted, a pair of fan-shaped plate portions A662b formed in a fan shape centered on the through hole A662a, an arc-shaped gear portion A662c having gear teeth that mesh with the transmission gear A663 formed on the arc-shaped portion of one of the fan-shaped plate portions A662b, and a pair of protruding portions A662d protruding in a cylindrical shape on the front side of the fan-shaped plate portion A662b at positions that are rotationally symmetrical about the through hole A662a (positions shifted by 180 degrees in this embodiment).

The rotating plate member A662 is not a circular disk-shaped member, but is formed in a shape that resembles a circle with a part cut out, so that the area where friction occurs between the rotating plate member A662 and the plate-shaped main body A631 can be reduced. This reduces the resistance that occurs when the rotating plate member A662 rotates, and therefore reduces the driving force required for the drive motor AMT4.

The protrusion A662d passes through the arc-shaped hole A633 of the plate-shaped member A630 and is inserted into the recessed portion A652c of the moving member A650. In other words, by changing the position of the protrusion A662d, the position of the recessed portion A652c changes accordingly, causing the moving member A650 to move.

The rear cover member A670 includes a plate-shaped main body A671 that has the same external shape as the frame portion A635 of the plate-shaped member A630 and is fastened and fixed to the plate-shaped member A630, a protruding portion A672 that protrudes in a plate shape from the right end of the plate-shaped main body A671, a pair of upper and lower protruding support portions A673 that protrude from the rear side of the plate-shaped main body A671 and support the rotation shaft of the rotating member of the guide unit A680, and a plurality of arc-shaped through holes A674 that are drilled in the plate-shaped main body A671 in relation to the rotation trajectory of the rotating plate member A662.

The extension A672 is a part that is positioned behind the extension A613b (see FIG. 37) in the performance standby state, and functions as a part that returns the opening/closing operation unit A600b to its original position (leaning backward) by receiving a rearward load from the extension A613b when the opening/closing operation unit A600b returns from the extension state to the performance standby state in a tilted forward state.

The guide unit A680 includes a box-shaped main body A681 formed in a box shape with an open front side, a pair of upper and lower roller members A682 arranged inside the box-shaped main body A681 and rotatable on a rotating shaft extending in the left-right direction, a pair of pulley-shaped members A683 arranged on the left and right sides inside the box-shaped main body A681 and rotatable on a rotating shaft extending in the front-rear direction, and a long through hole A684 drilled in a left-right long shape.

The roller member A682 is configured to protrude from the through hole A681a of the box-shaped main body A681 to the rear side, so that when the rear surface of the box-shaped main body A681 is placed opposite the plate-shaped main body A611a of the fixed support unit A610 (see FIG. 37), the contact with the plate-shaped main body A611a can be achieved by the roller member A682 rolling rather than by the rubbing of the box-shaped main body A681. This makes it easier to reduce the resistance received from the fixed support unit A610 when the opening/closing operation unit A600b is raised and lowered.

A lifting support rod A611c (see FIG. 37) is disposed between the pulley-like members A683 and passes through the recessed portion A681b of the box-shaped main body A681. As a result, the guide unit A680 is guided by the lifting support rod A611c and moves up and down, so that the operating direction of the opening/closing unit A600b can be stabilized.

The long through hole A684 is a long hole through which the insertion protrusion A621e (see FIG. 37) of the rotating member A621 is inserted. That is, the driving force of the drive motor AMT3 (see FIG. 37) is transmitted to the opening/closing unit A600b via the long through hole A684.

Figures 41 and 42 are rear views of the opening and closing operation unit A600b of the third operation unit A600. Figure 41 illustrates the opening and closing operation unit A600b in the performance standby state of the third operation unit A600, and Figure 42 illustrates the opening and closing operation unit A600b in the extended state of the third operation unit A600.

In addition, in Figures 41 and 42, for ease of understanding, the rear cover member A670 and the guide unit A680 are omitted from the illustration, the arrangement of the arc-shaped through holes A674 of the rear cover member A670 is shown by imaginary lines, and the arrangement of the protruding portion A662d of the rotating plate member A662 is shown by imaginary lines.

As shown in Figures 41 and 42, the operating mode of the opening/closing operation unit A600b is such that, as the arrangement of the protrusions A662d changes along an arc centered on the protrusion support portion A632 with the rotation of the rotating plate member A662, the pair of moving members A650 move parallel in opposite directions above and below the protrusion support portion A632 along the formation direction (directions parallel to each other) of the corresponding guide groove portions A641a (see Figure 40).

As described above, the main body member A651 of the moving member A650 is composed of a pair of members of the same shape arranged in rotational symmetry, and the protrusion portion A662d is also arranged in a symmetrical position around the protrusion support portion A632, which is the rotation axis of the main body member A651, so the effect of the protrusion portion A662d on the moving member A650 is commonly exerted on the pair of members.

That is, for example, if the rotating plate member A662 rotates at high speed, the pair of moving members A650 move in parallel at a common speed, and even if the rotating plate member A662 suddenly reverses (changes the direction of rotation), the pair of moving members A650 can be reversed simultaneously.

The positional relationship between the sectorial plate portion A662b of the rotating plate member A662 and the arc-shaped through hole A674 of the rear cover member A670 will be described. The area of overlap between the sectorial plate portion A662b and the arc-shaped through hole A674 in the front-to-rear direction changes as the rotating plate member A662 rotates. Air resistance occurs due to the air sandwiched between the sectorial plate portion A662b and the rear cover member A670, but this air resistance is reduced in the areas where the arc-shaped through holes A674 are formed in the rear cover member A670.

In FIG. 42, the angular width of the arrangement range (see FIG. 41) of the sectorial plate portion A662b of the rotating plate member A662 in the performance standby state of the third operating unit A600 is illustrated in the first area AE21, the angular width of the arrangement range of the sectorial plate portion A662b after the rotating plate member A662 is rotated clockwise in rear view from the state shown in FIG. 41 is illustrated in the second area AE22, the angular width of the arrangement range of the sectorial plate portion A662b after the rotating plate member A662 is rotated clockwise in rear view from the state in which it is arranged on the sectorial plate portion A662b in the second area AE22 is illustrated in the third area AE23, and the angular width of the arrangement range of the sectorial plate portion A662b of the rotating plate member A662 in the extended state of the third operating unit A600 is illustrated in the fourth area AE24.

As shown in Figure 41, in this embodiment, regardless of the position of the rotating plate member A662, one of the sectorial plate portions A662b is positioned opposite at least one arc-shaped through hole A674. Therefore, the state shown in Figure 41 (where the sectorial plate portion A662b is positioned in the first area AE21) is illustrated as the state in which the overlapping area between the sectorial plate portion A662b and the arc-shaped through hole A674 is the smallest, i.e., the state in which the air resistance applied to the sectorial plate portion A662b is the largest.

When placed in the first area AE21, the edge of the sectorial plate portion A662b on the clockwise side as viewed from the rear is positioned so as not to overlap with the arc-shaped through hole A674. Therefore, when the rotating plate member A662 starts to rotate clockwise as viewed from the rear, in addition to the arc-shaped through holes A674 (arc-shaped through holes A674 arranged on the left and right) that originally overlapped with the sectorial plate portion A662b, it also begins to overlap with other arc-shaped through holes A674 (arc-shaped through holes A674 arranged above and below), and this state continues until the sectorial plate portion A662b is placed in the second area AE22.

The overlapping area between the other arc-shaped through holes A674 and the sectorial plate portion A662b increases as the rotation angle of the rotating plate member A662 increases, so that the air resistance can be gradually reduced from the start of rotation of the rotating plate member A662, and as the rotation proceeds, the air resistance applied to the rotating plate member A662 can be further reduced. This allows the rotation of the rotating plate member A662 and the movement of the moving member A650 to be carried out smoothly.

When the sectorial plate portion A662b is positioned in the second region AE22, the edge of the sectorial plate portion A662b on the counterclockwise side as viewed from behind is positioned so as to overlap the edge of the arc-shaped through hole A674 on the left and right sides on the counterclockwise side as viewed from behind. In other words, when the rotating plate member A662 rotates clockwise as viewed from behind, the edge of the sectorial plate portion A662b on the counterclockwise side as viewed from behind enters the interior of the arc-shaped through hole A674 as viewed from behind.

Therefore, as the rotating plate member A662 continues to rotate clockwise when viewed from the rear, the overlapping area between the arc-shaped through holes A674 arranged on the left and right and the sectorial plate portion A662b gradually decreases, while the overlapping area between the other arc-shaped through holes A674 (arc-shaped through holes A674 arranged above and below) and the sectorial plate portion A662b gradually increases. These changes occur at the same angle, so ultimately the overlapping area between the arc-shaped through holes A674 and the sectorial plate portion A662b remains constant.

This state continues until the sectorial plate portion A662b is positioned in the third region AE23. In other words, the air resistance acting on the rotating plate member A662 can be maintained constant from the state in which the sectorial plate portion A662b is positioned in the second region AE22 to the state in which it is positioned in the third region AE23.

From the state where the sectorial plate portion A662b is positioned in the third region AE23 to the state where the sectorial plate portion A662b is positioned in the fourth region AE24, the area where the sectorial plate portion A662b overlaps with the arc-shaped through holes A674 positioned on the left and right gradually decreases. As the rotation of the rotating plate member A662 progresses, the air resistance applied to the rotating plate member A662 increases, and the rotating plate member A662 and the moving member A650 can be decelerated smoothly.

The state in which the sectorial plate portion A662b is positioned in the fourth region AE24 is such that the edge of the sectorial plate portion A662b on the counterclockwise side as viewed from the rear exactly overlaps the edge of the arc-shaped through-hole A674 on the left and right sides as viewed from the clockwise side as viewed from the rear.

Therefore, even when the rotating plate member A662 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the rear from the state shown in FIG. 42 (when the third operating unit A600 is operated from the extended state to the standby state), a change in air resistance similar to that described above can be produced.

Therefore, regardless of whether the rotating plate member A662 rotates clockwise when viewed from behind from the state shown in FIG. 41 or counterclockwise when viewed from behind from the state shown in FIG. 42, the above-mentioned change in air resistance can be caused in both directions.

The movable member A650, which is operated by the transmission of driving force via the rotating plate member A662, is configured as a pair above and below, and the direction of the load applied from the movable member A650 to the rotating plate member A662 is the same regardless of the operating direction of the rotating plate member A662.

In other words, when the rotating plate member A662 rotates clockwise when viewed from the rear from the state shown in FIG. 41, a load is generated from the upper moving member A650 to the left and a load is generated from the lower moving member A650 to the right, whereas when the rotating plate member A662 rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the rear from the state shown in FIG. 42, a load is generated from the upper moving member A650 to the right and a load is generated from the lower moving member A650 to the left.

In other words, the load applied to the rotating plate member A662 is simply reversed in direction, and does not change due to the difference in the direction of rotation. Therefore, regardless of whether the rotating plate member A662 rotates clockwise when viewed from the rear from the state shown in FIG. 41 or counterclockwise when viewed from the rear from the state shown in FIG. 42, the operating resistance generated in both directions can be made the same, and the operating speed can be made common.

Next, the light guide plate unit A700 will be described with reference to Figures 43 to 48. Figure 43 is an exploded front perspective view of the light guide plate unit A700, and Figure 44 is an exploded rear perspective view of the light guide plate unit A700.

As shown in Figures 43 and 44, the light guide plate unit A700 includes a covering light guide plate unit A700a that is held by the rear case A210 (see Figure 5) and is formed to a size that covers most of the front opening of the rear case A210, and an auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b that is fastened and fixed to the left side of the covering light guide plate unit A700a.

The covered light guide plate unit A700a comprises a plate-shaped light guide plate A701, a left light emitting substrate A702 having a plurality of light emitting means such as LEDs that irradiate light toward the light guide plate A701 and disposed on the left side of the light guide plate A701, an upper light emitting substrate A703 having a plurality of light emitting means such as LEDs that irradiate light toward the light guide plate A701 and disposed above the light guide plate A701, and a set of front and rear frame members A710 that fix the light guide plate A701, left light emitting substrate A702, and upper light emitting substrate A703 to prevent misalignment.

The light guide plate A701 is made of a light-transmitting resin material and has a rectangular flat plate shape with a notch A701a in the lower right corner. A groove is formed on the back surface of the light guide plate A701 along the outline of the shape of an illustration, including a specific character or logo, and when light is incident on the light guide plate A701 from the left light-emitting substrate A702 or the upper light-emitting substrate A703, the light is refracted in the groove, allowing the player to see a line of light that follows the outline of a specific character, etc.

The left light emitting substrate A702 and the upper light emitting substrate A703 are arranged so that the optical axes of the multiple LEDs are incident at right angles on the end face of the light guide plate A701. By configuring the direction of incidence on the light guide plate A701 in two directions, the above-mentioned line-shaped light can be generated in at least two types: when only light from the left light emitting substrate A702 is incident, and when only light from the upper light emitting substrate A703 is incident.

The frame member A710 is formed from a rectangular frame with the cutout A701a of the light guide plate A701 severed, and includes a set of left and right fixing parts A711 fastened to the front end of the outer wall part A212 of the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5), a pair of lower fixing parts A712 fastened to the right side member A615 and the left side member A617 of the third operating unit A600 (see FIG. 5), and abutting support parts A713 that abut against the support member A421 (see FIG. 13) of the first operating unit A400 in the front-rear direction.

The abutment support portion A713 is disposed between the vertically arranged belts A423a (see FIG. 15). Since the connecting mechanism A427 is disposed on the upper belt A423a, by disposing the abutment support portion A713 in a position closer to the lower belt A423a, the rigidity of the support member A421 can be used to support the abutment support portion A713 of the frame member A710 without impeding the movement of the connecting mechanism A427.

Figure 45 is an exploded front perspective view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b, and Figure 46 is an exploded rear perspective view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b. The auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b includes a plate-shaped light emitting substrate A720 with LEDs on the front and back surfaces, a front plate member A730 formed from a light-transmitting resin material in a plate shape and disposed on the front side of the light emitting substrate A720 so as to be able to receive light emitted from the LEDs of the light emitting substrate A720, a rear plate member A740 formed from a light-transmitting resin material in a plate shape and disposed on the rear side of the light emitting substrate A720 so as to be able to receive light emitted from the LEDs of the light emitting substrate A720, and a front cover member A750 formed from a light-transmitting resin material and disposed so as to sandwich the front plate member A730 between the light emitting substrate A720.

The light emitting substrate A720 comprises a vertically long plate-shaped main body A721, a number of bulging plate sections A722 formed so as to bulge in an arc-like shape to the right from the plate-shaped main body A721, a number of recessed sections A723 recessed in the left side of the plate-shaped main body A721 at positions corresponding to the bulging plate sections A722, a number of front light emitting sections A724 such as highly directional LEDs arranged vertically on the front side of the plate-shaped main body A721, with the optical axis directed to the left, and a number of back light emitting sections A725 such as low-directional LEDs arranged vertically at positions on the back side of the plate-shaped main body A721 corresponding to the front light emitting sections A724 (positions moved parallel to the arrow F-B). The light emitting sections A725 are light emitting means such as low-directional LEDs, with the optical axis directed to the left.

By forming the bulging plate portions A722 at multiple positions in the vertical direction, it is possible to ensure a large support area (area of surface contact between the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740 and the light-emitting substrate A720. This makes it possible to stabilize the posture of the light-emitting substrate A720 in the assembled state.

Light from the front light-emitting unit A724 is received by the front side plate member A730. The optical axes of the light from the multiple front light-emitting units A724 are each oriented to the left and parallel to each other, so that the front side plate member A730 can be illuminated uniformly over a wide range.

Light from the rear light emitting units A725 is received by the rear plate member A740. The optical axes of the light from the multiple rear light emitting units A725 are all oriented to the left and are parallel to each other, so that the rear plate member A740 can be illuminated uniformly over a wide range.

As described above, the front light-emitting portion A724 and the rear light-emitting portion A725 are arranged at corresponding positions in the front-to-rear direction, so that the range of the front side plate member A730 illuminated by the front light-emitting portion A724 and the range of the rear side plate member A740 illuminated by the rear light-emitting portion A725 can be made to correspond to each other.

As a result, when both the front light-emitting portion A724 and the rear light-emitting portion A725 are illuminated, their lights are combined to make the area illuminated by the front light-emitting portion A724 or the rear light-emitting portion A725 on the front side plate member A730 and the rear side plate member A740 more brightly visible.

On the other hand, even when only one side of the front light-emitting portion A724 or the rear light-emitting portion A725 is illuminated, the bright areas of the front plate member A730 or the rear plate member A740 do not shift position, making it difficult for the presentation to feel unnatural.

The area illuminated by the front light-emitting element A724 or the rear light-emitting element A725 is the same, so even if, for example, a state is transitioned from one in which only the front light-emitting element A724 is illuminating to one in which only the rear light-emitting element A725 is illuminating, it is possible to avoid a change in the planar light brightness pattern received by the player (the pattern of which areas are bright and which areas are dark when viewed from the front). This can reduce fatigue among players.

The front plate member A730 is provided with a plate-shaped main body A731 with a front side formed as a smooth surface, a linear groove portion A732 formed on the rear side of the plate-shaped main body A731 along the contour of the shape of an illustration including a specific character or logo, a plurality of fastening portions A733 that are fastened to the frame-shaped member A710 (see FIG. 43) by screwing into female threads formed at the tips of the cylindrically protruding portions A733 on the rear side of the plate-shaped main body A731, a circular through-hole A734 for fastening to the front cover member A750, and an alignment long hole A735 for aligning with the front cover member A750.

When light from the front light emitting portion A724 is received by the front side plate member A730, the light is refracted by the linear groove portion A732, causing the outline of the shape of the above illustration to be visible as a bright line.

The rear plate member A740 is made of a plate-shaped main body A741 formed of a light-transmitting resin material and having the same shape as the front-view outer shape of the front plate member A730, a light-opaque (or low-transmittance) white sheet A742 formed of the same shape as the front-view outer shape of the plate-shaped main body A741 and disposed on the rear side of the plate-shaped main body A741, and a light-transmitting (or low-transmittance) white sheet A742 formed of the same shape as the front-view outer shape of the plate-shaped main body A741 and disposed on the front side of the plate-shaped main body A741. The thin resin plate A743 has a first through hole A741a, A742a, and A743a formed at the same position in the upper left corner so as to penetrate the plate-shaped main body A741, the sheet A742, and the thin resin plate A743 in the front-to-rear direction, and a second through hole A741b, A742b, and A743b formed at the same position in the lower part so as to penetrate the plate-shaped main body A741, the sheet A742, and the thin resin plate A743 in the front-to-rear direction.

The front side of the plate-shaped body A741 is formed as a smooth surface, and the rear side has numerous embossments. As a result, when light that is received by the plate-shaped body A741 and passes through to the rear side is reflected by the sheet A742, the light is diffused by the numerous embossments and emitted from the surface. This makes it possible to efficiently brighten the rear side of the plate-shaped body A741.

An illustration that is the basis for the outline of the linear groove portion A732 is drawn on the thin resin plate A743, and in this embodiment, it is painted in a color that corresponds to the illustration. Therefore, when light from the rear light emitting portion A725 is received by the rear side plate member A740, the illustration drawn on the thin resin plate A743 is brightly visible through surface illumination due to the texture on the rear side of the plate-shaped main body A741.

The front cover member A750 includes a plate-shaped main body A751 with numerous hemispherical protrusions formed on the back side, an extended edge portion A752 extending in a plate-like manner from the upper and right edges of the plate-shaped main body A751 to the back side, a fastening portion A753 consisting of a protrusion used to align the light-emitting substrate A720 at the left end of the plate-shaped main body A751 and a female screw portion used for fastening, a plurality of cylindrical fastening portions A754 protruding in a cylindrical shape from the right end of the plate-shaped main body A751 to the back side, a protrusion portion A755 with a smaller diameter and shorter protrusion length than the cylindrical fastening portion A754, and a light-transmitting decorative sticker A756 decorated on the front side and attached to the front side of the plate-shaped main body A751.

During assembly, the protrusion A755 is inserted into the alignment slot A735 of the front plate member A730, and the cylindrical fastening portion A754 is inserted into the through-hole of the front plate member A730, thereby aligning the front plate member A730 with the front cover member A750.

Next, the light emitting substrate A720 is aligned with the fastening portion A753 so as to overlap the front plate member A730, and the rear plate member A740 is positioned so as to overlap the light emitting substrate A720. At this time, the cylindrical fastening portion A754 is inserted into the first through holes A741a, A742a, A743a of the rear plate member A740, and the fastening portion A733 at the lower right of the front plate member A730 is inserted into the second through holes A741b, A742b, A743b of the rear plate member A740, thereby aligning the rear plate member A740 with the front plate member A730.

When the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b is fastened to the covering light guide plate unit A700a (see FIG. 43) with the front side plate member A730, the light emitting substrate A720, and the rear side plate member A740 aligned with the front cover member A750, a pressing force (fastening force) is applied to the fastening portion A733 of the front side plate member A730 and the cylindrical fastening portion A754 of the front cover member A750.

In this embodiment, the fastening portion A733 and the cylindrical fastening portion A754 are disposed outside the light-emitting substrate A720, so that even if the pressing force (fastening force) becomes unintentionally excessive during assembly, it is easy to avoid the light-emitting substrate A720 cracking or breaking.

The cylindrical fastening portion A754 located at the upper right of the front cover member A750 allows the alignment of the front plate member A730, the rear plate member A740, and the front cover member A750, and the pressing (pressing) of the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740 against the light emitting substrate A720 to be performed in one place. This reduces the number of assembly steps.

Figure 47 is a rear view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b, Figure 48(a) is a cross-sectional view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b taken along line XLVIIIa-XLVIIIa in Figure 47, and Figure 48(b) is a cross-sectional view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b taken along line XLVIIIb-XLVIIIb in Figure 47. Figure 48(a) shows a cross section passing through the center of the cylindrical fastening portion A754.

When assembling the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b, the front side plate member A730 is aligned and attached to the front cover member A750, and then when the light emitting substrate A720 is attached to the front cover member A750, the height (front-to-back position) of the end face of the fastening portion where the female screw of the fastening portion A753 is formed matches the height (front-to-back position) of the rear side surface of the front side plate member A730 with which the bulging plate portion A722 abuts, thereby stabilizing the posture of the light emitting substrate A720.

Furthermore, when the rear plate member A740 is attached to the rear of the light-emitting substrate A720, the front side surface of the rear plate member A740 comes into contact with the bulging plate portion A722 over a wide area, stabilizing the posture of the rear plate member A740 and reducing localized loads.

As shown in Figures 47 and 48(a), the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740 are formed so that they overlap with the light-emitting substrate A720 in the same shape, so that the pressing force from the fastening screw screwed into the cylindrical fastening portion A754 is transmitted in a balanced manner to the light-emitting substrate A720 via the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740. This prevents the pressing force from acting as a force that shears the light-emitting substrate A720, thereby preventing cracking or chipping of the light-emitting substrate A720.

Pressure is applied from the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740 to the edge of the light-emitting substrate A720, so that the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740 are pressed against the front and rear surfaces of the light-emitting substrate A720.

As a result, by accurately aligning the front and rear positions of the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740 relative to the plate-shaped main body A721 of the light-emitting substrate A720, the front and rear positions of the front plate member A730 relative to the front light-emitting portion A724 and the rear plate member A740 relative to the rear light-emitting portion A725 can be easily aligned, making it easier to align the light-receiving positions of the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740.

The cylindrical fastening portion A754 is disposed at a position (between) that does not overlap with the optical axis of the front light emitting portion A724 and the rear light emitting portion A725. This prevents the cylindrical fastening portion A754 from blocking the optical axis of the light from the front light emitting portion A724 that is received by the front side plate member A730, improving the effect of the light emission effect using the front side plate member A730.

Figure 48(b) is a cross section passing through the center of the third rear light emitting unit A725 from the bottom. As shown in Figures 47 and 48(b), the fastening unit A733 is disposed at a position overlapping with the optical axis of the rear light emitting unit A725.

Even when the fastening portion A733 is arranged in this manner, the fastening portion A733 does not penetrate the front plate member A730 and does not block the light of the front light emitting portion A724. In addition, the light received by the rear plate member A740 has a slightly lower directivity in order to make the rear plate member A740 surface-emitting (LEDs with low directivity are likely to be selected), so even if the fastening portion A733 is arranged on the optical axis, the light is not completely blocked, and the impact on the light emission performance can be reduced. In other words, the freedom of arrangement of the fastening portion A733 of the front plate member A730 can be improved without reducing the performance effect of the light emission performance using the rear plate member A740.

When the rear side plate member A740 is fastened to the front cover member A750, the front side surface of the plate-shaped main body A741 is fastened so as to sandwich the left edge of the thin resin plate A743 between the rear side surface of the plate-shaped main body A721, thereby preventing the thin resin plate A743 from floating up from the plate-shaped main body A741.

In this case, the load applied to the thin resin plate A743 is not a point load like a fastening screw, but a line (surface) load along the left edge of the thin resin plate A743 between the plate-shaped main body A721 of the light-emitting substrate A720, so the pressing force per unit area applied to the thin resin plate A743 can be reduced. This makes it easier to avoid cracking or chipping of the thin resin plate A743.

As shown in Figures 48(a) and 48(b), the travel path AL1 of the irradiated light from the front light-emitting unit A724, which is selected from LEDs with high directivity, extends in the left-right direction after being received by the front side plate member A730 until it reaches the linear groove portion A732 in a manner that causes total reflection at the front and rear surfaces of the front side plate member A730, and when it reaches the linear groove portion A732, it is refracted and redirected toward the front side.

Therefore, when light is being emitted from the front light emitting portion A724 when viewing the front side plate member A730 from the front side, the light directed from the linear groove portion A732 to the front side reaches the player's eyes, so that the outline of the shape of the illustration, including a specific character or logo, which is the original shape of the linear groove portion A732, can be seen to be glowing.

The light from the rear light emitting portion A725 is less directional than the light from the front light emitting portion A724, so the light from the rear light emitting portion A725 is not totally reflected within the rear plate member A740, and functions to uniformly illuminate the rear plate member A740.

As shown in FIG. 48, the end of the front plate member A730 on the side of the front light-emitting portion A724 and the end of the rear plate member A740 on the side of the rear light-emitting portion A725 are positioned closer to the front light-emitting portion A724 and the rear light-emitting portion A725 than the end of the light-emitting substrate A720 on the side of the irradiation direction (right side) of the front light-emitting portion A724 and the rear light-emitting portion A725.

This allows the plate-shaped main body A721 of the light-emitting substrate A720 to be used as a shielding plate, making it possible to prevent light irradiated from the front light-emitting portion A724 (rear light-emitting portion A725) from leaking before being received by the front plate member A730 (rear plate member A740). This makes it easier to avoid, for example, situations in which light irradiated from the front light-emitting portion A724 is received by the rear plate member A740, or in which light irradiated from the rear light-emitting portion A725 is received by the front plate member A730, making it easier to avoid poor light-emitting performance.

When light is received from the front side, the plate-shaped main body A751 diffuses the light and emits it from the surface due to the numerous hemispherical protrusions A751a formed on the back side. This improves the effect of the light presentation and reduces the visibility of the back side of the front cover member A750, so it can be used to hide the light-emitting substrate A720.

The front light emitting part A724 of the light emitting substrate A720 is disposed on the rear side of the plate-shaped main body A751, but the light emitted from the front light emitting part A724 is incident on the front plate member A730 in a direction perpendicular to the direction toward the plate-shaped main body A751 and is totally reflected within the front plate member A730. As a result, the plate-shaped main body A751 is not easily illuminated by the light emitted from the front light emitting part A724, and is perceived as dark, making it difficult to use as a performance area.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the received light can be diffused by the numerous hemispherical protrusions A751a formed on the back side of the plate-shaped main body A751, allowing the player to view the plate-shaped main body A751 in a bright state.

Furthermore, by attaching the decorative sticker A756, which covers the entire front side of the plate-shaped body A751, to the front side of the plate-shaped body A751, the effect of the numerous protrusions A751a formed on the back side of the plate-shaped body A751 being conspicuous by light is reduced, and the visibility of the decoration on the brightly lit front side of the decorative sticker A756 can be improved.

Figures 49(a) to 49(f) are schematic front views of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b, showing the visual appearance of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b. For ease of explanation, the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b is illustrated with a rectangular outer shape, and triangular illustrations AIL1 and AIL2 are illustrated inside the rectangular outer shape. These triangular illustrations AIL1 and AIL2 correspond to an example of the outline of the shape of an illustration including a specific character or logo, which is formed by the thin resin plate A743 and the linear groove portion A732 (see Figure 46).

Figures 49(a) to 49(f) show an example of the difference in appearance of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b depending on whether the front light emitting portion A724 (see Figure 45) is turned on or off, and whether the rear light emitting portion A725 (see Figure 46) is turned on or off.

Figure 49 (a) shows a case where the front light-emitting part A724 (see Figure 45) is turned off and the rear light-emitting part A725 (see Figure 46) is turned off. In this case, the illustrations AIL1 and AIL2, including specific characters, logos, etc., formed on the thin resin plate A743, are visible.

Figure 49 (b) shows a case where the front light emitting part A724 (see Figure 45) is turned off and the rear light emitting part A725 (see Figure 46) is turned on. In this case, the illustrations AIL1 and AIL2 including specific characters, logos, etc. formed on the thin resin plate A743 are illuminated and visible.

Figure 49 (c) shows a case where the front light emitting element A724 (see Figure 45) is turned on and the rear light emitting element A725 (see Figure 46) is turned off. In this case, the outline of the shape of the illustrations AIL1, AIL2 including specific characters, logos, etc. formed in the linear groove portion A732 (see Figure 46) is illuminated and is visible as a line of light. In this case, the shape of the illustrations AIL1, AIL2 including specific characters, logos, etc. formed in the thin resin plate A743 is blocked by the line of light, reducing visibility.

Figure 49(d) illustrates a case where the front light-emitting portion A724 (see Figure 45) is turned on and the rear light-emitting portion A725 (see Figure 46) is turned on. In this case, the brightness of the front side of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b can be improved compared to the state illustrated in Figure 49(c).

Figure 49 (e) shows a case where the front light emitting portion A724 (see Figure 45) above the upper and lower halves of the plate-shaped body A721 is turned off, the front light emitting portion A724 below the upper and lower halves of the plate-shaped body A721 is turned on, the rear light emitting portion A725 (see Figure 46) above the upper and lower halves of the plate-shaped body A721 is turned on, and the rear light emitting portion A725 (see Figure 46) below the upper and lower halves of the plate-shaped body A721 is turned off.

In this case, in the upper half of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b, the illustration AIL1 including a specific character, logo, etc. formed on the thin resin plate A743 is illuminated and visible, and in the lower half of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b, the outline of the shape of the illustration AIL2 including a specific character, logo, etc. formed in the linear groove portion A732 (see Figure 46) is illuminated and visible as a line of light.

Figure 49 (f) illustrates a case in which the front light-emitting portion A724 (see Figure 45) above the upper and lower halves of the plate-shaped body A721 is turned on, the front light-emitting portion A724 below the upper and lower halves of the plate-shaped body A721 is turned off, and the rear light-emitting portion A725 (see Figure 46) is turned off.

In this case, in the upper half of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b, the outline of the shape of the illustration AIL1 including a specific character, logo, etc. formed in the linear groove portion A732 (see Figure 46) is illuminated and is visible as a line of light, and in the lower half of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b, the illustration AIL2 including a specific character, logo, etc. formed on the thin resin plate A743 is visible.

As shown in Figures 49(a) to 49(f), in this embodiment, the visual appearance of the front side of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b can be changed in response to the variations in the combination of turning on and off the front light emitting part A724 (see Figure 45) and turning on and off the rear light emitting part A725 (see Figure 46).

Figure 50 is an exploded front perspective view of the game board A13, and Figure 51 is an exploded rear perspective view of the game board A13. As shown in Figures 50 and 51, the game board A13 is configured such that a center frame A86 is fastened and fixed from the front side to the window portion A60a of the base plate A60, and game balls can flow down the left and right sides of the center frame A86.

The game board A13 is provided with a downstream branching member A801 formed from a light-transmitting resin material with a protruding portion that branches the downstream flow of game balls and disposed on the upper left side of the center frame A86, a guide member A802 formed from a light-transmitting resin material in a shape that constitutes two guide flow paths arranged side by side to the left and right as flow paths for guiding the downstream flow of game balls and disposed on the right front side of the center frame A86, a downstream guide member A803 fixed to the base plate A60 below the guide member A802 and formed in a shape that constitutes two guide flow paths arranged side by side to the left and right as flow paths for guiding the downstream flow of game balls and an auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 disposed on the rear side of a light-transmitting decorative member A808 disposed inside the center frame A86 and configured to be able to irradiate light to the decorative member A808.

The downstream branching member A801 is disposed in front of the inner area of the window portion A60a when the center frame A86 is disposed on the base plate A60. In this case, the light traveling from the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 toward the downstream branching member A801 does not pass through the base plate A60, but passes through the center frame A86, which is thinner than the plate thickness of the base plate A60, to reach the downstream branching member A801, so that attenuation of the light reaching the downstream branching member A801 can be suppressed.

The guide member A802 includes a plate-shaped main body A802a formed in a shape that covers the upper right region A60b of the window portion A60a of the base plate A60 from the front side, a pair of extension plates A802b that extend from the plate-shaped main body A802a to the front side, and a number of deceleration protrusions A802c that protrude from the plate-shaped main body A802a or the extension plates A802b to decelerate the game ball, and is fastened and fixed to the base plate A60 at the top and bottom positions of the upper right region A60b.

The auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 is disposed on the back side of the guide member A802, sandwiching the protruding plate portion A86a of the center frame A86, which is contained in the upper right region A60b and has a plate thickness thinner than that of the base plate A60. In this case, the light traveling from the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 to the guide member A802 does not pass through the base plate A60, but passes through the protruding plate portion A86a of the center frame A86, which is thinner than the plate thickness of the base plate A60, and reaches the guide member A802, so attenuation of the light reaching the guide member A802 can be suppressed.

For the left flow path, the deceleration protrusion A802c protrudes from both of a pair of opposing extension plates A802b, allowing the game ball flowing down to sway left and right. For the right flow path, the deceleration protrusion A802c protrudes from the right extension plate A802b and protrudes forward from the plate-shaped main body A802a, allowing the game ball flowing down to sway left and right and forward and backward.

In this way, the game ball flowing down the two flow paths formed by the guide member A802 is decelerated by the deceleration protrusion A802c, but the way it flows down differs depending on which flow path it flows down. This allows the player to immediately know which flow path the game ball is flowing down by looking at the way the game ball flows down.

In addition, by configuring it in this way, there is no need to form a deceleration protrusion on the outer edge member 73 (see Figure 2), so the outer edge member 73 can be configured as a common part. This allows for cost reduction of the product.

In this embodiment, the guide member A802 forms two flow paths that are wider from side to side than a single flow path, which can easily cause problems in terms of strength. In contrast, in this embodiment, the extension plate A802b that forms the flow path is positioned in the center of the plate-shaped main body A802a, and also serves as a reinforcing material for the guide member A802. This makes it easier to avoid insufficient strength even if the guide member A802 is formed as a thin member.

The downstream guide member A803 comprises a plate-shaped main body A803a and an extension plate A803b extending from the rear surface of the plate-shaped main body A803a, and their front-to-back relationship is reversed to that of the guide member A802.

Unlike the two flow paths formed by the guide member A802, the two guide flow paths formed by the downstream guide member A803 have different flow path shapes on the left and right. That is, the flow path on the left side is a flow path that slopes downward and to the left, while the flow path on the right side is formed as a path that meanders from left to right. This allows the flow pattern of the game ball to be greatly changed depending on which flow path it flows down.

Figure 52 is an exploded front perspective view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810, and Figure 53 is an exploded rear perspective view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810. The auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 includes a set of plate-shaped front light emitting substrates A820 with LEDs arranged on the front surface, a set of plate-shaped rear light emitting substrates A830 with LEDs arranged on the rear surface, a front side plate member A840 formed in a plate shape from a light-transmitting resin material and arranged on the front side of the front light emitting substrate A820 so as to be able to receive light emitted from the LEDs of the front light emitting substrate A820, a rear side plate member A850 formed in a plate shape from a light-transmitting resin material and arranged on the rear side of the rear light emitting substrate A830 so as to be able to receive light emitted from the LEDs of the rear light emitting substrate A830, and a base member A860 formed in a white resin material with low light transmittance and arranged to sandwich the rear side plate member A850 between the rear light emitting substrate A830.

The front light emitting substrate A820 includes an upper substrate A821 disposed on the upper side and a right substrate A825 disposed on the right side. The upper substrate A821 includes a plate-shaped main body A822, a plurality of edge light emitting units A823, each of which is a light emitting means such as a plurality of LEDs arranged in the lower right corner on the front side of the plate-shaped main body A822 and has an optical axis directed to the right, and a plurality of surface light emitting units A824, each of which is a light emitting means such as a plurality of LEDs arranged to the left of the edge light emitting unit A823 and has an optical axis directed to the front side.

Light from the edge light emitters A823 is received by the front plate member A840. The optical axes of the light from the multiple edge light emitters A823 are each oriented to the right and parallel to the front plane of the front plate member A840, so that the front plate member A840 can be illuminated over a wide range.

Furthermore, the edge light emitter A823 is composed of multiple LEDs, and the optical axis of each LED does not face directly to the right, but is configured to face in a radial direction such that the spacing between the optical axes becomes wider toward the right. This allows the light from the edge light emitter A823 to be guided over a wide area of the front side plate member A840.

The light from the surface light emitting unit A824 is received by the decorative member A808 (see FIG. 50) that is arranged on the front side. The optical axes of the light from the multiple surface light emitting units A824 are all facing the front side and are parallel to each other, so that the decorative member A808 can be illuminated uniformly over a wide range.

The right side substrate A825 comprises a plate-shaped main body A826, a plurality of edge light emitting units A827 such as LEDs arranged in the upper left corner on the front side of the plate-shaped main body A826, with their optical axes directed upward, and a plurality of surface light emitting units A828 such as LEDs arranged below the edge light emitting units A827, with their optical axes directed toward the front side.

Light from the edge light emitters A827 is received by the front plate member A840. The optical axes of the light from the multiple edge light emitters A827 are each oriented upward and parallel to the front plane of the front plate member A840, so that the front plate member A840 can be illuminated over a wide range.

Furthermore, the edge light emitter A827 is composed of multiple LEDs, and the optical axis of each LED does not face straight up, but is configured to face in a radial direction such that the spacing between the optical axes becomes wider the further upward. This allows the light from the edge light emitter A827 to be guided over a wide area of the front side plate member A840.

Light from the edge light emitting portion A823 of the upper substrate A821 is received from the left end of the front plate member A840, while light from the edge light emitting portion A827 is received from the lower end of the front plate member A840. This makes it easier for light to reach the entire front plate member A840, even if the front plate member A840 has a narrowed shape with a narrowed portion A844 at the center when viewed from the front.

The light from the surface light emitting unit A828 is received by the decorative member A808 (see FIG. 50) that is arranged on the front side. The optical axes of the light from the multiple surface light emitting units A828 are all facing the front side and are parallel to each other, so that the decorative member A808 can be illuminated uniformly over a wide range.

The rear light emitting substrate A830 includes an upper substrate A831 disposed on the upper side and a right substrate A835 disposed on the right side. The upper substrate A831 includes a plate-shaped main body A832 and a plurality of edge light emitting units A833, such as a plurality of LEDs, arranged in the lower right corner on the rear side of the plate-shaped main body A832, with their optical axes directed to the right.

The light from the edge light emitters A833 is received by the rear plate member A850. The optical axes of the light from the multiple edge light emitters A833 are each oriented to the right and parallel to the front plane of the rear plate member A850, so that the rear plate member A850 can be illuminated uniformly over a wide range.

Furthermore, the edge light emitter A833 is composed of multiple LEDs, and the optical axis of each LED does not face directly to the right, but is configured to face in a radial direction such that the spacing between the optical axes becomes wider toward the right. This allows the light from the edge light emitter A833 to be guided over a wide area of the rear side plate member A850.

The right-side substrate A835 includes a plate-shaped main body A836 and a plurality of edge light-emitting units A837, such as a plurality of LEDs, arranged in the upper left corner on the front side of the plate-shaped main body A836, with their optical axes directed upward.

The light from the edge light emitters A837 is received by the rear plate member A850. The optical axes of the light from the multiple edge light emitters A837 are each oriented upward and parallel to the front plane of the rear plate member A850, so that the rear plate member A850 can be illuminated uniformly over a wide range.

Furthermore, the edge light emitter A837 is composed of multiple LEDs, and the optical axis of each LED does not face straight up, but is configured to face in a radial direction such that the spacing between the optical axes becomes wider the further upward. This allows the light from the edge light emitter A837 to be guided over a wide area of the rear side plate member A850.

Light from the edge light emitting portion A833 of the upper substrate A831 is received from the left end of the rear plate member A850, while light from the edge light emitting portion A837 is received from the bottom end of the rear plate member A850. This makes it easier for light to reach the entire rear plate member A850, even if the rear plate member A850 has a narrow shape toward the center when viewed from the front.

The edge light emitting parts A823, A827 of the front light emitting substrate A820 and the edge light emitting parts A833, A837 of the rear light emitting substrate A830 are arranged at corresponding positions in the front-to-rear direction (positions moved parallel to the arrows F-B), so that the range of the front side plate member A840 illuminated by the edge light emitting parts A823, A827 can correspond to the range of the rear side plate member A850 illuminated by the edge light emitting parts A833, A837.

As a result, when both the edge light emitting portions A823, A827 of the front light emitting substrate A820 and the edge light emitting portions A833, A837 of the rear light emitting substrate A830 are illuminated, the combined light makes it possible to make the area illuminated by the edge light emitting portions A823, A827 or the edge light emitting portions A833, A837 on the front side plate member A840 and the rear side plate member A850 more brightly visible.

On the other hand, even when only one side of the edge light emitting sections A823, A827 of the front light emitting substrate A820 or the edge light emitting sections A833, A837 of the rear light emitting substrate A830 is illuminated, the bright areas of the front plate member A840 or the rear plate member A850 do not shift in position, making it difficult for the presentation to feel unnatural.

The area illuminated by the edge light emitting parts A823, A827 of the front light emitting board A820 or the edge light emitting parts A833, A837 of the rear light emitting board A830 is the same, so even if a state is transitioned from one in which only the edge light emitting parts A823, A827 of the front light emitting board A820 are illuminated to one in which only the edge light emitting parts A833, A837 of the rear light emitting board A830 are illuminated, it is possible to avoid a change in the planar light brightness pattern received by the player (the pattern of which positions are bright and which positions are dark when viewed from the front). This can reduce fatigue among players.

The front plate member A840 comprises a plate-shaped main body A841 whose front side surface is formed as a smooth surface, a linear groove portion A842 formed on the rear side surface of the plate-shaped main body A841 along the contour of the shape of an illustration including a specific character or logo, a circular through-hole A843 drilled for fastening and fixing to the base member A860, and a constricted portion A844 formed so that the middle portion of the plate-shaped main body A841 is constricted.

When light from the edge light emitting portions A823 and A827 of the front light emitting substrate A820 is received by the front side plate member A840, the light is refracted in the linear groove portion A842, causing the outline of the shape of the above illustration to be visible as a bright line.

The shape of the plate-shaped main body A841 having the constricted portion A844 is a result of matching the outer shape of the illustration that is the basis for the linear groove portion A842. In other words, the linear glowing shape is visible throughout the entire plate-shaped main body A841, so that no unnecessary areas are created in the plate-shaped main body A841 in terms of presentation.

The rear plate member A850 includes a plate-shaped main body A851 formed of a light-transmitting resin material and having the same shape as the front-view outer shape of the front plate member A840, a light-transmitting thin resin plate A855 formed in the same shape as the front-view outer shape of the plate-shaped main body A851 and disposed on the front side of the plate-shaped main body A851, first through holes A851a, A855a formed at the same position in the upper left corner so as to penetrate the plate-shaped main body A851 and the thin resin plate A855 in the front-to-rear direction, and second through holes A851b, A855b formed at the same position in the lower part so as to penetrate the plate-shaped main body A851 and the thin resin plate A855 in the front-to-rear direction.

The plate-shaped main body A851 has a constricted portion A852 formed in a position corresponding to the constricted portion A844 of the front side plate member A840, and has a smooth front side surface and numerous embossments formed on the rear side surface. As a result, when light received by the plate-shaped main body A851 that escapes to the rear side is reflected by the white base member A860, the light is diffused by the numerous embossments and emitted from the surface. This makes it possible to efficiently brighten the rear side of the plate-shaped main body A851.

The plate-shaped main body A851 has a constricted portion A852, and after passing through the constricted portion A852, the light received from one side of the constricted portion A852 tends to travel within a range limited by the width of the constricted portion A852. Therefore, when the constricted portion A852 is formed wider on both sides than the width of the constricted portion A852, as in the plate-shaped main body A851 of this embodiment, it is difficult to spread the light received from one side of the constricted portion A852 over the entire area of the plate-shaped main body A851.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the plate-shaped body A851 is configured so that light from the edge light emitter A833 is received above the constricted portion A852, and light from the edge light emitter A837 is received below the constricted portion A852. This makes it possible to receive light over the entire area of the plate-shaped body A851 while employing the constricted portion A852, compared to when light is received only from the upper or lower side of the constricted portion A852. This makes it possible to efficiently brighten the entire area of the plate-shaped body A851.

An illustration that is the basis for the outline of the linear groove portion A842 is drawn on the thin resin plate A855, and in this embodiment, it is painted in a color that corresponds to the illustration. Therefore, when light from the edge light emitting portions A833, A837 of the rear light emitting substrate A830 is received by the rear plate member A850, the illustration drawn on the thin resin plate A855 is brightly visible through surface emission due to the texture on the rear side of the plate-shaped main body A851.

The base member A860 is a member formed from a white resin material, and includes a plate-shaped main body A861 formed in a generally L-shape when viewed from the front, an alignment protrusion A862 for aligning the rear plate member A850 supported by the plate-shaped main body A861, a fastening portion A863 to which the rear plate member A850 is fastened, a substrate fastening portion A864 to which the rear light emitting substrate A830 is aligned and fastened, a base portion A865 formed in a base shape on the front side of the plate-shaped main body A861, a cylindrical fastening portion A866 protruding in a cylindrical shape from the front of the plate-shaped main body A861 at a height matching the front side surface of the base portion A865 and having a female screw formed at its tip, and a plate-sandwich fastening portion A867 protruding in a cylindrical shape from the front of the plate-shaped main body A861 and having a female screw formed at its tip, and which is longer in the protruding direction by the thickness of the front light emitting substrate A820 than the protruding length of the cylindrical fastening portion A866.

The auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 is assembled by fastening and fixing the rear plate member A850, rear light emitting substrate A830, front light emitting substrate A820, and front plate member A840 to the base member A860 in that order.

First, the fastening of the rear plate member A850 to the base member A860 will be described. The fastening of the rear plate member A850 to the base member A860 is performed by inserting a fastening screw that is inserted into the plate-shaped main body A851 into the fastening portion A863 while the corresponding alignment protrusion A862 is inserted into the first through hole A851a and the second through hole A851b.

At this time, the fastening screw is inserted into the plate-shaped main body A851 but not into the thin resin plate A855. Therefore, with the plate-shaped main body A851 fastened and fixed to the base member A860, the corresponding alignment protrusions A862 are inserted into the first through holes A855a and the second through holes A855b, making it easy to align the thin resin plate A855 with the base member A860 and the plate-shaped main body A851.

Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the thin resin plate A855 from cracking due to the pressing force applied during fastening. It is also possible to replace the thin resin plate A855 while maintaining the fastening of the plate-shaped main body A851.

Next, the fastening and fixing of the rear light emitting substrate A830 to the base member A860 will be described. The rear light emitting substrate A830 is fastened and fixed to the base member A860 by fastening the rear light emitting substrate A830 to the substrate fastening portion A864.

The board fastening portions A864 are each inserted into the through holes A853 of the rear plate member A850, and also function to align the rear plate member A850 with the base member A860.

When the rear light emitting substrate A830 is fastened to the base member A860, the rear side of the plate-shaped body A832 of the upper substrate A831 is fastened so that the left edge of the thin resin plate A855 is sandwiched between the rear side of the plate-shaped body A851 and the front side of the plate-shaped body A851, and the rear side of the plate-shaped body A836 of the right substrate A835 is fastened so that the lower right edge of the thin resin plate A855 is sandwiched between the front side of the plate-shaped body A851, thereby preventing the thin resin plate A855 from floating up from the plate-shaped body A851.

In this case, the load applied to the thin resin plate A855 is not a point load like a fastening screw, but a line (surface) load along the left edge, so the pressing force per unit area applied to the thin resin plate A855 can be reduced. This makes it easier to avoid cracking or chipping of the thin resin plate A855.

As described above, when the rear light emitting substrate A830 is fastened and fixed, the rear side surface of the plate-shaped main body A832 is configured to abut the front side surface of the rear plate member A850, so that the optical axes of the edge light emitting parts A833, A837 of the rear light emitting substrate A830 and the rear plate member A850 can be easily aligned in the front-rear direction (the direction in which the front side surface of the rear plate member A850 faces). This allows for good light reception at the rear plate member A850.

Next, the fastening of the front light emitting substrate A820 to the base member A860 will be described. The front light emitting substrate A820 is fastened to the base member A860 by fastening the front light emitting substrate A820 to the cylindrical fastening portion A866 with the lower left side of the rear side surface of the front light emitting substrate A820 in surface contact with the base portion A865.

The front light emitting substrate A820 and the rear light emitting substrate A830 are arranged parallel to each other with a gap between them, so that no pressing force is generated between the front light emitting substrate A820 and the rear light emitting substrate A830 and rear side plate member A850.

Next, the fastening of the front plate member A840 to the base member A860 will be described. The fastening of the front plate member A840 to the base member A860 is performed by fastening the front plate member A840 to the plate-sandwich fastening portion A867.

The clamping fastening part A867 is positioned outside and near the front light emitting substrate A820, so that the pressing force generated when fastening to the clamping fastening part A867 is prevented from being applied to the front light emitting substrate A820 as a point load. This makes it possible to prevent cracking or chipping of the front light emitting substrate A820.

The front plate member A840 has a through hole A845 formed therein to ensure the positioning of LEDs such as the edge light emitter A823 arranged on the front light emitting substrate A820, and the rear side surface of the plate-shaped main body A841 excluding this through hole A845 is fastened and fixed to the base member A860 so as to apply a surface pressure against the plate-shaped main bodies A822 and A826 of the front light emitting substrate A820. This makes it possible to increase the support area of the front plate member A840 by utilizing the plate-shaped main bodies A822 and A826 of the front light emitting substrate A820.

When the front plate member A840 is fastened to the base member A860, the rear side surface of the plate-shaped main body A841 of the front plate member A840 is configured to abut the front side surface of the front light-emitting substrate A820 at a surface, so that the optical axes of the edge light-emitting parts A823, A827 of the front light-emitting substrate A820 and the front plate member A840 can be easily aligned in the front-rear direction (the direction in which the front side surface of the front plate member A840 faces). This allows for good light reception to the rear plate member A850.

As described above, the front light-emitting substrate A820, the rear light-emitting substrate A830, the front plate member A840, and the rear plate member A850 are aligned with and fastened to each component formed on the base member A860. This makes it easy to align the front light-emitting substrate A820, the rear light-emitting substrate A830, the front plate member A840, and the rear plate member A850 in a direction parallel to the front side surface of the base member A860.

Even if the substrates are configured with a pair of front light emitting substrate A820 and rear light emitting substrate A830 arranged in front and rear, the front light emitting substrate A820, rear light emitting substrate A830, front plate member A840 and rear plate member A850, which correspond to the light receiving member, are fastened and fixed in contact with each other in the front-rear direction, so that the front light emitting substrate A820, rear light emitting substrate A830, front plate member A840 and rear plate member A850 can be easily aligned in the direction intersecting with the front side surface of the base member A860.

Figure 54 is a front view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810, and Figure 55 is a cross-sectional view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 taken along the line LV-LV in Figure 54. In Figure 54, the outline of the decorative member A808 and the outline of the upper right region A60b (see Figure 50) are shown by imaginary lines, and the portion of the outline of the front light emitting substrate A820 that overlaps with the front side plate member A840 is shown by hidden lines, and Figure 55 shows a cross section passing through the center of the cylindrical fastening portion A866 (see Figure 52) located on the central side of the base member A860.

As shown in FIG. 54, the front light-emitting substrate A820 is disposed so as to fit within the outline of the decorative member A808 when viewed from the front, and the front side plate member A840, which receives light from the edge light-emitting portions A823 and A827 of the front light-emitting substrate A820, is disposed so as to extend beyond the decorative member A808 when viewed from the front.

This makes it possible to reduce the front-to-back thickness of the entire auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 while concealing the front light emitting board A820 with the decorative member A808. In other words, when arranging a light emitting board on the back side of the front plate member A840 of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 to perform light emission of the front plate member A840, it is necessary to arrange the light emitting board at an appropriate distance to make the front plate member A840 emit light, which increases the front-to-back width of the unit and reduces the space available behind it for arranging moving props.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the front light emitting substrate A820 is positioned not behind the front plate member A840, but offset left/right or front/rear from the front plate member A840, thereby shortening the front/rear width of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810, and therefore providing sufficient space behind the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 to place moving objects.

In this embodiment, by using the guide member A802 (see FIG. 50), a play area is also formed in front of the upper right region A60b of the window portion A60a. The right end of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 extends into the upper right region A60b. In other words, it is positioned further inward than the thickness of the base plate A60 in the front-to-rear direction.

This allows the front-to-rear thickness of the game board A13 (see FIG. 50) to be reduced compared to when the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 is arranged behind the base plate A60. Furthermore, since the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 is arranged behind the base plate A60, and light entering the game area is less likely to be attenuated compared to light that reaches the game area by passing through the thickness of the base plate A60, the game area in front of the upper right area A60b can be brightly illuminated.

The front plate member A840 is formed in a shape that overlaps with the edge of the front light emitting substrate A820. That is, when the front plate member A840 is fastened to the base member A860 from the front side of the front light emitting substrate A820, the pressing force applied from the front plate member A840 to the front light emitting substrate A820 is divided along the edge of the front light emitting substrate A820, so that the load per unit area can be reduced.

This allows the front light emitting substrate A820 and the front plate member A840 to come into surface contact while avoiding excessive load being applied between them, making it easy to align the optical axes of the edge light emitting parts A823 and A827 of the front light emitting substrate A820 with the front plate member A840.

As shown in FIG. 55, the travel path AL2 of the irradiated light from the edge light emitters A823, A827, which are selected from highly directional LEDs, extends in the left-right direction after being received by the front side plate member A840 until it reaches the linear groove portion A842 in a manner that causes total reflection at the front and rear surfaces of the front side plate member A840, and when it reaches the linear groove portion A842, it is refracted and redirected toward the front side.

Therefore, when light is being emitted from the edge light emitting units A823, A827 when viewing the front side plate member A840 from the front side, the light directed from the linear groove portion A842 to the front side reaches the player's eyes, so that the outline of the shape of the illustration, including a specific character or logo, which is the original shape of the linear groove portion A842, can be seen as glowing.

The LEDs constituting the edge light-emitting units A833 and A837 (see FIG. 53) are less directional than the LEDs constituting the edge light-emitting units A823 and A827. This allows the entire area of the rear side plate member A850 to be illuminated uniformly.

That is, the light from the edge light emitters A833, A837 (see FIG. 53) does not undergo total reflection within the rear plate member A850, and functions to uniformly illuminate the rear plate member A850.

Let's go back to Figure 2. As shown in Figure 2, the downstream guide member A803 is disposed on the lower right side of the center frame A86 when viewed from the front. The downstream guide member A803 constitutes a flow path through which the game ball guided by the guide member A802 is guided regardless of whether it passes through the through gate 67.

Figure 56 is an exploded front perspective view of the downstream guide member A803, and Figure 57 is an exploded rear perspective view of the downstream guide member A803. Note that Figures 56 and 57 only show a portion of the base plate A60 to which the downstream guide member A803 is fixed, and other portions of the base plate A60 are omitted.

The downstream guide member A803 includes a front member A803z having a plate-shaped main body A803a and an extension plate A803b extending from the rear surface of the plate-shaped main body A803a, a rear member A804 made of a light-transmitting resin material that is fastened to the base plate A60 while being fastened to the front member A803z so as to form a path between the front member A803z and the front member A803z through which game balls can flow, and a decorative plate member A805 that is attached to the front surface of the plate-shaped main body A803a of the front member A803z. In the assembled state (see FIG. 2), game balls guided by the guide member A802 are configured to be able to flow down the area between the plate-shaped main body A803a and the rear member A804.

The extension plate A803b includes a left extension plate A803c that is formed from a plate portion extending in the vertical direction and an inclined plate portion extending in the lower left direction, extending from the left edge of the plate-shaped main body A803a, a middle left extension plate A803d that is formed from a shape corresponding to the left extension plate A803c and is arranged opposite the left extension plate A803c to form a left flow path ATL1 in the area between the left extension plate A803c, a middle right extension plate A803e that has a portion that branches off from a midpoint of the middle left extension plate A803d and extends to the right, and is formed to extend downward while bending left and right, and a right extension plate A803f that is arranged opposite the middle right extension plate A803e to form a right flow path ATL2 in the area between the middle right extension plate A803e.

The game ball flowing down the left flow path ATL1 passes through the ball detection sensor ASE1, which is disposed between the left extension plate A803c and the middle left extension plate A803d and is held by the sensor support portion A804a of the rear member A804 in the assembled state, on its way down to the left, which is the direction in which the left extension plate A803c and the middle left extension plate A803d extend, and is discharged toward the rear of the base plate A60 through the opening A804b of the rear member A804. Therefore, the game ball that flows into the left flow path ATL1 is not guided to the second winning port 640 or the specific winning port 65a (see FIG. 2).

The direction in which the left flow path ATL1 extends (to the lower left) is away from the right flow path ATL2, so when both the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2 are visible, it is easy to avoid confusing a game ball flowing through the left flow path ATL1 with a game ball flowing through the right flow path ATL2.

There are various possible modes of control when a gaming ball is detected by the detection sensor ASE1, but in this embodiment, when the detection sensor ASE1 detects the passage of a gaming ball, it is controlled so that one prize ball is paid out.

The number of prize balls is just an example, and is not limited to one, but may be two or more. On the other hand, by limiting the number of prize balls to one as in this embodiment, it is possible to reduce the loss of balls when a game ball hit from the right flows through the left flow path ATL1.

In addition, when the number of prize balls is two or more, the number of balls that the player has will increase due to the prize balls paid out to the player, even after subtracting the shot balls. This can reduce the disappointment felt when balls flow into the left flow path ATL1.

The game ball that flows into the right-side flow path ATL2 flows down along the inclined surface A803e1 that extends in a downward right direction on the upstream side of the center right extension plate A803e. In this case, the ball flows down away from the left-side flow path ATL1 that is provided adjacent to the right-side flow path ATL2, so when both the left-side flow path ATL1 and the right-side flow path ATL2 are visible, it is easy to avoid confusing the game ball flowing in the left-side flow path ATL1 with the game ball flowing in the right-side flow path ATL2.

The ball rolling on the inclined surface A803e1 flows to the right near the upper edge of the plate-shaped body A803a, so the visibility of the ball when viewed from above the downstream guide member A803 can be improved compared to a ball flowing down the left flow path ATL1, which allows the ball to flow in a manner similar to free fall. In other words, the period during which the ball is visible when viewed from above the downstream guide member A803 can be extended.

The game ball flowing down the right flow path ATL2 rolls on the extension plate A803f1 that extends leftward from the inside of the right extension plate A803f, and flows down along the curved surface A803e2 of the middle right extension plate A803e that is curved in an arc shape to accommodate the rolling ball.

The ball rolling on the extension plate A803f1 flows down in a direction approaching the left flow path ATL1, but the curved surface A803e2 is positioned with a gap between it and the left flow path ATL1, and the ball flowing down along the curved surface A803e2 flows down in a direction away from the left flow path ATL1, making it easier to avoid confusing the game ball flowing down the left flow path ATL1 with the game ball flowing down the right flow path ATL2.

In addition, while the ball flows down the left flow path ATL1 while inclining to the left in the direction of gravity, the ball flows down the right flow path ATL2 while meandering left and right. This makes it easier to avoid mistaking the game ball flowing down the left flow path ATL1 for the game ball flowing down the right flow path ATL2 when both the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2 are visible.

In addition, the period during which a game ball flowing through the left flow path ATL1 and a game ball flowing through the right flow path ATL2 stay in the internal flow path of the downstream guide member A803 can be made different. For example, if balls flow into the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2 at the same time, the ball flowing down the left flow path ATL1 is quickly swept downward, while the ball flowing down the right flow path ATL2 meanders left and right, so that the period during which the balls flowing down the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2 are at the same height can be shortened (the height positions of the balls can be made different). This makes it easier to avoid confusing the game ball flowing through the left flow path ATL1 with the game ball flowing through the right flow path ATL2.

The game balls that pass through the right-side flow path ATL2 flow downward along the front side of the base plate A60 and are guided toward the second winning opening 640 or the specific winning opening 65a (see FIG. 2). Therefore, among the balls that flow down the downstream guide member A803, only those that flow down the right-side flow path ATL2 can enter the second winning opening 640 or the specific winning opening 65a.

As described above, the right-side flow path ATL2 is formed as a flow path that meanders left and right, so the vertical speed of the ball can be reduced compared to when the ball falls freely. This reduces the vertical speed of the ball when it reaches the second winning opening 640 or the specific winning opening 65a, making it easier to prevent the occurrence of a situation in which the opening and closing plate of the electric device 640a or the opening and closing plate of the variable winning device 65 are damaged by a collision with the ball.

The decorative plate member A805 is made of a resin material and includes a transparent sheet A805a that transmits light to the same degree regardless of the viewing direction, and a viewing pattern changing sheet A806 that is configured so that the light transmittance changes depending on the viewing direction.

The visual appearance changing sheet A806 is formed to a size that includes the left flow path ATL1 when viewed from the front, and the transparent sheet A805a is formed to a size that includes the right flow path ATL2 when viewed from the front, and the decorative plate member A805 composed of the visual appearance changing sheet A806 and the transparent sheet A805a is formed to a shape that occupies an area slightly smaller than the outer edge of the plate-shaped main body A803a.

Figure 58 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the viewing behavior changing sheet A806. The viewing behavior changing sheet A806 can also be called a viewing angle control sheet, and is structured by laminating a transparent resin film A806c to the front and back of a louver film in which transparent silicone rubber A806a and black silicone rubber A806b are alternately arranged, and it is possible to design the angular range (viewing angle) of transmitted light by varying the arrangement interval and posture of the black silicone rubber A806b during manufacturing.

The visual appearance changing sheet A806 is a sheet that is attached to the front side of the plate-shaped main body A803a as shown in FIG. 56, and is required to be very thin since it is placed in the limited area of the gap between the glass unit 16. In this embodiment, too, a finely designed sheet is used in which the transparent resin film A806c is a film made of polycarbonate and has a thickness of about 0.2 mm, and the black silicone rubber A806b is arranged at an interval (pitch) of about 0.1 mm.

Figures 59(a) and 59(b) are schematic diagrams showing the change in appearance of the downstream guide member A803 depending on the viewing direction. Figure 59(a) shows the appearance when viewed in the direction of arrow AEL1 in Figure 58, and Figure 59(b) shows the appearance when viewed in the direction of arrow AEL2 in Figure 58. Note that in Figure 59, although changes in the external shape may occur depending on the viewing direction, for convenience, the same shape is shown ignoring the change in external shape. Also, in Figure 59, the inner surfaces of the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2, which are visible through the viewing appearance changing sheet A806, are shown in solid lines.

In this embodiment, the spacing and orientation of the black silicone rubber A806b (see Figure 58) are designed so that the viewing angle at which the rear side of the visual appearance changing sheet A806 can be seen through the visual appearance changing sheet A806 is approximately 30 degrees.

That is, as shown in FIG. 59(a), when the viewing manner-changing sheet A806 is viewed in the direction of the arrow AEL1 (see FIG. 58) (when viewed directly in front of the downstream guide member A803), the viewing manner-changing sheet A806 can be seen through and the left flow path ATL1 located at the back.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 59(b), when the visual appearance-changing sheet A806 is viewed in the direction of the arrow AEL2 (see FIG. 58) at an angle larger than the viewing angle (when viewed from a position shifted to the side from directly in front of the downstream guide member A803, for example, when viewed diagonally from directly in front of the third pattern display device 81 (see FIG. 2)), the visual appearance-changing sheet A806 cannot be transmitted and the front side of the visual appearance-changing sheet A806 is viewed (if the surface is decorated with figures, illustrations, etc., the decoration is viewed), making it difficult to view the ball flowing down the left flow path ATL1.

In this way, in this embodiment, it is easier for the player to see the game ball flowing down the left flow path ATL1 when viewing the downstream guide member A803 in the direction of arrow AEL1 than when viewing the downstream guide member A803 in the direction of arrow AEL2.

By utilizing the function of the visual appearance changing sheet A806 as described above, it is possible to make the player see only the ball that is most profitable for the player among the balls passing through the downstream guide member A803. This will be described in more detail.

A player playing on a pachinko machine 10 basically plays while viewing the display area of the third pattern display device 81 (see FIG. 2) and the effects that are created by the movable parts (e.g., operating units A400-A600) that operate in front of it, so they rarely stare at a specific area of the play area, and often glance sideways at the downstream guide member A803 while viewing the third pattern display device 81 from the front (e.g., looking in the direction of arrow AEL2 in FIG. 58).

For example, even during time-saving or special bonus play when playing with the right hand to shoot the ball toward the second winning port 640 or the specific winning port 65a (see Figure 2), the player will want to focus on the presentation in the display area of the third pattern display device 81 (see Figure 2), so once the player has confirmed that the game ball is indeed flowing downward by glancing sideways at the downstream guide member A803, they will usually take their eyes off the downstream guide member A803 and focus on the display area of the third pattern display device 81.

In this embodiment, in the downstream guide member A803, which is only visible for such a short time, game balls that flow into the left flow path ATL1 do not flow to the second winning port 640 or the specific winning port 65a (see Figure 2) side, but are discharged from the game area. This type of configuration is adopted to keep the prize ball performance per unit time of the pachinko machine 10 within the standard (for adjusting the game time and prize balls), but for players, balls that flow into the left flow path ATL1 are not very desirable balls.

Being exposed to such undesirable ball movements can dampen the player's interest and can easily result in a lack of motivation to play the pachinko machine 10 again, which can be undesirable.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the viewing pattern changing sheet A806 allows the player to see only the game ball flowing in the right-side flow path ATL2, but not the game ball flowing in the left-side flow path ATL1, when the player looks sideways at the downstream guide member A803 (for example, in the direction of the arrow AEL2).

In other words, by making only the ball flowing down the right-side flow path ATL2 visible when looking sideways at the downstream guide member A803, the downstream guide member A803 has multiple flow paths for the game ball to flow down, the left-side flow path ATL1 and the right-side flow path ATL2, but the player can only see the game ball flowing down the right-side flow path ATL2. This makes it seem to the player that all of the balls fired are being guided to the second winning hole 640 or the specific winning hole 65a (guided without waste), which increases the player's interest and therefore increases the player's desire to play again.

In this way, in this embodiment, by utilizing the viewing mode changing sheet A806, a player playing while viewing the display performance unfolding in the display area of the third pattern display device 81 can be configured to avoid seeing unfavorable balls (balls that are not guided to the second winning port 640 or the specific winning port 65a) flowing down the left flow path ATL1, and can be configured to only see favorable balls (balls that are guided to the second winning port 640 or the specific winning port 65a) flowing down the right flow path ATL2.

On the other hand, some players may wish to see disadvantageous balls flowing down the left flow path ATL1 as well. In this case, by moving their head from in front of the third pattern display device 81 and looking in the direction from the front of the downstream guide member A803 (in the direction of arrow AEL1 in FIG. 58), it is possible to see the balls flowing down the left flow path ATL1. This makes it possible to avoid the accumulation of dissatisfaction among players who wish to see disadvantageous balls flowing down the left flow path ATL1, and to prevent such players from losing their willingness to play again.

The second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 60. In the first embodiment, the rotational motion unit 400b of the first motion unit A400 is configured to extend in the longitudinal direction (the direction connecting the rotational shaft AJ1 and the rotation tip) with the tilting motion. However, in the first motion unit A2400 of the second embodiment, the rotational motion unit 400b is configured to extend and contract in the longitudinal direction with the tilting motion. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

Figure 60 is a rear view of the first operating unit A2400 in the second embodiment. Figure 60 illustrates the first operating unit A2400 in a performance standby state. Note that in the first operating unit A2400 in the second embodiment, the rotation operating unit 400b is the same as in the first embodiment, while the support unit A2400a is different from the support unit A400a in the first embodiment, particularly in the guide long hole A2414. Note that in the explanation of Figure 60, Figures 19 and 20 will be referred to as appropriate.

Instead of the long guide hole A414 described above in the first embodiment, the support unit A2400a has a long guide hole A2414 through which the columnar protrusion A448 of the rotational motion unit A400b is guided.

The guide elongated hole A2414 includes a first arc portion A2414a extending from the right end to the left in an arc shape, a second arc portion A2414b formed to the left of the first arc portion A2414a in an arc shape with a shorter radius than the first arc portion A2414a, a third arc portion A2414c formed to the left of the second arc portion A2414b in an arc shape with a longer radius than the first arc portion A2414a, a first straight portion A2414d formed in a straight hole shape connecting the left end of the first arc portion A2414a and the right end of the second arc portion A2414b, and a second straight portion A2414e formed in a straight hole shape connecting the left end of the second arc portion A2414b and the right end of the third arc portion A2414c.

The first arc portion A2414a is formed in an arc shape centered on the rotating shaft rod AJ1 of a second radius AR2 whose radius is the second length AD2 (see FIG. 19(b)), the second arc portion A2414b is formed in an arc shape centered on the rotating shaft rod AJ1 of a first radius AR1 whose radius is the first length AD1 (see FIG. 19(a)), and the first straight portion A2414d is formed in an inclined straight line.

Therefore, when the drive motor AMT1 is driven from the performance standby state of the first operating unit A2400 and the rotation operating unit A400b starts tilting, the longitudinal length of the rotation operating unit A400b does not change and only the rotation operation continues while the columnar protrusion portion A448 moves along the first arc portion A2414a.

Furthermore, while the columnar protrusion A448 moves along the first straight section A2414d, the rotational movement continues while the longitudinal length of the rotational movement unit A400b changes in the direction of shrinking, so the driving resistance increases.

Furthermore, while the columnar protrusion A448 moves along the second arc portion A2414b, the longitudinal length of the rotational motion unit A400b does not change and the rotational motion continues, so the driving resistance decreases accordingly.

In this way, the guide elongated hole A2414 is configured to increase the drive resistance when the columnar protrusion A448 enters the first straight section A2414d, so that it is easy to perform operation control to suddenly stop the rotation operation unit A400b in the posture when the columnar protrusion A448 enters the first straight section A2414d.

When the columnar protrusion A448 moves in the order of the first arc portion A2414a, the first straight portion A2414d, and the second arc portion A2414b, only the length of the rotational motion unit A400b in the longitudinal direction changes (see Figures 19(a) and 19(b)), and there is no change in the length of the rotational motion unit A400b in the width direction.

The second straight section A2414e is formed as an inclined straight line extending on the straight line AVL2 passing through the center of the rotating shaft rod AJ1. Therefore, when the columnar protrusion A448 moves along the second straight section A2414e, the rotation of the rotational motion unit A400b is stopped, and only a displacement extending in the longitudinal direction occurs.

When the length between the columnar protrusion A448 and the rotating shaft rod AJ1 becomes longer than the second length AD2 while the columnar protrusion A448 moves leftward along the second straight section A2414e, in addition to the displacement extending in the longitudinal direction of the rotating motion unit A400b, a displacement extending in the lateral direction of the rotating motion unit A400b occurs (displacement of the direction switching member A450 and the decorative member A460 outward to the left and right, see Figure 20).

Therefore, while the columnar protrusion A448 moves along the second straight section A2414e, the resistance applied to the drive motor AMT1 transitions from a state in which resistance is caused by the displacement extending in the longitudinal direction of the rotational motion unit A400b to a state in which resistance is also caused by the displacement extending in the lateral direction of the rotational motion unit A400b in addition to that resistance.

This makes it possible to increase the resistance to the displacement of the rotary motion unit A400b, and therefore to change the speed of displacement occurring in the rotary motion unit A400b when the driving force from the drive motor AMT1 is constant. In other words, the speed of displacement can be slowed down when the length between the columnar protrusion A448 and the rotary shaft rod AJ1 is longer than the second length AD2, compared to when the length between the columnar protrusion A448 and the rotary shaft rod AJ1 is shorter than the second length AD2, so that the player can be impressed by the displacement of the rotary motion unit A400b in the short direction.

The third arc portion A2414c is formed in an arc shape centered on the rotation shaft rod AJ1 with a fourth radius AR4, whose radius is the fourth length AD4 (see FIG. 20(b)), and is positioned lower toward the tilted tip of the rotation motion unit A400b.

As a result, after the columnar protrusion portion A448 enters the third arc portion A2414c from the second straight portion A2414e, a rotational movement (tilting movement) can be generated in a state in which the rotational movement unit A400b is displaced to its maximum in both the longitudinal and lateral directions (see FIG. 20(b)), thereby increasing the impact of the rotational movement of the rotational movement unit A400b.

The position of the left end of the third arc portion A2414c is the same as the left end of the long guide hole A414 in the first embodiment. When the drive motor AMT1 is driven in the direction opposite to the direction in which the rotational motion unit A400b is tilted from a state in which the columnar protrusion A448 is disposed at the left end of the third arc portion A2414c, the columnar protrusion A448 is guided to the right through the long guide hole A2414, causing the rotational motion unit A400b to rotate in the direction of rising up, similar to the first motion unit A400 in the first embodiment.

The third embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 61 to 63. In the first embodiment, the rotational motion unit 400b of the first motion unit A400 moves from an upright state to a tilted state, but the first motion unit A3400 of the third embodiment is configured to move from a horizontally extending state to a tilted state. The same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

Figures 61 to 63 are schematic rear views of the first operating unit A3400 in the third embodiment. In Figure 61, the first performance standby state of the first operating unit A3400 is illustrated typically, in Figure 62, the extended state of the first operating unit A3400 is illustrated typically, and in Figure 63, the second performance standby state of the first operating unit A3400 is illustrated typically. In addition, in Figures 61 to 63, in order to make it easier to understand the positional relationship, the external position of the rear case A210 (see Figure 7) (part of the illustration is omitted at the lower side) and the external position of the third pattern display device 81 (see Figure 2) are illustrated with imaginary lines.

The first operating unit A3400 includes a support member A3400a that is fastened to the rear case A210 on the inside of the rear case A210, and a rotation operating unit A3400b that is supported so as to be rotatable around a rotation shaft AJ3 that is fixed to the support member A3400a.

The support member A3400a has a guide slot A3414 for guiding the displacement of the rotational motion unit A3400b. The guide slot A3414 has an arc portion A3414a formed in an arc shape centered on the rotational shaft rod AJ3, a straight portion A3414b extending linearly from the lower end of the arc portion A3414a with the tip side closer to the rotational shaft rod AJ3, and a recessed portion A3414c recessed downward from the lower end of the straight portion A3414b.

In order to avoid overlapping of the support member A3400a and the rotational motion unit A3400b, which would make the diagram difficult to see, the outline of the support member A3400a is shown by imaginary lines, and the inside of the outline is not shown except for the guide elongated hole A3414.

The rotational motion unit A3400b includes a base end member A3430 rotatably supported on the rotation shaft AJ3, and a tip end member A3440 disposed on the rotation tip side of the base end member A3430 and configured to be displaceable in the radial direction of a circle centered on the rotation shaft AJ1 relative to the base end member A3430.

The tip side member A3440 includes a movable body A3441 and a guided protrusion A3442 that protrudes in the front-rear direction from the side of the movable body A3441 closer to the rotation shaft rod AJ3 and is inserted into the guide long hole A3414.

The transmission of the driving force in the third embodiment is configured in the same way as in the first embodiment, in which the driving force is applied to the columnar protrusion A448 (see Figures 15 and 16) in the left-right direction as the guide long hole A427e of the connecting member A427a guided by the belt A423a moves in the left-right direction, displacing the rotational motion unit A400b.

That is, in the first operating unit A3400 in the third embodiment, the belt A423a, the connecting member A427a, and the guide long hole A427e (not shown) are configured to change their orientation by 90 degrees to move in the vertical direction, and as they move in the vertical direction, a driving force is applied in the vertical direction to the guided protrusion A3442 inserted into the guide long hole A427e, displacing the rotation operating unit A3400b.

The following describes the rotational movement of the first operating unit A3400 from the first performance standby state. When a driving force is generated to move the guided protrusion A3442 downward from the first performance standby state (see FIG. 61), the rotational movement unit A3400b starts a rotational movement centered on the rotation shaft rod AJ3.

Here, while the guided protrusion A3442 is guided by the arc portion A3414a of the guide slot A3414, no relative movement of the tip side member A3440 with respect to the base side member A3430 (longitudinal displacement of the rotational motion unit A3400b) occurs (see FIG. 62).

When a driving force is generated to move the guided protrusion A3442 further downward from the state shown in FIG. 62, the guided protrusion A3442 enters the straight portion A3414b of the guide slot A3414, so that the further the rotation progresses, the closer the guided protrusion A3442 gets to the rotating shaft rod AJ3.

As a result, in addition to the rotational motion of the rotational motion unit A3400b around the rotational axis AJ3, the tip side member A3440 starts to move relative to the base side member A3430, increasing the drive resistance.

When the tilt of the rotational motion unit A3400b progresses to the end, as shown in FIG. 63, the guided protrusion A3442 enters the recessed portion A3414c of the guide long hole A3414, and the tip side member A3440 moves relative to the base side member A3430 in a direction in which the distance between the guided protrusion A3442 and the rotation shaft rod AJ3 becomes longer compared to when it is located at the lower end side of the straight portion A3414b.

That is, when the rotational motion unit A3400b tilts from the first performance standby state, the tip side member A3440 of the rotational motion unit A3400b transitions from a state in which it does not move relative to the base side member A3430 to a state in which it moves relatively toward the base side member A3430, and then transitions from a state in which it moves relatively toward the base side member A3430 to a state in which it moves relatively away from the base side member A3430. In this way, the variation in the relative movement of the tip side member A3440 with respect to the base side member A3430 when the rotational motion unit A3400b tilts can be increased.

In the state shown in FIG. 63, the movement of the guided protrusion A3442 in the rotational direction around the rotation shaft rod AJ3 is prevented by the recessed portion A3414c. Therefore, even if the tilting operation of the rotational operation unit A3400b is performed at high speed, the occurrence of a return movement in the rotational direction (a rotational operation in the opposite direction due to a reaction) can be prevented by the guided protrusion A3442 being stopped by the recessed portion A3414c.

In addition, by generating an upward driving force from the state shown in FIG. 63, the rotational motion unit A3400b can be rotated (raised) in such a manner that the guided protrusion A3442 is guided in the opposite direction.

As described above, in the third embodiment, the direction of tilting of the rotational motion unit A3400b is set to a direction that rotates under its own weight, so the driving force required at the start of the tilting motion can be reduced.

In addition, it is possible to change the appearance of the rotational motion unit A3400b by shrinking in the longitudinal direction during the tilting motion. This allows the rotational motion unit A3400b to deform in a more compact direction during the tilting motion, and by reducing the centrifugal force that occurs during this motion, it is possible to stabilize the stopping position along the way and the stopping at the end.

In addition, since the guide long hole A3414 for regulating the displacement of the tip side member A3440 is arranged near the rotating shaft rod AJ3, the support member A3400a for forming the guide long hole A3414 can be made smaller. In addition, since it is not necessary to arrange the configuration of the first operating unit A3400 up to the area on the rotation tip side of the rotation operating unit A3400b in the rear case A210 (the area to the right of the third pattern display device 81 in Figure 61), the degree of freedom in arranging the operating units in the rear case A210 can be improved.

The fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 64. In the first embodiment, a fixed downstream guide member A803 changes the visibility of the ball flowing down the play area, but in the ball guide unit A4900 of the fourth embodiment, the part that changes the visibility of the ball is configured to be displaceable. Note that the same parts as in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figures 64(a) and 64(b) are cross-sectional views of the ball guiding unit A4900 in the fourth embodiment. Figure 64(a) shows the electric device 640a in a closed state, and Figure 64(b) shows the electric device 640a in an open state.

Figure 64 shows a cross-sectional view in a plane that passes through the middle of the electric prop 640a and is perpendicular to the left-right direction. To facilitate understanding, the base plate A60 and glass unit 16 are shown with imaginary lines, and only the opening and closing plate of the electric prop 640a is shown, with other drive mechanisms omitted.

As shown in FIG. 64, the ball guide unit A4900 is a unit that forms a ball flow path between the glass unit 16 and the base plate A60, and includes a flow path forming member A4910 made of a light-transmitting resin material and fastened to the base plate A60, a light-guiding displacement member A4920 made of a light-transmitting resin material and configured to be movable up and down along the front surface of the flow path forming member, a covering member A4930 made of a light-transmitting resin material and fastened to the base plate A60, arranged to sandwich the light-guiding displacement member A4920 from the opposite side to the flow path forming member A4910, and a solenoid A4940 for driving the light-guiding displacement member A4920.

The flow path forming member A4910 comprises a rear side plate portion A4911 formed along the surface of the base plate A60, a front side plate portion A4912 arranged parallel to the front side of the rear side plate portion A4911 with a distance slightly longer than the diameter of the sphere, and a thick main body portion A4913 connecting the lower ends of the rear side plate portion A4911 and the front side plate portion A4912.

A through hole A4911a is formed in the rear side plate A4911 to allow the electric prop 640a to pass through, and the through hole A4911a allows the electric prop 640a to move back and forth in parallel between a closed state (see FIG. 64(a)) in which it is positioned close to the front side plate A4912, and an open state (see FIG. 64(b)) in which it is retracted to the rear.

The light-guiding displacement member A4920 includes a guided plate portion A4921 that is disposed opposite the front side surface of the front side plate portion A4912 of the flow path forming member A4910 and whose displacement is guided by the front side surface, and an extension portion A4922 that extends rearward from the lower end portion of the guided plate portion A4921.

The guided plate portion A4921 has a number of linear grooves A4921a cut into the back surface of the upper portion. The linear grooves A4921a function to refract light incident from the end of the guided plate portion A4921 and emit it toward the front surface (having the same function as the linear grooves A732 (see FIG. 48) described above in the first embodiment).

The covering member A4930 includes a front guide plate portion A4931 that is disposed opposite the front side surface of the guided plate portion A4921 and is configured to guide the displacement of the guided plate portion A4921 together with the front side plate portion A4912 of the flow path forming member A4910, an extension portion A4932 that extends rearward from the lower end of the front guide plate portion A4931 and has its rear end fastened and fixed to the base plate A60, and a light emitting substrate A4933 that is fixedly disposed on the upper surface side of the front end of the extension portion A4932 and has light emitting means A4933a such as an LED that irradiates light upward.

The light emitting means A4933a is arranged and designed so that its optical axis is aligned with the extension direction (vertical direction) of the guided plate portion A4921 of the light guiding displacement member A4920, and is configured so that light is guided upward from the lower end of the guided plate portion A4921 along the inside of the guided plate portion A4921. In other words, the light irradiated from the light emitting means A4933a is configured to reach the linear groove portion A4921a.

In this embodiment, when light is emitted from the light-emitting means A4933a, the light is refracted by the linear groove portion A4921a and travels toward the front side, so that the linear groove portion A4921a emits light brightly and visibility through the linear groove portion A4921a decreases.

Therefore, when viewed in a direction that overlaps with the linear groove portion A4921a, the visibility of the ball flowing down behind it decreases. It is easier to see the ball rolling on the electric prop 640a when viewed in a direction ADL1 that looks diagonally down the linear groove portion A4921a than when viewed in the front-to-back direction.

On the other hand, if you try to view a ball rolling below the electric prop 640a (corresponding to the ball in the position shown in FIG. 64(b)) from diagonally above in the direction ADL2 without changing your eye position from the position in the direction ADL1 in which the ball rolling on the top surface of the electric prop 640a in FIG. 64(a) is viewed from diagonally above, the linear groove portion A4921a will be in line with your line of sight, reducing the visibility of the ball.

Therefore, players who want to see the ball with good visibility will have to change their eye position every time the electric device 640a is opened or closed. This reduces the burden on the player since the ball can be released by hitting it with the right hand, but the burden on the player increases due to the frequent changing of eye position.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the operation timing of the electric role 640a and the drive timing of the solenoid A4940 are controlled to be synchronized. That is, when the electric role 640a is in the open state, the solenoid A4940 is driven and the light guide displacement member A4920 is displaced downward, eliminating the state in which the linear groove portion A4921a blocks the line of sight to the ball rolling below the electric role 640a.

As a result, the player can simply change the direction of his or her line of sight between directions ADL1 and ADL2 without changing the position of his or her eyes, and the visibility of the ball will not be impaired even if the rolling position of the ball changes in response to the opening and closing of the electric device 640a, thereby reducing the burden on the player when playing the game.

When the ball guiding unit A4900 is viewed from the front to back in the state shown in FIG. 64(a), if there is a ball rolling below the electric device 640a, the line of sight to the ball is not blocked by the linear groove portion A4921a. Therefore, if there is a ball flowing directly below the electric device 640a immediately after the electric device 640a is switched from the open state to the closed state (for example, if there is an over-winning ball), the ball can be seen by the player without any problem by viewing it from the front to back.

Compared to the state shown in FIG. 64(a), the distance between the light emitting means A4933a and the guided plate portion A4921 is shorter in the state shown in FIG. 64(b). Therefore, when light from the light emitting means A4933a is irradiated toward the guided plate portion A4921, there is less light leakage in the state shown in FIG. 64(b) compared to the state shown in FIG. 64(a), so even if the amount of light irradiated from the light emitting means A4933a is the same, the state shown in FIG. 64(b) can illuminate the linear groove portion A4921a more brightly than the state shown in FIG. 64(a).

On the other hand, compared to the state shown in FIG. 64(b), the state shown in FIG. 64(a) allows the position of the linear groove portion A4921a to be closer to the player (upper side), so the range of the covering member A4930 illuminated by the light refracted by the linear groove portion A4921a can be closer to the player (upper side).

The front side of the front guide plate portion A4931 of the covering member A4930 is decorated with figures, illustrations, etc., and the illuminated area of this decoration can be moved closer to the player (upper side), thereby improving the presentation effect provided by the front guide plate portion A4931.

The fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 65. In the first embodiment, the columnar protrusion A448 of the first operating unit A400 is formed to protrude from the back side of the moving member A440 and cannot move relative to the plate-shaped main body A442. However, in the first operating unit A5400 of the fifth embodiment, a columnar protrusion member A5448 is configured to be movable relative to the moving member A5440. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figures 65(a) and 65(b) are rear views of the rotational motion unit A5400b in the fifth embodiment. Figure 65(a) illustrates the state of the rotational motion unit A5400b in a state corresponding to the performance standby state (see Figure 7), and Figure 65(b) illustrates the state of the rotational motion unit A5400b in a state corresponding to the extended state (see Figure 7).

The following describes the configuration of the rotational motion unit A5400b, focusing on the differences from the rotational motion unit A400b described in the first embodiment. In the rotational motion unit A5400b in this embodiment, a columnar protrusion member A5448 is disposed so as to be movable relative to the moving member A5440 as a member corresponding to the columnar protrusion portion A448 in the first embodiment.

That is, the columnar protruding member A5448 has its protruding tip portion (rear end portion) inserted rearward into the long guide hole A5442a drilled in the plate-shaped main body A5442 of the movable member A5440 and protrudes outward, while its protruding base end portion (front side portion) is formed in a shape larger than the long guide hole A5442a, thereby functioning as a retainer, so that the columnar protruding member A5448 is configured to be movable relative to the plate-shaped main body A5442 along the long guide hole A5442a.

The columnar protrusion member A5448 is biased toward the right end of the guide slot A5442a (the end where the columnar protrusion member A5448 is positioned in FIG. 65(b)) by a biasing member (not shown) such as a spring that generates a biasing force in one direction.

The guide slot A5442a is formed as a curved slot that extends along an arc centered on the rotating shaft rod AJ1 when in the performance standby state. This makes it possible to prevent the columnar protrusion member A5448 from coming out of the arc portion A414a (see FIG. 24) of the guide slot A414 even if the position of the columnar protrusion member A5448 changes inside the guide slot A5442a.

This makes it easier to avoid an increase in the motion resistance between the columnar protruding member A5448 and the arc portion A414a when the rotational motion unit A5400b tilts from the performance standby state.

In the rotational motion unit A5400b, the base plate member A5430 has an extension guide portion A5438 extending from one short side (left side in FIG. 65(a)) of the longitudinal tip portion (upper end portion in FIG. 65(a)).

The extension guide portion A5438 is extended to a position where it can come into contact with the columnar protrusion member A5448, regardless of where the columnar protrusion member A5448 is positioned in the guide long hole A5442a, and the load generated when they come into contact allows the columnar protrusion member A5448 to move along the guide long hole A5442a.

That is, as shown in FIG. 65(b), when the movable member A5440 moves toward the rotation shaft rod AJ1 relative to the base plate member A5430 from a state in which the columnar protrusion member A5448 is disposed at one end of the guide long hole A5442a (left end of the paper in FIG. 65(b)), the columnar protrusion member A5448 comes into contact with the upper surface of the extended guide portion A5438 during the movement, and receives a load, so that it moves toward the other end of the guide long hole A5442a (right end of the paper in FIG. 65(a)). Then, finally, the columnar protrusion member A5448 is disposed on a straight line passing through the rotation shaft rod AJ1 as the movement direction of the movable member A5440.

The above-mentioned configuration enables good transmission of driving force to the rotational motion unit A5400b when the first motion unit A5400 tilts from the standby state for performance.

Here, in transmitting the driving force from the extended state, as described above in the first embodiment, the component of the load applied to the columnar protrusion A448 that is parallel to the relative movement direction of the moving member A440 with respect to the base plate member A430 (the linear direction passing through the rotation shaft rod AJ1) does not pass through the rotation shaft rod AJ1, but generates a force in the rotation direction centered on the rotation shaft rod AJ1, thereby enabling the rotational motion unit A400b to move smoothly from the extended state.

In the first embodiment, in order to produce this effect, the position of the columnar protrusion A448 is purposely shifted from the center of the short side of the moving member A440. On the other hand, if the rotational motion unit A400b is made to stand with the columnar protrusion A448 in a shifted position and the standing state is supported and maintained by the columnar protrusion A448, it is difficult to achieve balance when the longitudinal direction of the rotational motion unit A400b faces vertically, and it tends to be in a slightly tilted position (see FIG. 24).

In contrast, according to this embodiment, the columnar protruding member A5448 is configured to be movable relative to the movable member A5440, so that when the rotational motion unit A5400b is raised (see FIG. 65(a)), it is easy to achieve balance in a position in which the longitudinal direction of the rotational motion unit A400b faces vertically.

In this embodiment, the posture of the rotational motion unit A5400b in the standing state can be designed as desired depending on the design of the length of the guide long hole A5442a. In this way, in this embodiment, it is possible to improve the design freedom of the posture in the performance standby state while maintaining the effect of improving the transmission of driving force from the extended state.

The sixth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 66. In the first embodiment, the visibility changing sheet A806 changes the appearance of the ball flow path (play area) when the viewing angle changes left and right. However, the flow path front component A6900 of the sixth embodiment is configured so that the appearance of the ball flow path (play area) changes when the viewing angle changes up and down. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 66 is a cross-sectional view of the flow path front component A6900 in the sixth embodiment. In Figure 66, the flow path front component A6900 is viewed in cross section in a plane formed by the vertical side and the front-rear side at a location where a ball can pass. Note that the front and rear sides of the base plate A60 arranged opposite the flow path front component A6900 are shown by imaginary lines.

The flow path front component A6900 includes a cover member A6910 made of a non-transparent resin material and arranged opposite the front side of the base plate A60, a decorative plate A6920 that is a plate-shaped member made of a light-transparent resin material and attached (or fastened) to the front side of the cover member A6910, and is decorated on the front side, and a fastening part A6930 that fastens and fixes the cover member A6910 to the base plate A60.

The screen member A6910 comprises a pair of plate-shaped bodies A6911 (one side of which is shown in FIG. 66) that extend in a plate-like manner in the up-down direction, and a number of louver sections A6913 that extend in the left-right direction between the pair of plate-shaped bodies A6911 and form rectangular elongated holes A6912 that extend in the left-right direction together with the pair of plate-shaped bodies A6911.

The horizontal length of the rectangular long hole A6912 and the louver portion A6913 is longer than the diameter of the ball, and is formed with a length that corresponds to the horizontal width of the play area at the placement location. In addition, the vertical spacing of the louver portion A6913 is designed to be smaller than the diameter of the ball.

There are various exemplary manufacturing methods for the screen member A6910. For example, it may be a method in which a plurality of louver portions A6913 are fixed to the plate-shaped main body A6911, or a method in which a rectangular long hole A6912 is formed by drilling holes or the like in a plate having a thickness corresponding to the front-to-rear length of the plate-shaped main body A6911, and the plurality of louver portions A6913 are formed as the remaining portion.

The louver portion A6913 is slightly wider in the front-to-back direction, and decorative illustrations are applied to the top and bottom sides. When viewing the flow path front component A6900 in the direction of arrow AEL61, the line of sight is blocked by the louver portion A6913, making it difficult to see the ball AB61 flowing down its back side. In this case, a reduction in the presentation effect is avoided by allowing the player to view the illustrations applied to the upper side of the louver portion A6913.

On the other hand, when viewing the flow path front component A6900 in the direction of arrow AEL62 (viewing in the direction along the front-to-rear direction), the line of sight does not overlap with the upper or lower side surfaces of the louver portion A6913, and the sphere AB61 can be viewed through the parts other than those hidden by the upper and lower thicknesses of the louver portion A6913, i.e., through the rectangular elongated hole A6912.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 66, the louver portion A6913 is shaped so that its vertical thickness is shorter than its front-to-back width, so that the visibility of the sphere AB61 flowing down behind the front component A6900 can be improved when the front component A6900 is viewed in the direction of the arrow AEL62 compared to when the front component A6900 is viewed in the direction of the arrow AEL61.

Next, the seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 67 to 77. First, the schematic configuration of the board box W100 will be described with reference to Figs. 67 to 71. Note that parts that are the same as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 67 is a rear view of the pachinko machine W10 in the seventh embodiment, Figure 68 is a front perspective view of the board box W100, Figure 69 is a rear perspective view of the board box W100, Figure 70 is a front view of the board box W100, Figure 71 (a) is a rear view of the board box W100, Figure 71 (b) is a side view of the board box W100 as viewed in the direction of the arrow LXXIb in Figure 71 (a), showing the state in which the protective cover W500 has been removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W300. Figure 72 (a) is a partial front perspective view of the board box W100, Figure 72 (b) is a partial rear perspective view of the board box W100, and Figures 72 (a) and 72 (b) show the state in which the protective cover W500 and the sealing seal WSL have been removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W300.

In addition, the arrows F-B, L-R, and U-D in Figures 67 to 71 indicate the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions of the board box B100, respectively. This also applies to the following figures, so their explanations are omitted.

The pachinko machine W10 in the seventh embodiment has the same configuration as the pachinko machine 10 in the first embodiment, except for the circuit board box W100. Therefore, a description of the rest will be omitted.

As shown in Figures 67 to 71, the board box W100 includes a box cover W200, a box base W300 whose opening is covered by the box cover W200, a sealing unit W400 that connects the box cover W200 and the box base W300 together so that they cannot be opened (connected by a crimping structure), and a protective cover W500 and a sealing seal WSL that are disposed on the end of the box cover W200 and the box base W300 connected by the sealing unit W400 on the opposite side from the sealing unit W400, and houses a main control board (not shown). The board box W100 may also house a sub-control board, boards for light-emitting or sound-emitting effects, various switches, connectors, a game board, gadgets, or a drive motor for driving the gadgets.

A rotation axis W410 is formed in the sealing unit W400. The rotation axis W410 is an axis for rotatably supporting the board box W100 on the rear side of the inner frame 12 (see FIG. 1), and is formed as an axis parallel to the up-down direction (direction of arrows U-D) of the board box W100 (box cover W200) and perpendicular to the left-right direction (direction of arrows L-R) of the board box W100 (box cover W200).

The rotation shaft W410 is disposed on the right side (arrow R direction side) of the board box W100 (box cover W200) when viewed from the rear (arrow F direction). The rotation shaft W410 may be disposed on the left side (arrow L direction side) of the board box W100 (box cover W200), or the rotation shaft W410 may be disposed on the upper side (arrow U direction side), lower side (arrow D direction side), front side (arrow F direction side), or rear side (arrow B direction side) of the board box W100 (box cover W200).

The box cover W200 mainly comprises a rear wall W201 formed in a plate shape of a generally horizontally elongated rectangle when viewed from the front, plate-shaped walls (upper wall, lower wall, left wall W202 and right wall connecting the upper wall and lower wall) erected from the four sides of the rear wall W201 toward the box base W300 (arrow F direction), and a cover-side engaged portion W210 protruding to the left from the left wall W202. The box cover W200 is formed in a box shape with the box base W300 side open by each wall. The box cover W200 is made of a light-transmitting resin material and is molded using a resin molding die.

The protective cover W500 is attached to the cover-side engaged part W210 together with the base-side engaged part W310 described later. The cover-side engaged part W210 mainly comprises a base part W211 protruding from the left wall part W202 toward the opposite side to the sealing unit W400 (arrow L direction side), a side wall part W212 formed at the protruding tip of the base part W211, a flat part W220 protruding from the side wall part W212 toward the opposite side to the sealing unit W400, an upper protruding part W213a, and a lower protruding part W213b, and a cover part W214 protruding from the back of the base part W211 and the flat part W220 toward the opposite side to the box base W300 (arrow B direction side).

The base portion W211 is a portion for connecting the left wall portion W202 and the side wall portion W212, and is formed in a plate shape. The side wall portion W212 is a portion for restricting the displacement of the protective cover W500 toward the sealing unit W400 (the direction of the arrow R), and is formed in a plate shape.

An upper protrusion W213a, a lower protrusion W213b, and a flat surface W220 are disposed on the side wall W212. The upper protrusion W213a is disposed above the flat surface W220 (in the direction of the arrow U), and the lower protrusion W213b is disposed on the opposite side of the flat surface W220 from the upper protrusion W213a (in the direction of the arrow D).

The back surface of the lower protrusion W213b is disposed closer to the box base W300 (in the direction of arrow F) than the back surface of the side wall W212 and the erected portion W540 of the protective cover W500 described below.

The flat portion W220 is a portion to which the sealing seal WSL is attached, and is formed in a plate shape. The flat portion W220 mainly comprises a protrusion W221 and a pair of upright portions W222 that protrude toward the opposite side (arrow B direction) from the box base W300, a pair of end wall portions W223 arranged at both ends of the flat portion W220 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction), recesses W224a, W224b recessed into the back surface of the flat portion W220, a pair of fastening holes W225 drilled through the flat portion W220 in the plate thickness direction (arrow F-B direction), and a notch portion W226 (see FIG. 76) cut out at the end of the flat portion W220 on the opposite side (arrow L direction) from the sealing unit W400.

The protrusion W221 is a protrusion for restricting the displacement of the protective cover W500 in the direction opposite the sealing unit W400 (the direction of the arrow L). The protrusion W221 is formed with an inclined portion W221a that inclines toward the opposite side of the box base W300 (the direction of the arrow B) as it moves from the side opposite the sealing unit W400 toward the sealing unit W400 side (the direction of the arrow R).

The erected portion W222 and both end wall portions W223 are intended to prevent a wire that is improperly inserted through the gap formed between the side wall portion W212 and the protective cover W500 from releasing the adhesion between the flat portion W220 and the sealing seal WSL.

The pair of standing portions W222 are formed extending in the up-down direction (the direction of the arrows U-D) at a predetermined distance from the side wall portion W212. Both ends of the pair of standing portions W222 in the up-down direction are joined to a pair of end wall portions W223, and no gap is formed between the pair of standing portions W222 and the pair of end wall portions W223.

The pair of end wall portions W223 are formed in a plate shape and are disposed at both ends of the flat portion W220 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction) with the plate thickness directions of the pair of end wall portions W223 facing each other. The ends of the pair of end wall portions W223 on the box base W300 side (arrow F direction side) and the ends on the opposite side to the box base W300 (arrow B direction side) are formed to protrude toward the box base W300 side and the opposite side to the box base W300 from the front and back sides of the flat portion W220, respectively. In addition, the ends of the pair of end wall portions W223 on the opposite side to the sealing unit W400 (arrow L direction side) are formed to protrude toward the opposite side to the sealing unit W400 from the ends of the flat portion W220 on the opposite side to the sealing unit W400. The front faces of the pair of end wall portions W223 are disposed on approximately the same plane as the protruding surfaces of the erected portions W222.

The recesses W224a and W224b are portions for forming a space between the affixing surface of the sealing seal WSL and the flat surface portion W220. By forming the recesses W224a and W224b separately from each other, the area in which the flat surface portion W220 and the sealing seal WSL are affixed can be increased.

The recesses W224a, W224b may be formed so as to be connected to each other. This makes it easier to ensure the formability of the box cover W200 and reduces manufacturing costs. The recesses W224a, W224b may be formed so as to penetrate the plate thickness direction (arrow F-B direction) of the planar portion W220. This makes it easier to ensure the formability of the box cover W200.

The dimension of the recess W224a in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) is formed to be approximately the same as or slightly larger than the dimension of the connecting piece W531a of the protective cover W500 in the left-right direction, which will be described later, and the dimension of the recess W224a in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction) is formed to be approximately three times the dimension of the connecting piece W531a in the up-down direction. The dimension of the recess W224b in the up-down direction is formed to be approximately the same as or slightly larger than the dimension of the connecting piece W531b of the protective cover W500 in the up-down direction, and the dimension of the recess W224b in the left-right direction is formed to be approximately three times the dimension of the connecting piece W531b in the left-right direction.

The pair of fastening holes W225 are holes into which screws (not shown) are inserted to fasten the box cover W200 and the box base W300. The box cover W200 and the box base W300 are fastened by inserting the screws through the pair of fastening holes W225 and fastening them to the box base W300.

The notch portion W226, together with the notch portion W325 of the box base W300 described below, is a portion for forming a space on the attachment surface side (arrow R direction side) of the sealing seal WSL. The notch portion W226 is formed continuously from the upper end to the lower end of the flat portion W220. The notch portion W226 is also formed so as to incline toward the opposite side from the notch portion W325 (arrow B direction side) as it moves from the side wall portion W212 side (arrow R direction side) toward the opposite side from the sealing unit W400 (arrow L direction side).

The cover part W214 mainly comprises walls (upper wall part, lower wall part, right wall part connecting the right ends of the upper wall part and lower wall part) formed in a plate shape erected from the base part W211 and the flat part W220 toward the opposite side to the box base W300 (the direction of the arrow B), and a back wall part W214a connecting the erected tips of the upper wall part, lower wall part, and right wall part. The cover part W214 and the flat part W220 form a box shape that is open on the opposite side to the sealing unit W400 (the direction of the arrow L).

The upper and lower wall portions are formed to extend in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) and are disposed between the protrusion W221 and the pair of standing portions W222 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction). The rear wall portion W214a is formed in a plate shape. The end of the rear wall portion W214a on the opposite side to the sealing unit W400 (arrow L direction side) is disposed closer to the sealing unit W400 side (arrow R direction side) than the protrusion W221, and the protrusion W221 is visible when viewed from the rear (arrow F direction). This makes it possible to visually observe the engagement between the protrusion W221 and the engagement hole W533 of the protective cover W500 described below, and the engagement state between the box cover W200 and the protective cover W500 can be confirmed.

In addition, the rear wall portion W214a may be formed to protrude to a position where the end of the rear wall portion W214a on the side opposite the sealing unit W400 (the side in the direction of arrow L) overlaps the protrusion W221 when viewed from the rear. This makes it difficult to disengage the protrusion W221 from the engagement hole W533.

The box base W300 mainly comprises a front wall W301 formed in a generally horizontally elongated rectangular plate when viewed from the front, plate-shaped walls (upper wall, lower wall, left wall W302 and right wall connecting the upper and lower wall) erected from the four sides of the front wall W301 toward the box cover W200 (arrow B direction), and a base-side engaged portion W310 protruding from the left wall W302 toward the opposite side to the sealing unit W400 (arrow L direction). The box base W300 is formed in a box shape with an open back side by each wall. The box base W300 is made of a light-transmitting resin material and is molded using a resin molding die.

A protective cover W500 is attached to the base-side engaged portion W310 together with the cover-side engaged portion W210. The base-side engaged portion W310 mainly comprises an upper protruding portion W311 that protrudes from the left wall portion W302 toward the opposite side (the direction of the arrow L) from the sealing unit W400, a cover portion W312, and a flat portion W320.

The upper protrusion W311 is disposed at a position corresponding to the upper protrusion W213a of the cover-side engaged portion W210 when viewed from the front (as viewed in the direction of arrow B). In addition, the front surface of the upper protrusion W311 is disposed on approximately the same plane as the front surface of the front wall portion W301.

The cover portion W312 mainly comprises a front wall portion W312a formed in a plate shape, and wall portions (upper wall portion, lower wall portion, and left wall portion W312b connecting the ends of the upper wall portion and lower wall portion on the opposite side (arrow L direction) from the sealing unit W400) formed in a plate shape and extending from the three sides of the front wall portion W312a excluding the side on the sealing unit W400 side (arrow R direction) toward the box cover W200 side (arrow B direction). The upper wall portion, lower wall portion, and left wall portion W312b are formed in a plate shape, and the erected tips of the upper wall portion, lower wall portion, and left wall portion W312b are joined to the flat portion W320.

A pair of protrusions W312c protrude toward the box cover W200 (arrow B direction) at a specified distance in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction) on the back surface of the front wall portion W312a. The pair of protrusions W312c are protrusions for restricting displacement of the protective cover W500 toward the opposite side (arrow L direction) from the sealing unit W400. The pair of protrusions W312c are formed with an inclined portion W312d that inclines toward the box cover W200 (arrow B direction) as it moves from the opposite side (arrow L direction) from the sealing unit W400 toward the sealing unit W400 (arrow R direction).

A pair of through holes W312e are drilled through the left wall portion W312b in the plate thickness direction (arrow L-R direction) at positions corresponding to the pair of protrusions W312c in side view (arrow R direction). The inner shape of the pair of through holes W312e is formed larger than the outer shape of the pair of protrusions W312c, making the pair of protrusions W312c visible in side view.

The flat portion W320 is a portion to which the sealing seal WSL is affixed, and is formed in a plate shape. The flat portion W320 mainly comprises a pair of end wall portions W321 disposed at both ends of the flat portion W320 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction), a pair of fastening holes W322 drilled through the flat portion W320 in the plate thickness direction (arrow F-B direction), a pair of suppression portions W323 protruding from the flat portion W320 toward the opposite side to the box cover W200 (arrow F direction), and a protruding portion W324 protruding from the flat portion W320 toward the box cover W200 side (arrow B direction).

The pair of end wall portions W321 are formed in a plate shape and are disposed on the flat portion W320 with the plate thickness direction of the pair of end wall portions W321 aligned in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction). The ends of the pair of end wall portions W321 on the opposite side to the box cover W200 (arrow F direction side) are formed to protrude beyond the front surface of the flat portion W320. In addition, the ends of the pair of end wall portions W321 on the opposite side to the sealing unit W400 (arrow L direction side) are formed to protrude beyond the end of the flat portion W320 on the opposite side to the sealing unit W400.

The pair of fastening holes W322 are holes into which screws (not shown) are fastened that pass through a pair of fastening holes W225 drilled in the box cover W200, and the pair of fastening holes W322 are provided with internal threads on their inner peripheries. This fastens the box cover W200 and the box base W300 together.

The pair of suppression portions W323 are portions for preventing the protective cover W500 and the sealing seal WSL from coming into contact with each other. The protruding length of the pair of suppression portions W323 is longer than the thickness dimension of the sealing seal WSL. In the vertical direction (the direction of the arrows U-D), the pair of suppression portions W323 are disposed at positions corresponding to the pair of insertion holes W312e.

The protrusion W324 is disposed at the end of the flat portion W320 on the opposite side (arrow L direction) from the sealing unit W400, and a notch W325 is formed at the protruding tip of the protrusion W324 (see FIG. 76). The protrusion length of the protrusion W324 toward the box cover W200 side (arrow B direction) is formed to be the same as the protrusion length of the pair of end wall portions W223 from the front of the flat portion W220. This makes it possible to prevent gaps from being formed between the pair of end wall portions W321 and the pair of end wall portions W223 when the protrusion W324 and the flat portion W220 are in contact. This makes it possible to prevent unauthorized insertion of wire inside the box cover W200 and the box base W300.

The notch W325, together with the notch W226 of the box cover W200, is a portion for forming a space on the attachment surface side (arrow R direction side) of the sealing seal WSL. The notch W325 is formed continuously from the upper end to the lower end of the flat portion W320 (protruding portion W324) and is disposed opposite the notch W226 in the front-to-rear direction (arrow F-B direction). The notch W325 is also formed so as to incline toward the opposite side to the notch W226 (arrow F direction side) as it moves from the left wall portion W302 side (arrow R direction side) toward the opposite side to the sealing unit W400 (arrow L direction side).

The protective cover W500 is intended to shield the sealing seal WSL attached to the box cover W200 and the box base W300, and mainly comprises a rear wall W510 formed in a generally vertically elongated rectangular plate when viewed from the front, a front wall W520 formed in a generally vertically elongated rectangular plate when viewed from the front and facing the rear wall W510 at a predetermined distance toward the front side (arrow F direction), walls (upper wall W501, lower wall W502, and left wall W502) connecting three sides of the rear wall W510 and the front wall W520 excluding the right side (arrow R direction), engagement parts W530a, W530b connected to the rear wall W510 and the front wall W520 and formed in a plate, and an erect part W540 formed in an erect plate from the lower wall W501 downward (arrow D direction).

The protective cover W500 is formed into a box shape with each wall portion opening to the right (the direction of the arrow R). The protective cover W500 is made of a light-transmitting resin material and is molded using a resin molding die.

The length of the rear wall portion W510 and the front wall portion W520 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) is longer than the length of the flat portion W220 and the flat portion W320. The distance between the opposing rear wall portion W510 and the front wall portion W520 is approximately the same as or slightly larger than the distance from the back of the end wall portions W223 of the box cover W200 to the front of the end wall portions W321 of the box base W300. The distance between the opposing upper wall portion and lower wall portion W501 of the protective cover W500 is greater than the distance between the surfaces opposite the opposing surfaces of the pair of end wall portions W223 (end wall portions W321).

This allows the cover-side engaged portion W210 and the base-side engaged portion W310 to be arranged inside the protective cover W500, and restricts displacement of the protective cover W500 in the front-to-rear direction (arrow F-B direction) when the protective cover W500 is attached to the box cover W200 and box base W300.

The rear wall W510 is formed intermittently in the up-down direction (arrows U-D direction), and in this embodiment, is not formed at one location. The rear wall W510 is the side that is not formed in the up-down direction, and mainly comprises a rib portion W511 that stands from an edge portion extending in the left-right direction (arrows L-R direction) toward the front wall W520 side (arrow F direction side), and a connecting portion W512 that connects the tips of the rib portions W511 together.

The back surface of the rear wall portion W510 is disposed slightly further forward (in the direction of arrow F) than the back surface of the side wall portion W212 of the box cover W200. This allows the back surface of the rear wall portion W510 to be disposed rearward (in the direction of arrow B) than the back surface of the side wall portion W212, preventing the formation of a step between the rear wall portion W510 and the side wall portion W212 in a state in which the rear wall portion W510 protrudes rearward beyond the side wall portion W212. As a result, it is possible to prevent unauthorized removal of the protective cover W500 from the box cover W200 and the box base W300 by using this step.

The rib portion W511 and the connecting portion W512 are portions for supporting the engaging portion W530a. The rib portion W511 is erected from an edge portion extending in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) of the rear wall portion W510, thereby preventing a wire that is improperly inserted through the gap between the rear wall portion W510 and the engaging portion W530b from releasing the adhesion between the flat portion W220 and the sealing seal WSL.

The erected length of the rib portion W511 is formed shorter than the protruding length of the end wall portions W223 toward the rear side (the direction of arrow B) from the flat portion W220 of the box cover W200. This prevents the rib portion W511 from contacting the sealing seal WSL and damaging the sealing seal WSL when the protective cover W500 is attached to the box cover W200 and the box base W300.

The connecting portion W512 is disposed to connect the rib portions W511 on the left side (the side indicated by the arrow L), and the length of the connecting portion W512 in the left-right direction (the direction indicated by the arrows L-R) is shorter than the length of the rear wall portion W510.

The front wall W520 is formed intermittently in the up-down direction (arrows U-D direction), and in this embodiment, is left unformed at two locations. Note that the position where the unformed portion is formed in the rear wall W510 in the up-down direction is different from the position where the unformed portion is formed in the front wall W520. The front wall W520 is the side that is left unformed in the up-down direction, and mainly comprises a rib portion W521 that stands from an edge portion extending in the left-right direction (arrows L-R direction) toward the rear wall W510 side (arrow B direction side), and a connecting portion W522 that connects the tips of the rib portion W521 together.

The front surface of the front wall portion W520 is disposed on approximately the same plane as or slightly toward the rear side (arrow B direction side) of the front surface of the upper overhang portion W311 of the box base W300. This allows the front surface of the front wall portion W520 to be disposed closer to the front side (arrow F direction side) than the front surface of the upper overhang portion W311, preventing the front wall portion W520 from protruding further forward than the upper overhang portion W311 and preventing a step from being formed between the front wall portion W520 and the upper overhang portion W311. As a result, it is possible to prevent unauthorized removal of the protective cover W500 from the box cover W200 and the box base W300 by using such a step.

The rib portion W521 and the connecting portion W522 are portions for supporting the engaging portion W530b. The rib portion W521 is erected from an edge portion extending in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) of the front wall portion W520, thereby preventing a wire that is improperly inserted through the gap between the front wall portion W520 and the engaging portion W530a from releasing the adhesion between the flat portion W320 and the sealing seal WSL.

The erected length of the rib portion W521 is formed shorter than the protruding length of both end wall portions W321 toward the front side (arrow F direction side) relative to the flat portion W320 of the box base W300. This prevents the rib portion W521 from contacting the sealing seal WSL and damaging the sealing seal WSL when the protective cover W500 is attached to the box cover W200 and the box base W300.

The connecting portion W522 is disposed to connect the rib portions W521 on the left side (the side indicated by the arrow L), and the length of the connecting portion W522 in the left-right direction (the direction indicated by the arrows L-R) is shorter than the length of the front wall portion W520.

The engagement parts W530a and W530b are parts for engaging the protective cover W500 with the box cover W200 and the box base W300. In this embodiment, one engagement part W530a is provided on the rear wall part W510 side of the protective cover W500, and a pair (two) engagement parts W530b are provided on the front wall part W520 side at a predetermined distance in the vertical direction (arrows U-D direction).

The engaging portion W530a is disposed between a pair of engaging portions W530b in the vertical direction (the direction of the arrows U-D). This makes it possible to disperse the engagement positions of the box cover W200 and the box base W300 with the protective cover W500 in the vertical direction, making it difficult to improperly remove the protective cover W500 from the box cover W200 and the box base W300.

It mainly comprises multiple (three in this embodiment) connecting pieces W531 formed at the ends of the engagement parts W530a, W530b on the left side (arrow L direction side), an inclined portion W532 formed at the ends of the engagement parts W530a, W530b on the opposite side (arrow R direction side) from the connecting pieces W531, and an engagement hole W533 drilled between the inclined portion W532 and the connecting pieces W531.

The engaging portions W530a, W530b are connected to the rear wall portion W510 (rib portion W511) or the front wall portion W520 (rib portion W521) via the connecting piece W531. As a result, the engaging portions W530a, W530b are disposed between the rear wall portion W510 and the front wall portion W520 rather than the rear wall portion W510 or the front wall portion W520. As a result, when the protective cover W500 is attached (engaged) to the box cover W200 and the box base W300, the distance between the engaging portion W530a (engaging portion W530b) and the sealing seal WSL can be made smaller than when the engaging portion W530a (engaging portion W530b) is disposed on approximately the same plane as the rear wall portion W510 (front wall portion W520).

The right end (arrow R direction side) of the engagement parts W530a, W530b is formed to protrude further to the right than the right end of the front wall part W520 and the rear wall part W510. Although the inclined part W532 and the engagement hole W533 formed in the engagement part W530a have different shapes from the inclined part W532 and the engagement hole W533 formed in the engagement part W530b, in this embodiment, they are described using the same reference numerals.

Of the connecting pieces W531, the connecting piece W531 that protrudes leftward from the end on the left side (arrow L direction) of the engaging parts W530a, W530b is defined as connecting piece W531a, and the pair of connecting pieces W531 that protrude in the vertical direction from both ends in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction) on the left side of the engaging parts W530a, W530b are defined as connecting piece W531b. The connecting piece W531a is supported by the connecting parts W512, W522 of the rear wall part W510 or the front wall part W520, and the pair of connecting pieces W531b are joined to the rib parts W511, W521 of the rear wall part W510 or the front wall part W520.

The connecting pieces W531a, W531b are formed into a substantially rectangular plate shape when viewed from the back. The thickness dimension of the connecting pieces W531a, W531b in the plate thickness direction (arrow F-B direction) is formed to be substantially the same as that of the engaging parts W530a, W530b, and the front and back faces of the connecting pieces W531a, W531b are disposed on substantially the same plane as the front and back faces of the engaging parts W530a, W530b, respectively. In other words, no step is formed between the connecting pieces W531a, W531b and the engaging parts W530a, W530b. This makes it possible to prevent stress concentration between the connecting pieces W531a, W531b and the engaging parts W530a, W530b, and ensures the strength of the connecting pieces W531a, W531b, compared to when a step is formed between the connecting pieces W531a, W531b and the engaging parts W530a, W530b.

A pair of surfaces (hereinafter defined as "side surfaces of connecting pieces W531a, W531b") connecting the surface of connecting pieces W531a, W531b facing the sealing seal WSL and the surface opposite the surface facing the sealing seal WSL are formed perpendicular to the surface of connecting pieces W531a, W531b facing the sealing seal WSL and the surface opposite the surface facing the sealing seal WSL. Note that the front and back surfaces of connecting pieces W531a, W531b are surfaces formed parallel to the sealing seal WSL when protective cover W500 is attached (engaged) to box cover W200 and box base W300, and the pair of side surfaces of connecting pieces W531a, W531b are surfaces formed perpendicular to the sealing seal WSL.

Here, the distance between the connecting piece W531b and the tip of the engaging portion W530b is formed to be greater than the distance between the connecting piece W531b and the tip of the engaging portion W530a. Also, as described above, the thickness dimension of the engaging portion W530b in the plate thickness direction (arrow F-B direction) is formed to be smaller than the thickness dimension of the engaging portion W530a. As a result, the engaging portion W530b is formed to be more easily elastically deformed than the engaging portion W530a.

The inclined portion W532 is a portion that facilitates elastic deformation of the engagement portions W530a and W530b, and is formed so as to incline toward the front side (arrow F direction) as it moves from the right side (arrow R direction) to the left side (arrow L direction).

The engagement hole W533 is a portion for surrounding the protrusion W221 of the box cover W200 or the protrusion W312c of the box base W300. The inner peripheral surface of the engagement hole W533 abuts against the right side (arrow R direction) surfaces of the protrusions W221, W312c, restricting displacement of the protective cover W500 to the left side (arrow L direction).

The erected portion W540 is a portion for preventing the protective cover W500 from being attached to the box cover W200 and the box base W300 with the front wall portion W520 and the rear wall portion W510 in the opposite position (the rear wall portion W510 facing the front side of the front wall portion W520).

The erected portion W540 protrudes from the lower wall portion W501 in the direction opposite to the upper wall portion (the direction of the arrow D), and the protruding length of the erected portion W540 is formed to be greater than the distance between the upper end wall portions W223, W321 arranged on the upper side (the direction of the arrow U) and the upper protruding portion W213a.

The erected portion W540 is disposed on the rear side (the side in the direction of arrow B) of the lower protrusion W213b. This prevents the erected portion W540 from coming into contact with the lower protrusion W213b when the protective cover W500 is displaced to the right (the side in the direction of arrow R), and the protective cover W500 is attached to the box cover W200 and the box base W300.

On the other hand, when the protective cover W500 is displaced to the right (arrow R direction) with the front wall W520 and the rear wall W510 in the opposite position (the rear wall W510 facing the front side of the front wall W520), the erected portion W540 and the upper protruding portion W311 come into contact with each other, restricting the displacement of the protective cover W500 to the right. This prevents the protective cover W500 from being displaced to the right and the engagement portion W530a from coming into contact with the left wall W312b of the box base W300, or the engagement portion W530b from coming into contact with the side wall W212 of the box cover W200. As a result, the engagement portions W530a and W530b can be prevented from being damaged. The erected portion W540 may not be formed.

The sealing seal WSL is formed in a sheet shape to prevent the box cover W200 and the box base W300 from being opened. The sealing seal WSL is folded into a roughly U-shape when viewed from above, and is attached across the flat portion W220, the flat portion W320, and the protruding portion W324. The sealing seal WSL mainly comprises an adhesive sheet with adhesive applied to its back side, and a display sheet with identification information printed on its front side, and is formed by attaching the front surface of the adhesive sheet to the back surface of the display sheet.

The dimension of the sealing seal WSL in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction) is formed to be slightly smaller than the distance between the pair of opposing end wall portions W223, W321. By attaching the sealing seal WSL to the flat portion W220, the flat portion W320 and the protruding portion W324, the cutout portions W226, W325 are shielded by the sealing seal WSL except for the pair of end wall portions W223, W321. This makes it difficult to see the cutout portions W226, W325, and makes it difficult for a tamperer to easily cut the sealing seal WSL using the cutout portions W226, W325.

The back surface of the adhesive sheet is the portion that is attached to the planar portion W220 of the box cover W200 and the planar portion W320 of the box base W300, and the adhesive force between the adhesive sheet and the planar portion W220 and the planar portion W320 is stronger than the adhesive force between the adhesive sheet and the display sheet. As a result, when attempting to peel off the sealing seal WSL from the planar portion W220 and the planar portion W320, the adhesion between the adhesive sheet and the display sheet is released, the display sheet is separated from the adhesive sheet, and the adhesion between the adhesive sheet and the planar portion W220 and the planar portion W320 is maintained. As a result, it is easier to prevent the box cover W200 and the box base W300 from being opened.

Identification information such as a number of numbers, the name of the pachinko machine W10 (model name), the manufacturer name, or circuit board information is written on the surface of the display sheet (not shown). The identification information is written in a position where it is affixed to the flat portion W220. This allows the identification information to be viewed by opening the inner frame 12 (see FIG. 1). As a result, compared to when the identification information is written in a position where it is affixed to the flat portion W320, it is not necessary to rotate the circuit board box W100 relative to the inner frame 12 to view the identification information.

In addition, the surface of the display sheet is coated with a pattern of special ink that becomes visible when irradiated with light of a specific wavelength, such as ultraviolet light.

The outer peripheral edge of the sealing seal WSL is formed in a sawtooth shape. This makes it easier to cause stress concentration in the sawtooth recesses when peeling the sealing seal WSL from the flat surface portions W220 and W320, making it easier to break the sealing seal WSL. As a result, it becomes easier to maintain at least a portion of the sealing seal WSL attached to the flat surface portions W220 and W320, making it easier to prevent the box cover W200 and box base W300 from being opened.

The sealing seal WSL may be equipped with an IC chip. By receiving the ID information stored in the IC chip with a scanner, it is possible to check whether the board box W100 has been illegally replaced. This also makes it more difficult for those attempting fraud to illegally obtain or counterfeit the sealing seal WSL.

Next, the attachment of the protective cover W500 to the box cover W200 and the box base W300 will be described with reference to Figures 73 and 74. Figures 73(a) and 73(b) are partial front views of the board box W100, and Figures 73(c) and 73(d) are partial rear views of the board box W100. Figure 74(a) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box W100 taken along line LXXIVa-LXXIVa in Figure 73(b), and Figure 74(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box W100 taken along line LXXIVb-LXXIVb in Figure 73(b).

73(a) and 73(c) show the state before the protective cover W500 is attached to the box cover W200 and the box base W300, and 73(b) and 73(d) show the state after the protective cover W500 is attached to the box cover W200 and the box base W300. In addition, in 73(a) and 73(b), the protrusion W312c is shown by a dashed line, and in 73(c) and 73(d), the recesses W224a, W224b are shown by a dashed line. In addition, the engagement between the pair of engagement portions W530b and the pair of protrusions Ws328 is the same on one side (upper side) and the other side (lower side), so a cross-sectional view of one side is shown and explained, and an explanation of the other side is omitted.

As shown in Figures 73(a) and 73(c), in the vertical direction (direction of arrows U-D), the protective cover W500 is displaced to the right (direction of arrow R) from a state in which the positions of the engagement holes W533 of the engagement parts W530a and W530b are aligned with the positions of the protrusions W221 of the box cover W200 and the protrusions W312c of the box base W300 (see Figure 72).

By displacing the protective cover W500 to the right (arrow R direction), the inclined portion W532 of the engaging portion W530a comes into contact with the inclined portion W221a of the protrusion W221, and the inclined portion W532 of the engaging portion W530b comes into contact with the inclined portion W312d of the protrusion W312c (see FIG. 72). By displacing the protective cover W500 to the right (arrow R direction) from a state in which the inclined portions W532 of the engaging portions W530a, W530b come into contact with the inclined portions W221a of the protrusion W221 and the inclined portion W312d of the protrusion W312c, the engaging portions W530a, W530b are elastically deformed toward the back side (arrow B direction).

By elastically deforming the engaging portions W530a and W530b toward the rear side (arrow B direction), the protective cover W500 can be easily rotated toward the rear side. This makes it possible to reduce the amount of elastic deformation of the engaging portions W530a and W530b compared to when the engaging portion W530a is elastically deformed toward the rear side (front side) and the engaging portion W530b is elastically deformed toward the front side (rear side). As a result, damage to the engaging portions W530a and W530b can be easily suppressed.

By displacing the protective cover W500 to the right (arrow R) from the state in which the engaging portions W530a and W530b are elastically deformed toward the rear side (arrow B direction), as shown in Figures 73(b), 73(d) and 74, the protrusion W221 is disposed inside the engaging hole W533 of the engaging portion W530a (the engaging portion W530a and the protrusion W221 are engaged), and a pair of protrusions W312c is disposed inside the engaging hole W533 of the pair of engaging portions W530b (the pair of engaging portions W530b and the pair of protrusions W312c are engaged). This releases the elastic deformation of the engaging portions W530a and W530b.

Hereinafter, the state in which the protrusion W312c is disposed inside the engagement hole W533 of the engagement part W530a and the protrusion W221 is disposed inside the engagement hole W533 of the engagement part W530b is defined as the restricted state. Note that since the manner of engagement between the pair of engagement parts W530b and the pair of protrusions W312c is the same on one side (upper side) and the other side (lower side), only the cross section on one side is illustrated and the cross section on the other side is omitted in the description.

The distance between the opposing rear wall W510 and front wall W520 is formed to be approximately the same as or slightly larger than the distance from the rear of both end wall W223 of the box cover W200 to the front of both end wall W321 of the box base W300, so that in the restricted state, the displacement of the protective cover W500 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction) is restricted. This prevents the engagement between the engagement portion W530a (engagement portion W530b) and the protrusion W221 (protrusion W312c) from being released.

In addition, in the restricted state, the surface of the protrusion W221 opposite the inclined portion W221a (the side in the direction of arrow R) abuts against the inner surface of the engagement hole W533 of the engagement portion W530a, and the surface of the protrusion W312c opposite the inclined portion W312d (the side in the direction of arrow R) abuts against the inner peripheral surface of the engagement hole W533 of the engagement portion W530b, thereby restricting displacement of the protective cover W500 to the left side (the side in the direction of arrow L). This prevents the sealing seal WSL affixed to the box cover W200 and the box base W300 from being exposed.

In addition, in the restricted state, the connecting pieces W531a and W531b are disposed in a position where they overlap the recesses W224a and W224b when viewed from the rear. In detail, the connecting piece W531a is disposed in a position that is approximately the center of the recess W224a in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction), and the connecting piece W531b is disposed in a position that is approximately the center of the recess W224b in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction).

In addition, in the restricted state, the right end (arrow R direction side) of the rear wall portion W510 and the right end of the front wall portion W520 abut against the side wall portion W212 of the box cover W200 and the left wall portion W302 of the box base W300. In addition, the right end of the engagement portion W530a abuts against the side wall portion W212. This restricts the displacement of the protective cover W500 to the right. Note that at least one of the right end of the rear wall portion W510, the right end of the engagement portion W530a, and the right end of the front wall portion W520 may abut against the side wall portion W212 of the box cover W200 or the left wall portion W302 of the box base W300.

Due to factors such as the machining accuracy (dimensional tolerance) of the protective cover W500, a gap may be formed between the right end of the rear wall W510 and the side wall W212 of the box cover W200, and this gap may be used to illegally insert a wire into the inside of the protective cover W500. This may result in the illegal release of the adhesion between the flat portion W220 and the sealing seal WSL.

In response to this, by providing a pair of erected portions W222 on the flat portion W220, even if a wire is improperly inserted inside the protective cover W500, the improperly inserted wire can be brought into contact with the pair of erected portions W222. This makes it possible to prevent the adhesion between the flat portion W220 and the sealing seal WSL from being improperly released.

In addition, since the front faces of the pair of end wall portions W223 are disposed on approximately the same plane as the protruding surface of the erect portion W222, when the front faces of the pair of end wall portions W223 (the protruding surfaces of the erect portion W222) are in contact with the inner surface of the rear wall portion W510, it is possible to prevent a gap from being formed between the protruding surface of the erect portion W222 (the front faces of the pair of end wall portions W223) and the inner surface of the rear wall portion W510. This makes it possible to prevent a wire from being illegally inserted through such a gap, which would cause the adhesion between the flat portion W220 and the sealing seal WSL to be released.

Next, with reference to Figures 75 to 77, the removal of the protective cover W500 from the box cover W200 and the box base W300 will be described. Figure 75(a) is a partial front view of the board box W100, and Figure 75(b) is a partial rear view of the board box W100. Figure 76 is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box W100 taken along line LXXVI-LXXVI in Figure 75(b). Figure 77(a) is a partial front view of the board box W100, and Figure 77(b) is a partial rear view of the board box W100.

Note that Figures 75(a) and 75(b) show the state in which the engagement portions W530a and W530b have been cut off from the protective cover W500. Figures 77(a) and 77(b) show the state in which the protective cover W500 has been removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W300, and the engagement portions W530a and W530b cut off from the protective cover W500 are shown by two-dot chain lines.

In addition, FIG. 76 illustrates one of the pair of connecting pieces W531b of the engaging portion W530a, and the cutting of one of the pair of connecting pieces W531b will be described, but the cutting manner of the other of the pair of connecting pieces W531b and connecting piece W531a is the same as that of one of the pair of connecting pieces W531b, so a description of the cutting of the other of the pair of connecting pieces W531b and connecting piece W531a will be omitted. In addition, the cutting of the connecting pieces W531a, W531b of the engaging portion W530b is the same as that of the engaging portion W530a, so a description of the cutting of the connecting pieces W531a, W531b of the engaging portion W530b will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 75, the connecting pieces W531a, W531b of the engaging portions W530a, W530b are cut by a cutting tool (not shown), thereby separating the engaging portions W530a, W530b from the protective cover W500 (the rear wall portion W510 and the front wall portion W520). Examples of cutting tools include nippers, scissors, a utility knife, or a knife.

For example, when the cutting tool is made up of nippers or scissors and the connecting pieces W531a, W531b are sandwiched between a pair of blades to cut the connecting pieces W531a, W531b, the pair of blades come into contact with a pair of side surfaces of the connecting pieces W531a, W531b, respectively, and the pair of blades are displaced toward the opposing sides of the pair of side surfaces to cut the connecting pieces W531a, W531b.

For example, when the cutting tool is composed of a cutter knife or a knife and a single blade is used to cut the connecting pieces W531a and W531b, the blade is brought into contact with one of a pair of sides of the connecting pieces W531a and W531b, and the blade is displaced toward the other side of the pair, thereby cutting the connecting pieces W531a and W531b.

As described above, in rear view, the connecting piece W531b of the protective cover W500 is disposed at a position overlapping the recess W224b (see FIG. 73). That is, as shown in FIG. 76, the recess W224b is recessed toward the opposite side (arrow F direction) of the sealing seal WSL, facing the connecting piece W531b of the engaging portion W530b via the sealing seal WSL. This allows a space to be formed between the sealing seal WSL and the recess W224b, and when the tip of a cutting tool (not shown) is inserted between the rear wall portion W510 and the engaging portion W530a to cut the connecting piece W531b, the tip of the cutting tool can be received in the recess W224b. As a result, the sealing seal WSL can be easily damaged by the tip of the cutting tool.

In other words, when the connecting piece W531b is cut, a trace (damage) can be formed on the sealing seal WSL. This makes it possible to confirm the condition of the sealing seal WSL (whether the sealing seal WSL is new or reused) based on the presence or absence of the trace on the sealing seal WSL. Furthermore, the formation of the trace on the sealing seal WSL can prevent the sealing seal WSL from being reused.

The connecting piece W531b is disposed at a position that is approximately the center of the recess W224b in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction). The connecting piece W531b is disposed at a position that overlaps with the recess W224b in rear view (see FIG. 73). Therefore, when the tip of a cutting tool (not shown) is disposed on the side of the connecting piece W531b to cut the connecting piece W531b, the tip of the cutting tool can be easily received into the recess W224b. As a result, the sealing seal WSL can be easily damaged by the cutting action of the connecting piece W531b, and the traces (damage) of the sealing seal WSL can be easily recognized by the worker (store clerk).

In addition, because the engagement portion W530a (connecting piece W531b) is connected to the rib portion W511, the opposing distance between the connecting piece W531b and the sealing seal WSL (flat surface portion W220) is smaller than the opposing distance between the rear wall portion W510 and the sealing seal WSL (flat surface portion W220). This allows the tip of the cutting tool to be brought closer to the sealing seal WSL, making it easier to receive into the recess W224b. As a result, it becomes easier to damage the sealing seal WSL.

As described above, the connecting piece W531a of the protective cover W500 is disposed in a position overlapping the recess W224a when viewed from the rear (see FIG. 73). As a result, when the tip of a cutting tool (not shown) is inserted between the rear wall portion W510 and the engaging portion W530a to cut the connecting piece W531a, similar to cutting the connecting piece W531b, the sealing seal WSL can be easily damaged by the tip of the cutting tool.

The connecting piece W531a protrudes from the engaging portions W530a, W530b to the left (arrow L direction), and the connecting piece W531b protrudes from the engaging portions W530a, W530b in the vertical direction. This makes it necessary to change the orientation of the cutting tool (not shown) when cutting the connecting piece W531a and when cutting the connecting piece W531b. As a result, the time it takes a fraudster to cut the connecting pieces W531a, W531b can be extended, which helps to discourage fraudulent behavior.

As shown in FIG. 77, when the engagement portions W530a and W530b are cut off from the protective cover W500, the restricted state is released and the protective cover W500 can be displaced to the left (in the direction of arrow L).

In this way, by making it easier for the sealing seal WSL to be damaged by the tip of a cutting tool (not shown) when cutting the connecting pieces W531a, W531b, even if, for example, the connecting pieces W531a, W531b are fraudulently cut (the engaging portions W530a, W530b are separated) and the protective cover W500 is removed, and the protective cover W500 is still attached with the engaging portions W530a, W530b joined with adhesive, the traces (damage) on the sealing seal WSL make it easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize that the connecting piece W531b has been cut, i.e., that there is a risk that a fraudulent person has performed fraudulent operations on the main control board (not shown).

Even if a fraudulent person possesses a protective cover W500 with the connecting pieces W531a, W531b still intact, and replaces the protective cover W500 with the connecting pieces W531a, W531b still intact with a new protective cover W500 with the connecting pieces W531a, W531b still intact, traces (damage) on the sealing seal WSL can easily make the worker (store clerk) aware that fraudulent operation may have occurred.

In addition, even if a fraudster fraudulently removes the sealing seal WSL from the flat portion W220 (flat portion W320) and performs fraudulent operations on the main control board (not shown), and then reattaches the removed sealing seal WSL to the flat portion W220 (flat portion W320), thereby making it difficult for the worker (store clerk) to recognize that the sealing seal WSL has been removed, the traces (damage) on the sealing seal WSL can make the worker (store clerk) more aware of the risk of fraudulent operations on the main control board by the fraudster.

Compared to the protective cover W500, it is difficult for a fraudulent person to obtain the sealing seal WSL fraudulently or to counterfeit the sealing seal WSL. Therefore, as in this embodiment, when the protective cover W500 is fraudulently removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W300, it is particularly effective to make the sealing seal WSL easily damaged (easily leave traces) so that the worker (store clerk) is easily made aware of the risk of fraudulent operation on the main control board (not shown).

In addition, since the board box W100 is disposed (axially supported) on the rear side (arrow B direction side) of the inner frame 12 (see FIG. 1), and the recesses W224a, W224b are formed in the box cover W200 that constitutes the rear side of the board box W100, when the inner frame 12 is opened and the rear side of the inner frame 12 is visible, the traces (damage) of the sealing seal WSL are visible. This makes it easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize the traces (damage) of the sealing seal WSL, compared to when, for example, the recesses W224a, W224b are recessed in the box base W300 (flat surface portion W320) that constitutes the front side (arrow F direction side) of the board box W100, and the damage to the sealing seal WSL is visible by rotating the board box W100 relative to the inner frame 12.

If there are no traces (damage) on the seal seal WSL, it can be determined that there is a high possibility that the seal seal WSL has not been tampered with. On the other hand, if there are traces (damage) on the seal seal WSL, it can be determined that there is a high possibility that the protective cover W500 was removed from the box cover W200 and box base W300, the seal seal WSL was peeled off, and then the seal seal WSL was reattached. Alternatively, it can be determined that there is a high possibility that tampering was attempted because the protective cover W500 was removed from the box cover W200 and box base W300, and traces (damage) were formed on the seal seal WSL at that time.

Next, the opening of the box cover W200 and the box base W300 will be described. With the protective cover W500 removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W300, the sealing seal WSL is released from the box cover W200 and the box base W300, or the sealing seal WSL is cut at the boundary between the box cover W200 (flat portion W220) and the box base W300 (protruding portion W324). This opens the box cover W200 and the box base W300.

Here, the flat surface portion W220 and the flat surface portion W320 are formed with the notches W226, W325, and the notches W226, W325 are arranged opposite each other in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction), so that when the box cover W200 and the box base W300 are combined, a substantially V-shaped space is formed on the affixed surface side (arrow R direction side) of the sealing seal WSL in a cross-sectional view. This makes it easy to place the tip of a cutting tool in the space formed by the notches W226, W325, and makes it easy to cut the sealing seal WSL (see FIG. 76). In addition, by combining the box cover W200 and the box base W300, a space can be easily formed on the affixed surface side of the sealing seal WSL, and the manufacturing cost of the box base W300 can be reduced compared to when a recess is formed in the protruding portion W324.

In addition, the notch W226 is formed to be inclined toward the opposite side (arrow B direction) of the notch W325 as it moves from the side wall W212 side (arrow R direction) toward the tip side (arrow L direction) of the flat surface W220, and the notch W325 is formed to be inclined toward the opposite side (arrow F direction) of the notch W226 as it moves from the left wall W302 side (arrow R direction) toward the tip side (arrow L direction) of the flat surface W320. As a result, a non-adhered area is formed between the flat surface W220 and the protruding portion W324 and the sealing seal WSL at the boundary between the flat surface W220 and the protruding portion W324 (see FIG. 76). As a result, the engagement between the box cover W200 and the box base W300 can be easily released by cutting the sealing seal WSL.

Next, referring to Figures 78(a) and 78(b), a board box W2100 according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that parts that are the same as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 78(a) is a partial rear view of the board box W2100 in the eighth embodiment, and Figure 78(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box W2100 taken along line LXXVIIIb-LXXVIIIb in Figure 78(a). Note that in Figure 78(a), both end wall portions W223 and both end protrusions W2223a of the box cover W2200 are shown by dashed lines, and Figure 78(b) shows the state in which the engagement portions W2530a, W2530b have been cut off from the protective cover W2500.

As shown in Figures 78(a) and 78(b), in the protective cover W2500 of the board box W2100 in the eighth embodiment, the connecting piece W2531b is connected to the rear wall portion W2510 and the front wall portion W2520.

The connecting piece W2531b includes a hanging portion W2531c extending in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction) from the edge of the rear wall portion W2510 and the front wall portion W2520 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction), and a parallel portion W2531d extending in the up-down direction from the tip of the hanging portion W2531c, and is formed in a generally L-shape in cross section. In addition, the distance between the opposing rear wall portion W2510 and the front wall portion W2520 is larger than that of the rear wall portion W510 and the front wall portion W520 in the seventh embodiment.

The pair of end wall portions W223 of the box cover W2200 have end protrusions W2223a that protrude from the end wall portions W223 toward the rear wall portion W510 (arrow B direction), and the pair of end wall portions W321 of the box base W2300 have end protrusions W2321a that protrude from the end wall portions W321 toward the front wall portion W520 (arrow F direction).

The protruding length of both end protrusions W2223a is approximately equal to or slightly smaller than the distance between the opposing end wall portions W223 and the rear wall portion W510. The length of both end protrusions W2223a in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) is approximately 1/3 of the length of both end wall portions W223, and one end of both end protrusions W2223a on the side wall portion W212 side (arrow R direction side) is disposed in contact with the side wall portion W212.

The protruding length of both end protrusions W2321a is approximately equal to or slightly smaller than the distance between the opposing end wall portions W321 and the front wall portion W520. The length of both end protrusions W2321a in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) is approximately 1/3 of the length of both end wall portions W321, and one end of both end protrusions W2321a on the cover portion W312 side (arrow R direction side) is disposed in contact with the left wall portion W312b (see FIG. 72).

As a result, in the restricted state, the protruding portions W2223a (protruding portions W2321a) at both ends and the rear wall portion W510 (front wall portion W520) come into contact with each other, restricting the displacement of the protective cover W2500 in the front-rear direction (direction of arrows F-B). As a result, the engagement between the engaging portion W530a (engaging portion W530b) and the protrusion W221 (protrusion W312c) is prevented from being released (see FIG. 74).

The protective cover W2500 can be removed from the box cover W2200 and the box base W2300 by cutting the connecting piece W531a and the hanging portion W2531c of the connecting piece W2531b with a cutting tool (not shown) and separating the engaging portions W2530a and W2530b from the protective cover W2500.

When the protective cover W2500 is displaced in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) away from the side wall W212 (left wall W312b) (arrow L direction) beyond both end protrusions W2223a (both end protrusions W2321a), both end protrusions W2223a (both end protrusions W2321a) and the rear wall W510 (front wall W520) are not in contact, and the restriction on displacement of the protective cover W2500 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction) is released.

Here, by forming the hanging portion W2531c on the connecting piece W2531b, the distance between the facing cut portion formed on the hanging portion W2531c and the sealing seal WSL in the front-to-back direction (arrow F-B direction) can be made smaller than when the hanging portion W2531c is not formed on the connecting piece W2531b. This makes it easier to bring the tip of a cutting tool (not shown) or the cut portion of the connecting piece W2531b into contact with the sealing seal WSL, making it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL.

In addition, the cut portion formed in the hanging portion W2531c can be made to face the sealing seal WSL, making it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL by the cut portion formed in the hanging portion W2531c when removing the protective cover W2500 from the box cover W2200 and the box base W2300. This makes it easier for workers (store clerks) to recognize that there is a risk of tampering with the main control board (not shown) by a tampering perpetrator.

Next, referring to FIG. 78(c), a protective cover W3500 according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that parts that are the same as those in the above-described embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 78(c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the protective cover W3500 in the ninth embodiment, and corresponds to the cross-sectional view taken along line LXXVIIIb-LXXVIIIb in Figure 78(a).

As shown in FIG. 78(c), in the protective cover W3500 of the ninth embodiment, the rear wall portion W3510 (front wall portion W3520) and the engagement portion W3530a (engagement portion W3530b) are formed on approximately the same plane, and the rear wall portion W3510 (front wall portion W3520) and the engagement portion W3530a (engagement portion W3530b) are connected via a connecting piece W3531b.

The connecting piece W3531b has engaging portions W3530a, W3530b in the up-down direction (direction of the arrows U-D), a pair of hanging portions W3531c extending from the edges of the rear wall portion W3510 and the front wall portion W3520 toward the opposing sides of the rear wall portion W3510 and the front wall portion W3520, and a parallel portion W3531d connecting the tips of the pair of hanging portions W3531c, and is formed in a roughly U-shape in cross section.

The protective cover W3500 can be removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W300 (see FIG. 78(b)) by cutting the parallel portion W3531d of the connecting piece W3531b with a cutting tool (not shown) and separating the engaging portions W3530a and W3530b from the protective cover W3500.

By forming the rear wall portion W3510 (front wall portion W3520) and the engagement portion W3530a (engagement portion W3530b) on approximately the same plane, it is possible to prevent a step from being formed between the rear wall portion W3510 (front wall portion W3520) and the engagement portion W3530a (engagement portion W3530b). This makes it difficult to catch fingers on the protective cover W3500, making it easier to prevent unauthorized removal of the protective cover W500 from the box cover W200 and the box base W300.

By forming a pair of hanging parts W3531c, the opposing distance between the connecting piece W3531b and the sealing seal WSL is smaller than the opposing distance between the rear wall part W3510 (front wall part W3520) and the sealing seal WSL (see FIG. 78 (b)). This allows the tip of the cutting tool to be brought closer to the sealing seal WSL, making it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL. As a result, it is easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize that there is a risk of tampering with the main control board (not shown) by a tampering perpetrator.

Next, referring to FIG. 79, a board box W4100 according to a tenth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that parts that are the same as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 79(a) is a partial rear view of the board box W4100 in the tenth embodiment, Figure 79(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box W4100 taken along line LXXIXb-LXXIXb in Figure 79(a), Figure 79(c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box W4100 taken along line LXXIXc-LXXIXc in Figure 79(a), and Figure 79(d) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box W4100 taken along line LXXIXd-LXXIXd in Figure 79(a).

As shown in FIG. 79, the protective cover W4500 of the board box W4100 in the tenth embodiment has a protrusion W4534. The protrusion W4534 is formed in a pyramidal shape at the protruding tip of the engagement parts W4530a, W4530b, protruding from the engagement parts W4530a, W4530b toward the opposing sides of the rear wall part W510 and the front wall part W520.

In addition, by forming the protrusions W4534 on the engagement portions W4530a and W4530b, the flat surface portion W4220 (flat surface portion W4320) is formed on the front side (rear side) by the amount of protrusion of the protrusions W4534. This makes it possible to prevent the protrusions W4534 from coming into contact with the sealing seal WSL when attaching the protective cover W4500 to the box cover W4200 and the box base W4300, thereby preventing damage to the sealing seal WSL.

In addition, since the protrusion W4534 is disposed at the protruding tip of the engagement portions W4530a and W4530b, in the restricted state, the protrusion W4534 is disposed closer to the side wall portion W212 (the cover portion W312) than the sealing seal WSL.

In order to illegally remove the protective cover W4500 from the box cover W4200 and the box base W4300, it is conceivable that the engagement portions W4530a, W4530b may not be cut, but may be elastically deformed to release the engagement between the engagement portion W4530a (engagement portion W4530b) and the protrusion W221 of the planar portion W4220 (protrusion W312c of the planar portion W4320).

In this embodiment, the protrusions W4534 are formed to protrude from the engagement portions W4530a, W4530b toward the opposing sides of the rear wall portion W510 and the front wall portion W520, making it easier to bring the protrusions W4534 and the sealing seal WSL into contact when removing the protective cover W4500 from the box cover W4200 and the box base W4300. In addition, because the protrusions W4534 are formed in a quadrangular pyramid shape, the sealing seal WSL can be easily damaged by the protrusions W4534 and the sealing seal WSL coming into contact with each other.

In addition, since the protrusion W4534 is disposed closer to the side wall portion W212 (to the cover portion W312) than the sealing seal WSL, when removing the protective cover W4500 from the box cover W4200 and the box base W4300, the protrusion W4534 can be brought into contact with the side surface connecting the affixed surface of the sealing seal WSL and the surface opposite the affixed surface.

This makes it easier to damage the seal seal WSL compared to when the protrusions W4534 come into contact with the surface of the seal seal WSL and the protective cover W4500 is removed from the box cover W4200 and box base W4300 while the protrusions W4534 slide along the surface of the seal seal WSL (without damaging the seal seal WSL).

A pair of protrusions W4534 are formed at both ends of the engagement parts W4530a, W4530b in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction). If the sealing seal WSL is damaged by the pair of protrusions W4534, the damage to the sealing seal WSL can be easily seen from the gap between the engagement part W4530a (engagement part W4530b) and the rear wall part W510 (front wall part W520).

This makes it easier for workers (store clerks) to recognize that a fraudulent individual may have performed tampering on the main control board (not shown).

In addition, by utilizing the protrusion W4534, the box cover W4200 and the box base W4300 can be easily opened (the sealing seal WSL can be cut). In more detail, by separating the engagement portion W4530a (engagement portion W4530b) from the protective cover W4500 and arranging the protrusion W4534 in the space formed by the cutout portions W226 and W325, the sealing seal WSL can be easily cut.

This eliminates the need to carry a cutting tool (not shown). In addition, the engagement portion W4530a (engagement portion W4530b) is formed small relative to the protective cover W4500, so interference with the pair of end wall portions W223 and the pair of end wall portions W321 can be suppressed, making it easy to cut the sealing seal WSL. As a result, the sealing seal WSL can be cut in an optimal manner.

Next, with reference to Fig. 80(a) to Fig. 80(c), the board box W5100 in the eleventh embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted. Also, in Fig. 80(a) to Fig. 80(c), the engagement hole W533 is shown by a dashed line. Also, in the description of Fig. 80(a) to Fig. 80(c), Fig. 73(c) will be referred to as appropriate.

80(a) to 80(c) are partial cross-sectional views of the board box W5100 in the eleventh embodiment, and correspond to the cross-sectional view taken along line LXXXa-LXXXa in FIG. 73(b). FIG. 80(a) illustrates a state in which the engaging portion W5530b is elastically deformed in order to attach the protective cover W5500 to the box cover W200 and the box base W5300, FIG. 80(b) illustrates a state in which the engaging portion W5530b is elastically deformed in order to illegally remove the protective cover W5500 from the box cover W200 and the box base W5300, and the engagement between the protrusion W312c and the engaging hole W533 is released, and FIG. 80(c) illustrates a state in which the protective cover W5500 is displaced to the left (in the direction of the arrow L) from the state in FIG. 80(b).

As shown in Figures 80(a) to 80(c), the box base W5300 of the board box W5100 in the 11th embodiment has a recess W5326, and the protective cover W5500 has a protrusion W5534.

In addition, by forming a protrusion W5534 on the engagement portion W5530b, the flat portion W5320 is formed on the rear side by the amount of protrusion of the protrusion W5534. This makes it possible to prevent the protrusion W5534 from coming into contact with the sealing seal WSL when attaching the protective cover W5500 to the box cover W200 and the box base W5300, thereby preventing damage to the sealing seal WSL.

The recess W5326 is a portion for forming a space between the affixed surface of the sealing seal WSL and the flat surface W5220, and is recessed into the front surface of the flat surface W5320. In the restricted state, the recess W5326 is formed in a position that overlaps with the protrusion W5534 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction), and the inner surface of the recess W5326 on the right side (arrow R direction) is disposed to the right of the protrusion W5534.

The length of the recess W5326 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) is greater than the left-right dimension of the protrusion W312c of the box base W5300, and even when the protective cover W5500 is displaced leftward to a position where the engagement hole W533 is to the left of the protrusion W312c (arrow L direction), the inner surface of the recess W5326 on the left side is disposed to the left of the protrusion W5534.

The protrusion W5534 is a protrusion for damaging the sealing seal WSL when the engaging portion W5530b is elastically deformed in order to illegally remove the protective cover W5500 from the box cover W200 and the box base W5300, and is formed to protrude toward the sealing seal WSL side (the direction of arrow B).

In other words, because the protrusions W5534 protrude toward the inside of the protective cover W5500, which is formed in a box shape, it is possible to prevent workers (store clerks) from coming into contact with the protrusions W5534 and being injured during the manufacturing or transporting operations of the board box W5100 or the protective cover W5500.

A pair of protrusions W5534 are formed on both ends of the engagement portion W5530b in the up-down direction (direction of arrows U-D). This makes it easier to visually check damage to the sealing seal WSL from the gap between the engagement portion W5530b and the front wall portion W520 (see Figure 73 (c)).

Next, referring to FIG. 80(b), a state in which the engagement portion W5530b is elastically deformed improperly toward the seal seal WSL side (arrow B direction side) will be described. As shown in FIG. 80(b), in a state in which the engagement portion W5530b is elastically deformed improperly toward the seal seal WSL side (arrow B direction side) larger than the protrusion dimension of the protrusion W312c in order to release the engagement between the protrusion W312c and the engagement hole W533, the tips of the pair of protrusions W5534 are disposed in the space formed by the recessed portion W5326, and the seal seal WSL is damaged by the pair of protrusions W5534. As a result, it is possible to easily make the worker (store clerk) aware that there is a possibility that a person committing fraud has performed fraudulent operations on the main control board (not shown).

Figure 80(c) shows a state in which the protective cover W5500 is displaced to the left (arrow L direction) from the state in Figure 80(b) while the engagement portion W5530b is maintained in an improperly elastically deformed state toward the sealing seal WSL side (arrow B direction), and the engagement hole W533 is positioned to the left of the protrusion W312c (a state in which the engagement hole W533 and protrusion W312c are disengaged).

As described above, the length of the recess W5326 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) is greater than the dimension of the protrusion W312c, so even when the protective cover W5500 is displaced leftward to a position where the engagement hole W533 is to the left of the protrusion W312c (arrow L direction), the tips of the pair of protrusions W5534 can be disposed in the space formed by the recess W5326. This makes it possible to increase the area in which the sealing seal WSL is damaged, making it easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize damage to the sealing seal WSL.

In this way, when the engagement portion W5530b is elastically deformed to release the engagement between the engagement hole W533 and the protrusion W312c without cutting the connecting pieces W531a and W531b of the engagement portion W5530b, it is possible to easily leave a mark (damage) on the sealing seal WSL.

Next, with reference to FIG. 80(d), the board box W6100 in the twelfth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted. Also, in FIG. 80(d), the engagement hole W533 is shown by a dashed line.

Figure 80(d) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box W6100 in the twelfth embodiment, and corresponds to the cross-sectional view taken along line LXXXa-LXXXa in Figure 73(b). Figure 80(d) illustrates a state in which the engagement portion W5530b has been elastically deformed to unauthorizedly remove the protective cover W5500 from the box cover W200 and the box base W6300, and the engagement between the protrusion W312c and the engagement hole W533 has been released.

As shown in FIG. 80(d), the box base W6300 of the board box W6100 in the twelfth embodiment has a recess W6326. The recess W6326 is formed with a shorter recess dimension in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) compared to the recess W5326 in the eleventh embodiment. Note that in this embodiment, the recess shape of the recess W6326 is formed to be substantially the same as the outer shape of the protrusion W5534 of the protective cover W5500. Furthermore, the recess W6326 is formed at a position that overlaps with the protrusion W5534 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction) in the restricted state.

As a result, when the engaging portion W5530b is improperly elastically deformed toward the sealing seal WSL side (arrow B direction), the tip of the protrusion W5534 is disposed in the space formed by the recess W6326, and the protrusion W5534 abuts against the inside of the recess W6326, restricting displacement of the protective cover W5500 toward the left side (arrow L direction). As a result, it is possible to prevent the protective cover W5500 from being improperly removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W6300.

In addition, when the engaging portion W5530b is improperly elastically deformed toward the sealing seal WSL (the direction of arrow B), the tips of the pair of protrusions W5534 are disposed in the space formed by the recess W6326, and the sealing seal WSL is damaged by the pair of protrusions W5534. As a result, it is possible to make the worker (store clerk) more easily aware that there is a possibility that a tampering has been performed on the main control board (not shown) by a tamperer.

Next, referring to FIG. 81, the board box W7100 according to the thirteenth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 81(a) is a partial rear view of the board box W7100 in the thirteenth embodiment, and Figure 81(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box W7100 taken along line LXXXIb-LXXXLb in Figure 81(a). Note that in Figure 81(a), a pair of fastening holes W7225 are shown by dashed lines.

As shown in Figure 81, in the planar portion W7220 and the planar portion W7320 of the board box W7100 in the thirteenth embodiment, a pair of fastening holes W7225 and a pair of fastening holes W7322 are formed at positions that overlap the connecting piece W531b of the protective cover W500 in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction). That is, the pair of fastening holes W7322 are drilled facing the connecting piece W531b of the engaging portion W530b via the sealing seal WSL, toward the opposite side of the sealing seal WSL (arrow F direction).

The fastening hole W7322 is formed in a circular shape when viewed from the rear, and the diameter of the fastening hole W7322 is formed to be larger than the dimension of the connecting piece W531b in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction).

This allows a space to be formed between the screws fastening the box cover W7200 and the box base W7300 and the sealing seal WSL, and when the tip of a cutting tool (not shown) is inserted between the rear wall portion W510 and the engagement portion W530a to cut the connecting piece W531b, the tip of the cutting tool can be received in the fastening hole W7322. As a result, it is easier to damage the sealing seal WSL with the tip of the cutting tool, making it easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize that there is a risk of tampering with the main control board (not shown) by a tampering perpetrator.

By using the fastening hole W7322 (allowing the tip of a cutting tool to be received in the fastening hole W7322), traces (damage) of the sealing seal WSL are formed at positions corresponding to the screws used to fasten the box cover W7200 and the box base W7300 together. Therefore, even if the screws used to fasten the box cover W7200 and the box base W7300 together are blocked by the sealing seal WSL, the positions of those screws can be ascertained based on the traces (damage) of the sealing seal WSL. This improves the workability of the work of releasing the fastening of the screws.

The pair of fastening holes W7225 can serve both to insert screws for fastening the box cover W7200 and the box base W7300 and to form a space for arranging the tip of a cutting tool (not shown). This makes it possible to prevent the formation of a recess W224b (see FIG. 72) in the flat surface portion W7220, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

Next, referring to FIG. 82(a), a protective cover W8500 according to a fourteenth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that parts that are the same as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 82 (a) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box W8100 in the 14th embodiment, and corresponds to the cross section at part LXXXIIa in Figure 76 (a).

As shown in FIG. 82(a), the connecting piece W8531b of the protective cover W8500 in the 14th embodiment is formed as a parallelogram in cross section. In this embodiment, a pair of side surfaces of the connecting piece W8531b are formed at an angle with respect to the sealing seal WSL (flat surface portion W220).

In detail, it is formed so as to incline to the right (arrow R direction) as it moves from the opposite side to the sealing seal WSL (arrow B direction) toward the sealing seal WSL side (arrow F direction). It may also be formed so as to incline to the left (arrow L direction) as it moves from the opposite side to the sealing seal WSL toward the sealing seal WSL side.

This makes it easier to rotate the tip of the cutting tool (not shown) to the right (arrow R direction) of the direction from the opposite side (arrow B direction) to the sealing seal WSL toward the sealing seal WSL side (arrow F direction) when cutting the connecting piece W8531b using a cutting tool (not shown). As a result, the tip of the cutting tool can be received in the recess W224b, making it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL with the tip of the cutting tool. This makes it easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize that there is a risk of tampering with the main control board (not shown) by a tampering perpetrator.

Next, referring to Figures 82(b) and 82(c), a protective cover W9500 according to a fifteenth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that parts that are the same as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 82(b) is a partial rear view of the board box W9100 in the fifteenth embodiment, and Figure 82(c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box W9100 taken along line LXXXIIc-LXXXIIc in Figure 82(b).

As shown in Figures 82(b) and 82(c), the connecting piece W9531b of the protective cover W9500 in the fifteenth embodiment includes a first part W9531b1 that extends in the front-rear direction (the direction of the arrows F-B) in a cross-sectional view and is formed into a vertically elongated rectangular shape, and a second part W9531b2 that is disposed at the end of the first part W9531b1 on the side of the engagement part W530a and the rib part W511 (connecting part W512), extends in the direction in which the rib part W511 (connecting part W512) extends, and is formed into a horizontally elongated rectangular shape in a cross-sectional view.

The first part W9531b1 is disposed approximately in the center in the direction in which the second part W9531b2 extends. The surfaces of the first part W9531b1 and the second part W9531b2 formed on the opposite side to the sealing seal WSL are disposed approximately on the same plane, and the opposing distance between the second part W9531b2 and the sealing seal WSL is smaller than the opposing distance between the first part W9531b1 and the sealing seal WSL.

As a result, when cutting the first part W9531b1 with a cutting tool (not shown), the tip of the cutting tool can be easily inserted into the space formed by the recess W224b, making it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL with the tip of the cutting tool. This makes it easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize that there is a risk of tampering with the main control board (not shown) by a tamperer.

Furthermore, in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction), the first part W9531b1 is formed smaller than the second part W9531b2. This makes it easier to cut the first part W9531b1 than the second part W9531b2.

In addition, in a cross-sectional view, the cross-sectional areas of the first part W9531b1 and the second part W9531b2 are formed to be approximately the same. As a result, when the protective cover W9500 is molded using a resin mold, the difference in the cross-sectional areas of the first part W9531b1 and the second part W9531b2 can be suppressed, and the moldability of the protective cover W9500 (connecting piece W9531b) can be ensured.

Next, referring to FIG. 83, the board box Wa100 according to the 16th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figures 83(a) and 83(c) are partial cross-sectional views of the board box Wa100 in the 16th embodiment, and correspond to the cross section taken along line LXXIVb-LXXIVb in Figure 73(b). Figure 83(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wa100 taken along line LXXXIIIc-LXXXIIIc in Figure 83(a). Note that Figure 83(c) illustrates a state in which the protective cover Wa500 has been displaced to the left (in the direction of arrow L) from the state in Figure 83(a). Figure 73 will also be referred to as appropriate in the explanation of Figure 83.

As shown in Figures 83(a) and 83(b), the protective cover Wa500 of the board box Wa100 in the 16th embodiment has a cutting portion Wa550 that protrudes from the inner surface of the left wall portion W502 of the protective cover Wa500. The cutting portion Wa550 is a portion for cutting the sealing seal WSL.

By having the cutting portion Wa550 protrude from the inner surface of the left wall portion W502, the strength of the protective cover Wa500 (the left wall portion W502) can be improved. This makes it difficult for the protective cover Wa500 to be damaged.

The amount of protrusion of the cutting portion Wa550 is smaller than the distance between the left wall portion W502 and the sealing seal WSL in the restricted state. This prevents the cutting portion Wa550 from cutting the sealing seal WSL in the restricted state.

The cutting portion Wa550 is disposed opposite the notches W226, W325 formed in the planar portion W220 and the planar portion W320 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction). The dimension of the cutting portion Wa550 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction) is formed to be slightly smaller than the distance between the pair of opposing end wall portions W223, W321, and larger than the distance between the two ends of the sealing seal WSL in the up-down direction.

The cutting portion Wa550 is disposed in a position offset toward the rear wall portion W510 (arrow B direction) from approximately the center of the left wall portion W502 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction). This prevents the cutting portion Wa550 from being disposed opposite the notches W226, W325 when the protective cover Wa500 is attached to the box cover W200 and box base W300 with the front wall portion W520 and the rear wall portion W510 in the opposite orientation (the rear wall portion W510 facing the front side of the front wall portion W520), for example. This prevents the cutting portion Wa550 from functioning.

The cutting portion Wa550 is formed so that the dimension in the front-to-rear direction (arrows F-B direction) becomes smaller as it moves from the inner surface of the protective cover Wa500 toward the protruding tip side (arrow R direction side) of the cutting portion Wa550. Also, the protruding tip side (arrow R direction side) of the cutting portion Wa550 is formed in a saw-tooth shape in the cross-sectional view shown in Figure 83 (b) and is formed by repeated bending in the left-right direction (arrows L-R direction). As a result, the cutting portion Wa550 is displaced toward the space formed in the notches W226, W325, making it easier to cut the sealing seal WSL.

As shown in FIG. 83(a), the rear wall Wa510 and front wall Wa520 of the protective cover Wa500 are formed with smaller dimensions in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) compared to the rear wall W510 and front wall W520 of the protective cover W500 in the seventh embodiment. As a result, in the restricted state, gaps are formed between the right end (arrow R direction) of the rear wall Wa510 and the right end of the front wall Wa520 and the side wall W212 of the box cover W200 and the left wall W302 of the box base W300 (see FIG. 73(b) and FIG. 73(d)). Such gaps are formed larger than the distance between the recess formed on the opposite side of the sealing seal WSL and the sealing seal WSL in the sawtooth shape formed in the cutting portion Wa550.

On the other hand, the end on the right side (arrow R direction) of the engagement portion W530a abuts against the side wall portion W212 of the box cover W200. This restricts the displacement of the protective cover Wa500 to the right side, and the restricted state is maintained. In addition, the end on the right side (arrow R direction) of the engagement portion W530b may abut against the left wall portion W302 of the box base W300 (see Figure 74), thereby restricting the displacement of the protective cover Wa500 to the right side.

Next, referring to Figure 83 (c), the cutting of the sealing seal WSL by the cutting portion Wa550 will be described. As shown in Figure 83 (c), by cutting the engagement portions W530a, W530b (see Figure 75), the protective cover Wa500 can be displaced toward the sealing unit W400 (the direction of arrow R, see Figure 68). By displacing the protective cover Wa500 toward the sealing unit W400, the cutting portion Wa550 can be received in the space formed by the notches W226, W325, and the sealing seal WSL is cut by the cutting portion Wa550.

Here, the pair of end walls W223, W321 come into contact with the rear wall W510 and the front wall W520, preventing the protective cover Wa500 from being displaced in the front-rear direction (the direction of the arrows F-B). This allows the cutting portion Wa550 to remain facing the notches W226, W325, making it easier for the cutting portion Wa550 to cut the sealing seal WSL.

In this embodiment, there is no need to perform the steps of cutting the engagement portions W530a, W530b to remove the protective cover Wa500 from the box cover W200 and the box base W300 and displacing the protective cover Wa500 toward the sealing unit W400 (the direction of the arrow R, see Figure 68) separately, and these steps can be efficiently performed as a single operation.

As described above, in the restricted state, the gaps formed between the right end of the rear wall Wa510 (arrow R direction) and the right end of the front wall Wa520 and the side wall W212 of the box cover W200 and the left wall W302 of the box base W300 are larger than the distance between the sealing seal WSL and the recess formed on the opposite side of the sealing seal WSL in the sawtooth shape formed in the cutting portion Wa550, so that the entire sawtooth shape formed in the cutting portion Wa550 can be received in the space formed by the notches W226 and W325. As a result, the sealing seal WSL is cut between both ends of the sealing seal WSL in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction), and the sealing seal WSL is separated into the flat portion W220 side and the flat portion W320 side.

In addition, by displacing the protective cover Wa500 to the right (arrow R direction), the right end of the rear wall Wa510 (arrow R direction) and the right end of the front wall Wa520 come into contact with the side wall W212 of the box cover W200 and the left wall W302 of the box base W300 (see FIG. 74). This restricts the protective cover Wa500 from being displaced to the right.

The cutting portion Wa550 may abut against the notches W226, W325 to restrict displacement of the protective cover Wa500 to the right. In this case, the cutting portion Wa550 can adhere the sealing seal WSL to the notches W226, W325. In other words, the sealing seal WSL can be made difficult to peel from the notches W226, W325. This makes it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL when peeling it from the notches W226, W325, and makes it easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize traces (damage) of the sealing seal WSL.

In this embodiment, the sealing seal WSL can be easily cut by displacing the protective cover Wa500 toward the side wall portion W212 (the direction of the arrow R). This allows the worker (store clerk) to easily open the box cover W200 and the box base W300, even if he or she does not have a cutting tool.

The cutting portion Wa550 is disposed opposite the notches W226, W325 formed in the planar portion W220 and the planar portion W320 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction), so that even when the notches W226, W325 are covered by the sealing seal WSL, the cutting portion Wa550 can be easily disposed in the space formed by the notches W226, W325.

The cutting portion Wa550 protrudes from the inner surface of the left wall portion W502, preventing it from being exposed from the box-shaped protective cover Wa500. This prevents workers (store clerks) from coming into contact with the cutting portion Wa550 and being injured during operations such as cutting the sealing seal WSL, and manufacturing and transporting the board box Wa100 and protective cover Wa500.

In addition, because the cutting portion Wa550 protrudes from the inner surface of the left wall portion W502, the cutting portion Wa550 is formed smaller than the protective cover Wa500. In other words, the protective cover Wa500 is formed larger than the cutting portion Wa550. Therefore, the worker (store clerk) can grasp the protective cover Wa500 and use the cutting portion Wa550 to cut the sealing seal WSL, making the cutting operation easy.

The protective cover Wa500 (cutting portion Wa550) is made of a resin material and is molded using a resin molding die, so it has a lower ability to cut the sealing seal WSL than, for example, a cutting tool that is sharply formed using a metal material. In contrast, because a space is formed by the cutout portions W226 and W325 on the adhesive surface side of the sealing seal WSL, even if the cutting portion Wa550 has a low cutting ability, it is possible to easily cut the sealing seal WSL.

Next, the board box Wb100 in the 17th embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 84 and 85. Note that parts that are the same as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 84(a) is a front view of the protective cover Wb500 of the board box Wb100 in the 17th embodiment, Figure 84(b) is a side view of the protective cover Wb500 as viewed in the direction of the arrow LXXXIVb in Figure 84(a), and Figure 84(c) is a rear view of the protective cover Wb500 as viewed in the direction of the arrow LXXXIVc in Figure 84(b). Figure 85(a) is a rear view of the board box Wb100, Figure 85(b) is a side view of the board box Wb100 as viewed in the direction of the arrow LXXXVb in Figure 85(a), and Figure 85(c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wb100 along the line LXXXVc-LXXXVc in Figure 85(b).

Note that Figures 84 and 85 show the state in which the engagement portions Wb530a and Wb530b have been cut off from the protective cover Wb500. Also, in Figure 84, the engagement portions Wb530a and Wb530b are shown by two-dot chain lines, and in Figure 85(b), the cut portion Wb550 and the guide portion Wb560 are shown by dashed lines. Also, the spaces formed in the protective cover Wb500 by cutting the engagement portions Wb530a and Wb530b from the protective cover Wb500 are defined as spaces WS1 and WS2, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 84, the protective cover Wb500 of the board box Wb100 in the 17th embodiment has an engagement portion Wb530a and a cutting portion Wb550 that are connected to the rear wall portion W510, and an engagement portion Wb530b and a guide portion Wb560 that are connected to the front wall portion W520.

The engagement portion Wb530a includes a relief portion Wb534a. The relief portion Wb534a is a portion for preventing contact between the engagement portion Wb530a and the cutting portion Wb550, and is recessed downward (in the direction of arrow D) from the upper surface of the engagement portion Wb530a at a position overlapping the cutting portion Wb550 in rear view.

The bottom surface (surface formed on the lower side) of the relief portion Wb534a is formed lower (in the direction of arrow D) than the blade portion Wb552 of the cutting portion Wb550 described later, and the side surface of the relief portion Wb534a in the left-right direction (in the direction of arrows L-R) is formed on both left-right ends of the support portion Wb551 and the blade portion Wb552 of the cutting portion Wb550 described later. This prevents the engagement portion Wb530a from coming into contact with the cutting portion Wb550.

Before the engagement portion Wb530a is cut, the relief portion Wb534a is formed surrounding the cut portion Wb550. This prevents the worker (store clerk) from coming into contact with the cut portion Wa550 and being injured.

The cutting portion Wb550 is a portion for cutting the sealing seal WSL, and includes a support portion Wb551 that protrudes from the rib portion W511 disposed on the upper side (arrow U direction side) toward the engaging portion Wb530a side (arrow D direction side), and a blade portion Wb552 that protrudes from the protruding tip of the support portion Wb551 toward the tip side of the engaging portion Wb530a (arrow R direction side).

The support portion Wb551 is a portion for supporting the blade portion Wb552 by providing a predetermined distance between the rib portion W511 and the blade portion Wb552. The blade portion Wb552 has a base portion supported by the support portion Wb551 and formed into a cylindrical shape, and a tip portion formed into a cone shape at the protruding tip of the base. The tip portion being formed into a cone shape makes it easier to cut the sealing seal WSL.

The cutting portion Wb550 may protrude from the rib portion W511 disposed on the lower side (arrow D direction side) toward the engaging portion Wb530a side (arrow U direction side), and the relief portion Wb534a may be recessed from the lower surface of the engaging portion Wb530a toward the upper side (arrow U direction side).

The engagement portion Wb530b is connected to a pair of rib portions W521 and a connecting portion W522 arranged on the upper side (arrow U direction side), and includes a relief portion Wb534b. The relief portion Wb534b is a portion for preventing contact between the engagement portion Wb530b and the guide portion Wb560, and is recessed upward (arrow U direction side) from the lower surface of the engagement portion Wb530b at a position overlapping the guide portion Wb560 in a front view.

The bottom surface (surface formed on the upper side) of the relief portion Wb534b is formed above (in the direction of arrow U) the protruding tip of the guide portion Wb560, and the side surface of the relief portion Wb534b in the left-right direction (in the direction of arrows L-R) is formed on both left-right ends of the side surfaces of the guide portion Wb560 in the left-right direction. This prevents the engagement portion Wb530b and the guide portion Wb560 from coming into contact with each other.

In addition, by forming the relief portion Wb534b, when the engagement portion Wb530b is separated from the protective cover Wb500, the engagement hole W533 is disengaged from the protrusion W312c (see FIG. 73), making it easier to prevent the engagement portion Wb530b from coming into contact with the guide portion Wb560 when the engagement portion Wb530b is displaced, and making it easier to remove the engagement portion Wb530b from the box base Wb300.

The guide portion Wb560 is a portion for maintaining the position of the protective cover Wb500 when the sealing seal WSL is cut by the cutting portion Wb550, and protrudes upward from the rib portion W521 that is disposed on the lower side (arrow D direction side) of a pair of rib portions W521 disposed on the upper side (arrow U direction side). The guide portion Wb560 is disposed to the left (arrow L direction side) of the tip of the blade portion Wb552 of the cutting portion Wb550 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction).

The guide portion Wb560 protrudes downward from the rib portion W521 arranged on the upper side (arrow U direction side) of a pair of rib portions W521 arranged on the lower side (arrow D direction side), and the engagement portion Wb530b and the escape portion Wb534b may be recessed downward from the upper surface of the engagement portion Wb530b connected to the pair of rib portions W521 arranged on the lower side and the connecting portion W522.

Next, referring to FIG. 85, the cutting of the sealing seal WSL by the protective cover Wb500 (cutting portion Wb550) will be described. In this embodiment, the protruding length of the protruding portion Wb324 of the box base Wb300 is formed to be smaller than the protruding length of the protruding portion W324 in the seventh embodiment, and the distance between the surfaces on the opposite side to the opposing surfaces of the planar portion W220 and the planar portion W320 is formed to be smaller. In addition, the planar portion W220 and the planar portion W320 do not have a pair of end wall portions W223, W321 (see FIG. 72).

Figure 85 shows the protective cover Wb500, in which the engagement portions Wb530a, Wb530b have been cut to form spaces WS1, WS2, rotated counterclockwise when viewed in the direction of arrow LXXXVb, so that the flat portions W220 and W320 are disposed in the spaces WS1, WS2, and the blade portion Wb552 is disposed in the space formed by the cutout portions W226, W325.

In this way, in this embodiment, the protective cover Wb500 is equipped with a cutting portion Wb550, so that even if the worker (store clerk) does not have a cutting tool, the box cover Wb200 and the box base Wb300 can be easily opened.

The cutting portion Wb550 is arranged in the space WS1, making it visible. This makes it easier to arrange the cutting portion Wb550 in the space formed by the notches W226 and W325, making it easier to cut the sealing seal WSL.

In addition, by arranging the flat surface portion W220 and the flat surface portion W320 in the space WS2, the guide portion Wb560 and the protrusion portion W324 can be brought into contact with each other. This makes it possible to prevent the protective cover Wb500 from rotating around the vertical direction (the direction of the arrows U-D) as the axis of rotation, and makes it easier to arrange the cutting portion Wb550 in the space formed by the notched portions W226 and W325.

Because the cutting portion Wb550 protrudes from the rib portion W511 of the protective cover Wb500, the cutting portion Wb550 is formed smaller than the protective cover Wb500. In other words, the protective cover Wb500 is formed larger than the cutting portion Wb550. Therefore, the worker (store clerk) can grasp the protective cover Wb500 and use the cutting portion Wb550 to cut the sealing seal WSL, making the cutting operation easy.

Next, referring to FIG. 86, the circuit board box Wc100 according to the 18th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 86(a) is a side view of the protective cover Wc500 of the board box Wc100 in the 18th embodiment, and Figure 86(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wc100 taken along line LXXIVb-LXXIVb in Figure 73(b). Figure 86(b) illustrates the state in which the sealing seal WSL is cut using the protective cover Wc500 removed from the box cover W200 and box base Wb300.

As shown in FIG. 86(a), the protective cover Wc500 of the board box Wc100 in the 18th embodiment has a cutting portion Wc550. The cutting portion Wc550 is a portion for cutting the sealing seal WSL, and is formed at the end of the lower side (arrow D direction) of the standing portion Wc540, protruding from the rear wall portion W510 side (arrow B direction) toward the front wall portion W520 side (arrow F direction).

The erect length of the erect portion Wc540 on the opposite side (the direction of arrow D) of the lower wall portion W501 of the protective cover Wc500 is formed to be approximately the same as the distance between the back surface of the flat portion W220 of the box cover W200 in the front-rear direction (the direction of arrows F-B) and the space formed by the notches W226 and W325.

Next, referring to FIG. 86(b), the cutting of the sealing seal WSL by the protective cover Wc500 (cutting portion Wc550) will be described. In FIG. 86(b), the protective cover Wc500 is in a changed position after being removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W300. In detail, the cutting portion Wc550 (standing portion Wc540) is in a position facing from the left side (arrow L direction) to the right side (arrow R direction).

The protective cover Wc500 is equipped with a cutting section Wc550, so even if the worker (store clerk) does not have a cutting tool, the box cover W200 and box base W300 can be easily opened.

As described above, the erection length of the erected portion Wc540 on the opposite side (the direction of arrow D) from the lower wall portion W501 is formed to be approximately the same as the distance between the back surface of the flat portion W220 of the box cover W200 and the space formed by the notched portions W226 and W325 in the front-to-rear direction (the direction of arrows F-B). Therefore, by abutting the lower wall portion W501 against the flat portion W220 via the sealing seal WSL, the cut portion Wc550 can be made to face the space formed by the notched portions W226 and W325. In other words, the position of the cut portion Wc550 and the position of the space formed by the notched portions W226 and W325 are approximately the same in the front-to-rear direction.

This makes it easy to place the cutting portion Wc550 in the space formed by the cutout portions W226, W325, even when the sealing seal WSL is blocking the cutout portions W226, W325. By sliding the protective cover Wc500 in the vertical direction (in the direction of the arrows U-D) while maintaining contact between the lower wall portion W501 and the flat portion W220, the sealing seal WSL can be easily cut.

The cutting portion Wc550 protrudes from the erected portion Wc540 of the protective cover Wc500, so the cutting portion Wc550 is formed smaller than the protective cover Wc500. In other words, the protective cover Wc500 is formed larger than the cutting portion Wc550. Therefore, the worker (store clerk) can grasp the protective cover Wc500 and use the cutting portion Wc550 to cut the sealing seal WSL, making the cutting operation easy.

Next, referring to FIG. 87, the board box Wd100 according to the 19th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 87(a) is a front view of the protective cover Wd500 of the board box Wd100 in the 19th embodiment, Figure 87(b) is a side view of the protective cover Wd500 as viewed in the direction of the arrow LXXXVIIb in Figure 87(a), and Figure 87(c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wd100 along the line LXXIVb-LXXIVb in Figure 73(b). Note that Figure 87(b) illustrates the state in which the cut engagement portion Wd530a is attached to the standing portion Wd540, and Figure 87(c) illustrates the state in which the sealing seal WSL is cut using the protective cover Wd500 removed from the box cover W200 and box base Wb300.

As shown in Figures 87(a) and 87(b), the protective cover Wd500 of the board box Wd100 in the 19th embodiment has a guide portion Wd560. The standing portion Wd540 is disposed at a position that is approximately the center of the lower wall portion W501 in the plate thickness direction (arrow L-R direction) of the left wall portion W502.

The dimension of the standing portion Wd540 in the thickness direction (arrow L-R direction) of the left wall portion W502 is formed to be approximately the same as or slightly smaller than the dimension of the engagement hole W533 of the engagement portion Wd530a in the thickness direction (arrow U-D direction) of the bottom wall portion W501. Also, the dimension of the standing portion Wd540 in the opposing direction (arrow F-B direction) of the back wall portion W510 and the front wall portion W520 is formed to be approximately the same as or slightly smaller than the dimension between the inner surfaces of the engagement hole W533 in the thickness direction of the left wall portion W502. As a result, as shown in FIG. 87(b), the standing portion Wd540 can be fitted (engaged) into the engagement hole W533, and the engagement portion Wd530a cut off from the protective cover Wd500 can be attached (held) to the protective cover Wd500.

The dimension of the standing portion Wd540 in the thickness direction of the left wall portion W502 (arrow L-R direction) may be slightly larger than the dimension of the engagement hole W533 of the engagement portion Wd530a in the thickness direction of the lower wall portion W501 (arrow U-D direction), and the dimension of the standing portion Wd540 in the opposing direction of the rear wall portion W510 and the front wall portion W520 (arrow F-B direction) may be slightly larger than the dimension between the inner surfaces of the engagement hole W533 in the thickness direction of the left wall portion W502. By engaging the standing portion Wd540 with the engagement hole W533 while elastically deforming the standing portion Wd540, it is possible to prevent the engagement portion Wd530a from coming off the protective cover Wd500. In addition, when the engaging portion Wd530a is attached to the protective cover Wd500, the position of the engaging portion Wd530a relative to the protective cover Wd500 can be prevented from changing. As a result, the sealing seal WSL can be easily cut using the engaging portion Wd530a.

The erected portion Wd540 can be made to function both to prevent the protective cover W500 from being attached to the box cover Wb200 and the box base Wb300 when the front wall portion W520 and the rear wall portion W510 are in the opposite position (the rear wall portion W510 faces the front side of the front wall portion W520) and to attach (hold) the engaging portion Wd530a, which reduces the manufacturing cost of the protective cover Wd500 compared to when parts having these functions are arranged on the protective cover Wd500. In addition, the mounting portion (holding portion) of the engaging portion Wd530a can be simplified. In addition, the parts arranged on the outer surface of the protective cover Wd500 can be reduced, improving the freedom of arrangement of the protective cover Wd500.

The connecting portion W512 is not formed in the rear wall portion W510 (see FIG. 72), and the connecting piece W531a of the engaging portion Wd530a is connected to the left wall portion W502. In addition, by not forming the connecting portion W512, the dimension of the engaging portion Wd530a in the plate thickness direction of the left wall portion W502 is formed larger than that of the engaging portion W530a in the seventh embodiment (see FIG. 73). In this embodiment, the distance between the inner surface of the engaging hole W533 on the connecting piece W531a side (arrow L direction side) and the connecting piece W531a is formed larger than the distance between the front of the erected portion Wd540 on the front wall portion W520 side (arrow F direction side) and the front of the front wall portion W520 formed on the opposite side to the rear wall portion W510.

As a result, when the engaging portion Wd530a is attached to the protective cover Wd500, the cut surface of the connecting piece W531a can be positioned on the opposite side of the front wall portion W520 from the rear wall portion W510.

The guide portion Wd560 is a portion that makes it easier to arrange the connecting piece W531a of the engaging portion Wd530a in the space formed by the notch portion W226 of the planar portion W220 and the notch portion W325 of the planar portion W320 when cutting the sealing seal WSL using the protective cover Wd500 (engaging portion Wd530a). The guide portion Wd560 is formed in a plate shape and is arranged with the plate thickness direction of the guide portion Wd560 aligned with the plate thickness direction (arrow L-R direction) of the left wall portion W502.

The distance between the guide surface Wd561 formed on the lower wall W501 side (arrow D direction) of the guide portion Wd560 and the outer surface of the lower wall W501 is formed to be approximately the same as the distance between the back surface of the flat portion W220 of the box cover W200 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction) and the space formed by the notches W226, W325 (see Figure 87 (c)).

Next, referring to Figure 87 (c), the cutting of the sealing seal WSL by the protective cover Wd500 (engagement portion Wd530a) will be described. Note that in Figure 87 (c), the position of the protective cover Wd500, which has been removed from the box cover W200 and box base Wb300, has been changed. In detail, the front wall portion W520 is now positioned facing the protrusion portion W324 of the box base W300 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction).

As described above, the distance between the guide surface Wd561 formed on the lower wall W501 side (arrow D direction side) of the guide portion Wd560 and the outer surface of the lower wall W501 is formed to be approximately the same as the distance between the back surface of the flat portion W220 of the box cover W200 and the space formed by the notches W226, W325 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction). Therefore, by abutting the guide surface Wd561 of the guide portion Wd560 against the front surface of the flat portion W320 via the sealing seal WSL, the connecting piece W531a of the disconnected engaging portion Wd530a can be made to face the space formed by the notches W226, W325. In other words, the position of the connecting piece W531a and the position of the space formed by the notches W226, W325 are approximately the same in the front-rear direction.

This makes it easy to place the connecting piece W531a in the space formed by the cutouts W226 and W325, even when the cutouts W226 and W325 are covered by the sealing seal WSL. By sliding the protective cover Wd500 in the vertical direction (in the direction of the arrows U-D) while maintaining contact between the guide surface Wd561 and the front of the flat surface W320, the sealing seal WSL can be easily cut.

The protective cover Wd500 is formed larger than the engaging portion Wd530a, so the worker (store clerk) can grasp the protective cover Wd500 and use the engaging portion Wd530a (connecting piece W531a) to cut the sealing seal WSL, making the cutting operation easy.

Next, with reference to Figures 88(a) and 88(b), a description will be given of the board box We100 in the twentieth embodiment of the present invention. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 88(a) is a partial rear view of the protective cover We500 of the board box We100 in the twentieth embodiment, and Figure 88(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box We100 taken along line LXXIVb-LXXIVb in Figure 73(b). Figure 88(b) illustrates the state in which the sealing seal WSL is cut using the cut engagement portion Wd530a.

As shown in FIG. 88(a), the protective cover We500 of the board box We100 in the 20th embodiment does not have the connecting piece W531b (see FIG. 72), and has a pair of connecting pieces We531a that connect the engagement portion We530a and the connecting portion W512.

The distance between the engagement portion We530a and the connecting portion W512, i.e., the extension length of the pair of connecting pieces We531a, is made shorter than the recess depth of the space formed by the cutout portions We226 and We325.

The cutouts We226 and We325 are recessed toward the opposite side of the flat surface e220 and the protruding portion We324, and the space formed by the cutouts We226 and We325 is roughly U-shaped in cross section. The distance between the opposing cutouts We226 and We325 is roughly equal to or slightly larger than the width of the pair of connecting pieces We531a in the vertical direction (arrows U-D direction). This makes it possible to receive the pair of disconnected connecting pieces We531a in the space formed by the cutouts We226 and We325.

The cutout dimensions of the cutouts We226 and We325 toward the side wall W212 (arrow R direction) are slightly larger than the extension dimensions of the pair of connecting pieces We531a in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction).

The distance between the pair of connecting pieces We531a facing each other is formed to be approximately the same as the distance between the front of the flat portion We320 of the box base We300 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction) and the space formed by the cutout portions We226 and We325 (see Figure 88 (b)).

Next, cutting of the sealing seal WSL by the engaging portion We530a will be described with reference to FIG. 88(b). In FIG. 88(b), the engaging portion We530a, which has been separated from the protective cover We500, is in a changed position. In detail, the pair of connecting pieces We531a of the engaging portion We530a are positioned to face the protruding portion We324 of the box base We300 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction).

As described above, the distance between the pair of connecting pieces We531a is formed to be approximately the same as the distance between the front of the flat surface We320 of the box base We300 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction) and the space formed by the notches We226, We325. Therefore, by abutting one of the opposing surfaces of the pair of connecting pieces We531a against the front of the flat surface We320 via the sealing seal WSL, the other of the pair of connecting pieces We531a can be made to face the space formed by the notches We226, We325. In other words, the position of the other of the pair of connecting pieces We531a and the position of the space formed by the notches We226, We325 are approximately the same in the front-rear direction.

As a result, even when the cutout portions We226 and We325 are covered by the sealing seal WSL, the opposing surface of one of the pair of connecting pieces We531a can be abutted against the front surface of the flat portion We320, making it possible for the other of the pair of connecting pieces We531a to be received (disposed) in the space formed by the cutout portions We226 and We325. By sliding and displacing the engagement portion We530a in the vertical direction (direction of the arrows U-D) while maintaining the abutment between the opposing surface of one of the pair of connecting pieces We531a and the front surface of the flat portion We320, the sealing seal WSL can be easily cut.

In addition, the cutout dimensions of the cutout portions We226 and We325 toward the side wall portion W212 (arrow R direction) are formed to be slightly larger than the extension dimensions of the pair of connecting pieces We531a in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction), thereby preventing the cut ends of the pair of disconnected connecting pieces We531a from contacting the bottom surfaces of the cutout portions We226 and We325 on the side wall portion W212 side, thereby preventing damage to the cutout portions We226 and We325.

In this way, in this embodiment, the sealing seal WSL can be cut using the engagement portion We530a, which is formed small relative to the protective cover We500, so that the sealing seal WSL can be easily cut by suppressing interference between the engagement portion We530a and the pair of end wall portions W223, W321 (see FIG. 72) of the planar portion W220 and the planar portion W320.

In addition, when the pair of connecting pieces We531a are connected to the protective cover We500 (the state before the pair of connecting pieces We531a are cut), the cut portions are not formed in the pair of connecting pieces We531a, so that it is possible to prevent a worker (store clerk) from coming into contact with the cut portions of the pair of connecting pieces We531a and being injured.

Next, referring to Figures 88(c) and 88(d), a protective cover Wf500 according to a 21st embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that parts that are the same as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 88(c) is a partial rear view of the protective cover Wf500 in the 21st embodiment, and Figure 88(d) is a partial cross-sectional view of the protective cover Wf500 taken along line LXXXViiiid-LXXXVIIId in Figure 88(c).

As shown in Figures 88(c) and 88(d), the engagement portion Wf530a of the protective cover Wf500 in the 21st embodiment has a cutting portion Wf550.

Compared to the engaging portion W530a in the seventh embodiment (see FIG. 73), the engaging portion Wf530a is arranged such that the connecting piece W531b is displaced a predetermined distance toward the opposite side (arrow R direction) from the connecting portion W512, and a cutting portion Wf550 is formed at the end of the engaging portion Wf530a on the connecting portion W512 side (arrow L direction). The cutting portions Wf550 are formed in pairs facing a pair of rib portions W511.

The cutting portion Wf550 is formed so that the dimension in the plate thickness direction becomes smaller in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction) from the center of the engaging portion Wf530a toward both ends. In other words, the tip of the cutting portion Wf550 is formed sharp. This makes it easier to cut the sealing seal WSL.

On the other hand, the cutting portion Wf550 is disposed closer to the connecting portion W512 (the side in the direction of arrow L, the opposite side to the engagement hole W533) than the pair of connecting pieces W531b, so it does not affect the engagement between the engagement hole W533 and the protrusion W221 of the box cover W200 (see FIG. 74). In other words, the formation of the cutting portion Wf550 can prevent the elasticity of the engagement portion Wf530a from being reduced.

Therefore, the engagement force for attaching the protective cover Wf500 to the box cover W200 and the box base W300 (see FIG. 73) can be prevented from being reduced by the formation of the cut portion Wf550.

The cutting portion Wf550 is disposed opposite the rib portion W511 and the connecting portion W512. This prevents the worker (store clerk) from coming into contact with the cutting portion Wf550 and being injured before the engaging portion Wf530a is separated from the protective cover Wf500.

Next, referring to Figures 89(a) and 89(b), a protective cover Wg500 according to a 22nd embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 89(a) is a partial rear view of the protective cover Wg500 in the 22nd embodiment, and Figure 89(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the protective cover Wg500 taken along line LXXXIXb-LXXXIXb in Figure 89(a).

As shown in Figures 89(a) and 89(b), the protective cover Wg500 in the 22nd embodiment does not have a connecting piece W531b (see Figure 72), and has a pair of connecting pieces Wg531a that connect the engagement portion Wg530a and the connecting portion W512.

The pair of connecting pieces Wg531a are formed so that the cross-sectional area in the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 89(b) becomes smaller from the connecting portion W512 side and the engaging portion Wg530a side toward the space between the connecting portion W512 and the engaging portion Wg530a. In other words, the pair of connecting pieces Wg531a are formed in a shape in which a pair of truncated pyramids are connected from the connecting portion W512 side and the engaging portion Wg530a side toward the space between the connecting portion W512 and the engaging portion Wg530a.

This makes it easier to cut the pair of connecting pieces Wg531a when separating the engaging portion Wg530a from the protective cover Wg500. In addition, the cut surface of the pair of connecting pieces Wg531a is smaller than when the cross-sectional area shown in FIG. 89(b) is constant between the opposing connecting portion W512 and the engaging portion Wg530a, so the cut portion of the pair of connecting pieces Wg531a is sharp. As a result, the sealing seal WSL can be cut easily.

Next, with reference to FIG. 89(c), the board box Wh100 according to the 23rd embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 89 (c) is a partial rear view of the board box Wh100 in the 23rd embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 89(c), the protective cover Wh500 of the board box Wh100 in the 23rd embodiment has a restricting portion Wh570.

The restricting portion Wh570 is a portion for restricting the engaging portion W530a from being elastically deformed improperly. The restricting portion Wh570 is disposed closer to the tip of the engaging portion W530a (the side in the direction of the arrow R) than the pair of connecting pieces W531b, and is disposed on the opposite side (the side in the direction of the arrow B) from the front wall portion W520 (see FIG. 72) than the engaging portion W530a.

As a result, even if the engaging portion W530a is improperly elastically deformed to disengage the protrusion W221 of the planar portion W220 from the engaging hole W533 of the engaging portion W530a, the elastic deformation of the engaging portion W530a can be restricted by the abutment of the engaging portion W530a and the restricting portion Wh570. As a result, it is easy to prevent the protective cover Wh500 from being improperly removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W300 (see FIG. 72).

Next, referring to FIG. 90, the board box Wi100 according to the 24th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 90(a) is a side view of the protective cover Wi500 of the board box Wi100 in the 24th embodiment, Figure 90(b) is a side view of the board box Wi100, and Figure 90(c) is a cross-sectional view of the board box Wi100 along line XCc-XCc in Figure 90(b). Note that Figure 90 illustrates a state in which the engagement portion W530a has been separated from the protective cover Wi500.

As shown in FIG. 90(a), the protective cover Wi500 of the board box Wi100 in the 24th embodiment is provided with a rear wall portion W510 instead of the front wall portion W520 of the protective cover W500 in the seventh embodiment. In more detail, a pair of rear wall portions W510 are provided at both ends of the left wall portion W502 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction). The pair of rear wall portions W510 are provided in a symmetrical position in the side view shown in FIG. 90(a). The pair of rear wall portions W510 also include the engagement portion We530 and a pair of connecting pieces We531a in the 20th embodiment (see FIG. 88(c) and FIG. 88(d)).

Next, cutting of the sealing seal WSL by the protective cover Wi500 will be described with reference to Figures 90(b) and 90(c). Note that in Figures 90(b) and 90(c), the posture of the protective cover Wi500 is changed. In detail, the pair of connecting pieces We531a of the protective cover Wi500 is positioned facing the protruding portion We324 of the box base We300 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction). Note that in this embodiment, the state in which the pair of connecting pieces We531a are cut on the engaging portion We530a side rather than the connecting portion W512 side is illustrated.

The distance between the pair of connecting pieces We531a is formed to be approximately the same as the distance between the front of the flat surface We320 of the box base We300 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction) and the space formed by the notches We226 and We325, so that by abutting one of the opposing surfaces of the pair of connecting pieces We531a against the front of the flat surface We320 via the sealing seal WSL, the other of the pair of connecting pieces We531a can be made to face the space formed by the notches We226 and We325. In other words, the position of the other of the pair of connecting pieces We531a and the position of the space formed by the notches We226 and We325 are approximately the same in the front-rear direction.

As a result, even when the cutout portions We226 and We325 are covered by the sealing seal WSL, the other of the pair of connecting pieces We531a can be easily disposed in the space formed by the cutout portions We226 and We325. By sliding and displacing the engaging portion We530a in the vertical direction (the direction of the arrows U-D) while maintaining contact between the opposing surface of one of the pair of connecting pieces We531a and the front surface of the flat portion We320, the sealing seal WSL can be easily cut.

In this embodiment, the sealing seal WSL is cut using a pair of connecting pieces We531a formed on the protective cover Wi500, making it easier for the worker (store clerk) to grasp the protective cover Wi500 and perform the cutting operation compared to the case in which the sealing seal WSL is cut using a pair of connecting pieces We531a formed on the engagement portion We530a in the 20th embodiment.

Next, with reference to Figures 91 to 93, the board box Wj100 according to the 25th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 91(a) is a partial rear view of the board box Wj100 in the 25th embodiment, Figure 91(b) is a partial side view of the board box Wj100 as viewed in the direction of the arrow XCIb in Figure 91(a), and Figure 91(c) is a rear view of the protective cover Wj500. Figures 92(a) and 92(c) are rear views of the board box Wj100 at part XCIIa in Figure 91(a), Figure 92(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wj100 taken along line XCIIb-XCIIb in Figure 92(a), and Figure 92(d) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wj100 taken along line XCIId-XCIId in Figure 92(c). FIG. 93(a) is a rear view of the board box Wj100 at part XCIIa in FIG. 91(a), and FIG. 93(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wj100 at line XCIIIb-XCIIIb in FIG. 93(a).

Note that Figures 91(a) and 91(b) show the box cover Wj200 and the box base W300 with the protective cover Wj500 removed. Also, Figures 92(a), 92(c), and 93(a) omit part of the rear wall Wj214a.

As shown in Figures 91(a) and 91(b), the box cover Wj200 of the board box Wj100 in the 25th embodiment has an elastic deformation restricting means Wj230 instead of the protrusion W221 in the seventh embodiment (see Figure 72).

The rear wall Wj214a of the cover Wj214 is formed to protrude further toward the protruding tip side (arrow L direction side) than the rear wall W214a in the seventh embodiment, and is disposed at a position overlapping the elastic deformation restricting means Wj230 in rear view. A restricting wall Wj214b is formed on the front side of the rear wall Wj214a, protruding toward the second restricting part Wj250 side (arrow F direction side) at a position facing the second restricting part Wj250 in a second restricting state described below. The restricting wall Wj214b is a portion for restricting the elastic deformation of the engaging part Wj530a of the protective cover Wj500.

A notch Wj227 is formed in the planar portion Wj220 at a position corresponding to the elastic deformation restricting means Wj230, and a second restricting portion Wj250 of the elastic deformation restricting means Wj230, which will be described later, is disposed in the space formed by the notch Wj227.

The dimensions of the planar portion Wj220 and the planar portion Wj320 in the vertical direction (direction of arrows U-D) are smaller than the dimensions of the planar portion Wj220 and the planar portion Wj320 in the seventh embodiment (see FIG. 72), and when the planar portion Wj220 and the planar portion Wj320 are disposed inside the protective cover Wj500, the protective cover Wj500 can be displaced in the vertical direction relative to the box cover Wj200 and the box base Wj300.

The elastic deformation restricting means Wj230 is for restricting the engagement portion Wj530a of the protective cover Wj500 from being elastically deformed improperly in the restricted state, and includes a first restricting portion Wj240 and a second restricting portion Wj250. In addition, in explaining the elastic deformation restricting means Wj230, refer to FIG. 92 and FIG. 93 as appropriate.

The first restricting portion Wj240 is a portion for restricting the displacement of the protective cover Wj500 to the left side (arrow L direction) in the restricted state, and protrudes from the rear surface of the flat portion Wj220 toward the rear wall portion Wj214a side (arrow B direction). The first restricting portion Wj240 is formed with an inclined portion Wj241 that inclines toward the rear wall portion Wj214a side as it moves from the left side (arrow L direction) to the right side (arrow R direction).

The second restricting portion Wj250 is a portion for restricting the displacement of the protective cover Wj500 downward (in the direction of arrow D) in the restricted state, and is disposed opposite the first restricting portion Wj240 in the up-down direction (in the direction of arrows U-D). The second restricting portion Wj250 includes a plate-shaped support portion Wj251 that protrudes from the side wall of the flat portion Wj220 formed by the notch Wj227 toward the first restricting portion Wj240 (in the direction of arrow D), and an engagement portion Wj252 that protrudes from the protruding tip of the support portion Wj251 toward the restricting wall portion Wj214b (in the direction of arrow B).

The support portion Wj251 is disposed with its thickness direction aligned along the front-rear direction (the direction of the arrows F-B), and the thickness of the support portion Wj251 is smaller than the thickness of the planar portion Wj220. This allows the support portion Wj251 to be elastically deformed relative to the planar portion Wj220 when an external force in the front-rear direction is applied to the second restricting portion Wj250.

The engagement portion Wj252 is formed so as to incline from the first restricting portion Wj240 side (arrow D direction side) toward the restricting wall portion Wj214b side (arrow B direction side) as it moves toward the opposite side to the first restricting portion Wj240 (arrow U direction side). The upper surface of the engagement portion Wj252 formed on the opposite side to the first restricting portion Wj240 (arrow U direction side) is formed perpendicular to the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction).

As shown in Figure 91 (c), the engaging portion Wj530a of the protective cover Wj500 is formed with a smaller dimension in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction) compared to the engaging portion Wj530a in the seventh embodiment. This makes it possible to prevent contact between the engaging portion Wj530a and the cover portion Wj214 even when the protective cover Wj500 is displaced in the vertical direction from a state in which the planar portion Wj220 and the planar portion Wj320 are disposed inside the protective cover Wj500.

Next, the attachment of the protective cover Wj500 to the box cover Wj200 and the box base Wj300 will be described with reference to Figures 92 and 93. First, in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction), the engaging portion Wj530a of the protective cover Wj500 is opposed to a position where the restricting wall portion Wj214b of the cover portion Wj214 is not formed, and the protective cover Wj500 is displaced toward the box cover Wj200 and the box base Wj300 side (arrow R direction).

When the tip of the engagement portion Wj530a comes into contact with the inclined portion Wj241 of the first restricting portion Wj240, the engagement portion Wj530a is elastically deformed toward the protruding tip side (arrow B direction) of the first restricting portion Wj240.

As shown in Figures 92(a) and 92(b), the rear wall portion Wj510 and the side wall portion W212 come into contact with each other, restricting the displacement of the protective cover Wj500 to the right (in the direction of arrow R) relative to the box cover Wj200 and the box base Wj300 (hereinafter referred to as the "first restricted state").

In the first restricted state, the first restricting portion Wj240 is disposed inside the engagement hole W533 of the protective cover Wj500, and the elastic deformation of the engagement portion Wj530a is released. In addition, in the first restricted state, the inner wall of the engagement hole W533 comes into contact with the surface formed on the right side (arrow R direction side) of the first restricting portion Wj240, thereby restricting the displacement of the protective cover Wj500 toward the left side (arrow L direction side).

Next, as shown in Figures 92(c) and 92(d), by displacing the protective cover Wj500 upward (toward the direction of the arrow U) from the first restricted state, the upper end of the engagement portion Wj530a comes into contact with the engagement portion Wj252 of the second restriction portion Wj250, and the second restriction portion Wj250 is elastically deformed toward the opposite side (toward the direction of the arrow F) from the rear wall portion Wj214a of the cover portion Wj214.

Here, because the plate thickness of the support portion Wj251 is formed to be smaller than the plate thickness of the planar portion Wj220, the support portion Wj251 is elastically deformed by the upper end portion of the engagement portion Wj530a, and displacement toward the upper side (arrow U direction) of the protective cover Wj500 is permitted.

Next, as shown in Figures 93(a) and 93(b), the inner wall of the engagement hole W533 comes into contact with the surface formed on the lower side (arrow D direction) of the first restricting portion Wj240, restricting the displacement of the protective cover Wj500 toward the upper side (arrow U direction) (hereinafter referred to as the "second restricting state").

In the second restricted state, the inner wall of the engagement hole W533 abuts against the surface formed on the upper side (arrow U direction side) of the engagement portion Wj252, restricting the displacement of the protective cover Wj500 downward (arrow D direction side). As a result, the displacement of the protective cover Wj500 from the second restricted state to the first restricted state is restricted.

In the second restricted state, at least a portion of the engagement portion Wj530a is disposed in a position overlapping with the restriction wall portion Wj214b in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction). Therefore, elastic deformation of the engagement portion Wj530a toward the rear side (arrow B direction) is restricted by abutting against the restriction wall portion Wj214b. In other words, the restriction wall portion Wj214b restricts the first restriction portion Wj240 and the second restriction portion Wj250 from disengaging from the engagement portion Wj530a (engagement hole W533) in order to illegally remove the protective cover Wj500 from the box cover Wj200 and the box base Wj300.

As described above, the rear wall portion Wj214a is disposed at a position overlapping the elastic deformation restricting means Wj230 in rear view, so that the second restricting portion Wj250 can be shielded. This makes it difficult to cause the second restricting portion Wj250 to undergo improper elastic deformation and to release the engagement between the first restricting portion Wj240 and the second restricting portion Wj250 and the engaging portion Wj530a (engagement hole W533).

This helps prevent the protective cover Wj500 from being illegally removed from the box cover Wj200 and the box base Wj300.

Next, with reference to Figures 94 and 95, the board box Wk100 in the 26th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 94(a) is a partial front view of the board box Wk100 in the 26th embodiment, Figure 94(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wk100 taken along line XCIVb-XCIVb in Figure 94(a), and Figure 94(c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wk100 taken along line XCIVc-XCIVc in Figure 94(a). Figures 95(a) and 95(c) are partial cross-sectional views of the board box Wk100 taken along line XCIVb-XCIVb in Figure 94(a), and Figures 95(b) and 95(d) are partial cross-sectional views of the board box Wk100 taken along line XCIVc-XCIVc in Figure 94(a).

Note that Figure 94 illustrates a state in which the protective cover W500 has been removed from the box cover W200 and the box base Wk300. In this embodiment, the engaging portion W530b arranged on the upper side (arrow U direction side) of the protective cover W500 will be described as engaging portion W530b1, and the engaging portion W530b arranged on the lower side (arrow D direction side) will be described as engaging portion W530b2, with different reference numerals (see Figure 72).

As shown in Fig. 94, the box base Wk300 of the board box Wk100 in the 26th embodiment has a protrusion Wk312c instead of the protrusion W312c arranged on the lower side (the side in the direction of arrow D) of the pair of protrusions W312c in the seventh embodiment (see Fig. 73). In addition, the cover part Wk312 of the box base Wk300 has a locking part Wk312f.

The protrusion Wk312c has an inclined portion Wk312d that inclines toward the back side (arrow B direction) as it moves from the left side (arrow L direction) to the right side (arrow L direction). The protrusion Wk312c is disposed to the left (arrow L direction) of the protrusion W312c in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction). In detail, the boundary between the inclined portion Wk312d and the front wall portion W312a is formed to the left of the boundary between the inclined portion W312d of the protrusion W312c and the front wall portion W312a, and the side surface of the protrusion Wk312c formed on the right side is formed to the left of the side surface of the protrusion W312c formed on the right side. In addition, the dimension of the protrusion Wk312 in the left-right direction is formed to be approximately 1/2 the dimension of the protrusion W312 in the left-right direction.

As a result, when attaching the protective cover W500 to the box cover W200 and the box base Wk300, the engagement portion W530b2 and the protrusion Wk312c can come into contact with each other earlier than the engagement portion W530b1 and the protrusion W312c (see FIG. 95). Also, the engagement portion W530b2 and the protrusion Wk312c can come into engagement with each other earlier than the engagement portion W530b1 and the protrusion W312c (the protrusion W312c is disposed inside the engagement hole W533 of the engagement portion W530b1). Also, when the engagement portion W530b2 and the protrusion Wk312c are engaged with each other, the protective cover W500 can be displaced left and right (in the direction of the arrows L-R).

The locking portion Wk312f is a portion for restricting the displacement of the engaging portion W530b toward the rear side (arrow B direction), and protrudes toward the left side (arrow L direction) from the left wall portion W302. The locking portion Wk312f includes an inclined portion Wk312g that inclines toward the rear side (arrow B direction) as it moves from the left side (arrow L direction) to the right side (arrow L direction).

The distance between the locking portion Wk312f and the protrusion Wk312c in the left-right direction is set to be greater than the distance between the engagement portion W530b and the inner surface of the engagement hole W533. Furthermore, the inclined portion Wk312g is formed at a position overlapping the protrusion Wk312 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction). As a result, by displacing the protective cover W500 to the right (arrow R direction) from a state in which the engagement portion W530b is engaged with the protrusion Wk312c, the tip of the engagement portion W530b can be brought into contact with the inclined portion Wk312g.

Next, the attachment of the protective cover W500 to the box cover W200 and the box base Wk300 will be described with reference to Figure 95. Note that Figures 95(a) and 95(b) show the protective cover W500 in the middle of being attached to the box cover W200 and the box base Wk300, with the engagement portion W530b1 elastically deformed, and Figures 95(c) and 95(d) show the board box Wk100 in the restricted state.

In the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction), the positions of the engagement holes W533 of the engagement parts W530a, W530b1, and W530b2 are aligned with the positions of the projection W221 of the box cover W200 and the projections W312c, Wk312c of the box base Wk300 (see Figures 72 and 73), and then the protective cover W500 is displaced to the right (arrow R direction) so that the tip of the engagement part W530b2 comes into contact with the inclined part Wk312d of the projection Wk312c. The engagement part W530b2 is elastically deformed toward the rear side (arrow B direction), allowing the protective cover W500 to be displaced to the right.

Next, the protrusion Wk312c is disposed inside the engagement hole W533 of the engagement portion W530b2, thereby releasing the elastic deformation of the engagement portion W530b2 toward the rear side (the direction of arrow B), and the engagement portion W530b2 and the protrusion Wk312c are engaged with each other, as shown in FIG. 95(b).

As described above, the protrusion Wk312c is disposed to the left (arrow L direction) of the protrusion W312c in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction). Therefore, when the engagement portion W530b2 and the protrusion Wk312c are engaged, as shown in FIG. 95(a), the tip of the engagement portion W530b1 abuts against the inclined portion W312d of the protrusion W312c, and the engagement portion W530b1 is elastically deformed toward the rear side (arrow B direction).

In addition, the dimension of the protrusion Wk312 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) is formed to be approximately half the dimension of the protrusion W312 in the left-right direction, so that when the engagement portion W530b2 and the protrusion Wk312c are engaged, the protective cover W500 is allowed to move to the right (arrow R direction).

Next, by displacing the protective cover W500 to the right (arrow R direction) from the state in which the engagement portion W530b2 and the protrusion Wk312c are engaged, the engagement portion W530b1 and the protrusion W312c are engaged, the elastic deformation of the engagement portion W530b1 toward the rear side (arrow B direction) is released, and the board box Wk100 is placed in a restricted state, as shown in FIG. 95(c).

As described above, the inclined portion Wk312g is formed at a position that overlaps the protrusion Wk312 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction). Therefore, by displacing the protective cover W500 to the right (arrow R direction), as shown in FIG. 95(d), the tip of the engaging portion W530b2 comes into contact with the inclined portion Wk312g of the locking portion Wk312f, and the engaging portion W530b2 is elastically deformed toward the front side (arrow F direction). As a result, the elastic deformation of the engaging portion W530b2 toward the back side (arrow B direction) is restricted.

In this way, in this embodiment, the elastic deformation of the engagement portion W530b2 toward the rear side (the direction of arrow B) is restricted, which prevents the engagement portion W530b2 from being improperly elastically deformed toward the rear side, thereby preventing the protective cover W500 from being improperly removed from the box cover W200 and the box base Wk300.

In addition, by displacing the protective cover W500 to the right (arrow R direction), elastic deformation of the engagement portion W530b2 toward the rear side (arrow B direction) is restricted, so the operation of attaching the protective cover W500 to the box cover W200 and box base Wk300 (displacement of the protective cover W500 to the right side) and the operation of restricting elastic deformation of the engagement portion W530b2 toward the rear side can be made the same, making it easier to move the board box Wk100 into the restricted state.

In addition, by engaging the engagement portion W530b1 with the protrusion W312c, displacement of the protective cover W500 toward the left side (arrow L direction) is restricted, and the elastic deformation of the engagement portion W530b2 toward the front side (arrow F direction) can be prevented from being released.

In addition, the tip of the engagement portion W530b2 abuts against the inclined portion Wk312g of the locking portion Wk312f, so that the protective cover W500 can be displaced toward the front side (the direction of the arrow F), and the formation of a gap between the rear wall portion W510 and the standing portion W222 can be prevented. This makes it easier to prevent a wire that is illegally inserted through the gap formed between the rear wall portion W510 and the standing portion W222 from releasing the adhesion between the flat portion W220 and the sealing seal WSL.

Next, with reference to Figures 96 and 97, the board box Wl100 in the 27th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 96(a) is a partial rear view of the substrate box Wl100 in the 27th embodiment, Figure 96(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box Wl100 taken along line XCVIb-XCVIb in Figure 96(a), Figure 96(c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box Wl100 taken along line XCVIc-XCVIc in Figure 96(a), Figure 96(d) is a rear view of the protective cover Wl500, and Figure 96(e) is a cross-sectional view of the protective cover Wl500 taken along line XCVIe-XCVIe in Figure 96(d). FIG. 97(a) is a rear view of the board box Wl100 in part XCVIIa of FIG. 96(a), FIG. 97(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wl100 taken along line XCVIb-XCVIb of FIG. 96(a), and FIG. 97(c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wl100 taken along line XCVIc-XCVIc of FIG. 96(a).

Note that Figures 96(a) to 96(c) show the box cover Wl200 and the box base W300 with the protective cover Wl500 removed. Also, in Figure 97(a), the tip portion Wl436 is shown by a dashed line.

As shown in Figures 96(a) to 96(c), the box cover Wl200 of the board box Wl100 in the 27th embodiment has an elastic deformation restriction means Wl230 instead of the protrusion W221 in the seventh embodiment (see Figure 72).

The elastic deformation restricting means Wl230 is intended to prevent unauthorized removal of the protective cover Wl500 from the box cover Wl200 and the box base W300, and includes a first restricting portion Wl240 and a second restricting portion Wl250 that protrude from the flat portion W220 toward the rear side (the direction of the arrow B).

The first restricting portion Wl240 and the second restricting portion Wl250 are spaced apart in the vertical direction (the direction of the arrows U-D) by the vertical dimension of the connecting portion Wl535 of the protective cover Wl500, which will be described later. This allows the connecting portion Wl535 to be disposed between the opposing first restricting portion Wl240 and the second restricting portion Wl250.

The first restricting portion Wl240 is formed with an inclined portion Wl241 that inclines toward the rear side (arrow B direction) as it moves from the left side (arrow L direction) to the right side (arrow R direction). The locking surface Wl242, which is the surface formed on the opposite side to the inclined portion Wl241 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction), is formed along the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction).

The second restricting portion Wl250 is formed with a first inclined portion Wl251 that inclines toward the rear side (arrow B side) as it moves from the left side (arrow L direction) to the right side (arrow R direction), and a second inclined portion Wl252 that inclines toward the front side (arrow F side) as it moves from the right end of the first inclined portion Wl251 to the right side. In the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction), the second inclined portion Wl252 is disposed at a position overlapping with the locking surface Wl242 of the first restricting portion Wl240.

As shown in Figures 96(d) and 96(e), the engagement portion Wl530a of the protective cover Wl500 includes a connecting portion Wl535 and a tip portion Wl536 disposed at the tip of the connecting portion Wl535.

The connecting portion Wl535 protrudes from approximately the center of the engaging portion Wl530a in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) toward the right side (arrow R direction). The protruding dimension of the connecting portion Wl535 is formed to be larger than the dimension of the first restricting portion Wl240 in the left-right direction and smaller than the dimension of the second restricting portion Wl250 in the left-right direction.

The inclined portion Wl535a formed on the underside of the connecting portion Wl535 is inclined toward the rear side (arrow B direction) as it moves from the left side (arrow L direction) to the right side (arrow R direction). That is, the connecting portion Wl535 is formed so that the connecting portion with the engaging portion Wl530a is smaller than the connecting portion with the tip portion Wl536. This makes it easier to deform the connecting portion Wl535 (tip portion Wl536) relative to the engaging portion Wl530a.

The tip portion Wl536 is formed to extend in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction). In this embodiment, the tip portion Wl536 above the connecting portion Wl535 (arrow U direction side) is referred to as the upper tip portion Wl536a, and the tip portion Wl536 below the connecting portion Wl535 (arrow D direction side) is referred to as the lower tip portion Wl536b.

Next, the circuit board box Wl100 in the restricted state will be described with reference to Figure 97. As described above, the protruding dimension of the connecting portion Wl535 is formed to be larger than the dimension of the first restricting portion Wl240 in the left-right direction, so that the first restricting portion Wl240 is disposed in the space formed between the engaging portion Wl530a and the upper tip portion Wl536a.

On the other hand, the protruding dimension of the connecting portion Wl535 is smaller than the dimension of the second restricting portion Wl250 in the left-right direction, so the second inclined portion Wl252 of the second restricting portion Wl250 comes into contact with the lower tip portion Wl536b. As a result, the connecting portion Wl535 (tip portion Wl536) is rotated (twisted) around the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) as the rotation axis, and the lower tip portion Wl536b is displaced toward the rear side (arrow B direction) and the upper tip portion Wl536a is displaced toward the front side (arrow F direction).

As described above, the inclined portion Wl535a is inclined toward the rear side (arrow B direction) as it moves from the left side (arrow L direction) to the right side (arrow R direction), making it easier to rotate the connecting portion Wl535 (tip portion Wl536) relative to the engaging portion Wl530a.

By displacing the upper end Wl536a toward the front side (the direction of arrow F), the amount of engagement between the upper end Wl536a and the first restricting portion Wl240 can be increased (the overlap between the upper end Wl536a and the first restricting portion Wl240 in the left-right direction can be increased). This makes it difficult to illegally remove the protective cover Wl500 from the box cover Wl200 and the box base W300.

In addition, when the lower tip Wl536b is displaced toward the rear side (arrow B direction) to illegally release the engagement between the lower tip Wl536b and the second restricting part Wl250, the upper tip Wl536a is rotated (twisted) around the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) as a rotation axis and displaced toward the front side (arrow F direction), thereby increasing the amount of engagement between the upper tip Wl536a and the first restricting part Wl240. This makes it difficult to illegally remove the protective cover Wl500 from the box cover Wl200 and the box base W300.

Next, referring to FIG. 98, the board box Wm100 according to the 28th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that parts that are the same as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 98(a) is a partial front view of the board box Wm100 in the 28th embodiment, and Figure 98(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wm100 taken along line XCVIIIb-XCVIIIb in Figure 98(a). Note that the sealing seal WSL in this embodiment is formed in the same way as the sealing seal WSL in the seventh embodiment except that it has smaller dimensions in the up-down direction (direction of arrows U-D), and so will be described using the same reference numerals. Figure 98(a) also shows the state in which the protective cover Wm500 has been removed from the box cover Wm200 and box base Wm300.

As shown in FIG. 98, the box base Wm300 of the board box Wl100 in the 28th embodiment is provided with a pair of elastic deformation restricting means Wm330. A notch Wm327 is formed in the planar portion Wm320 at a position corresponding to the elastic deformation restricting means Wm330, and the elastic deformation restricting means Wm330 is disposed in the space formed by the notch Wm327. The planar portion Wm220 of the box cover Wm200 is provided with a restricting protrusion Wm228, and the engagement portion Wm530b of the protective cover Wm500 is provided with a protrusion Wm534.

The elastic deformation restricting means Wm330 is intended to restrict unauthorized elastic deformation of the engaging portion Wm530b of the protective cover Wm500 in the restricted state, and includes a connecting portion Wm331 that protrudes from the notch Wm327, an extension portion Wm332 that extends in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) from the protruding tip of the connecting portion Wm331, and a contact portion Wm333 and a restricting portion Wm334 that protrude from both ends of the extension portion Wm332 toward the front side (arrow F direction).

The connecting portion Wm331 is plate-shaped and protrudes from the side wall of the flat portion Wm320 formed by the notch Wm327 toward the sealing seal WSL. The inclined portion Wm331a formed on the front side of the connecting portion Wm331 is inclined toward the front side (arrow F direction) as it moves from the upper side (arrow U direction) to the lower side (arrow D direction). That is, the connecting portion Wm331 is formed so that the connecting portion with the side wall of the flat portion Wj220 is smaller than the connecting portion with the extension portion Wm332. This makes it easier to deform the extension portion Wm332 (the abutment portion Wm333 and the restricting portion Wm334) relative to the side wall of the flat portion Wj220.

The abutment portion Wm333 is the portion that abuts against the protrusion Wm534 of the protective cover Wm500 described below, and protrudes from the end of one side (arrow L direction) of the extension portion Wm332 in the extension direction (arrow L-R direction) of the extension portion Wm332 toward the front side (arrow F direction).

The restricting portion Wm334 protrudes toward the front side (arrow F direction) from the end of the extension portion Wm332 on the opposite side (arrow R direction) from the abutting portion Wm333 in the extension direction (arrow L-R direction), and is formed at a position that, in the restricted state, is on the rear side (arrow B direction) of the engaging portion Wm530b of the protective cover Wm500.

The restricting protrusion Wm228 of the planar portion Wm220 is a protrusion for restricting the displacement of the elastic deformation restricting means Wm330 toward the rear side (arrow B direction), and protrudes from the planar portion Wm220 toward the planar portion Wm320 side (arrow F direction) of the box base Wm300. In the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction), the restricting protrusion Wm228 is disposed at a position overlapping with approximately the center of the extension portion Wm332 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction). The restricting protrusion Wm228 may also be disposed at a position overlapping the connecting portion Wm331 or the restricting portion Wm334 in the front-rear direction.

The protrusion Wm534 of the protective cover Wm500 is a protrusion for deforming (rotating) the elastic deformation restricting means Wm330, and protrudes from the rear surface of the engaging portion Wm530b toward the rear surface side (arrow B direction side). The protrusion Wm534 is disposed at a distance from the tip of the engaging portion Wm530b approximately equal to the extension dimension of the extension portion Wm332 of the elastic deformation restricting means Wm330. This allows the tip of the engaging portion Wm530b and the protrusion Wm534 to be disposed on the front surface side (arrow F direction side) of the abutment portion Wm333 and restricting portion Wm334 in the restricted state.

As shown in Figure 98 (b), in the restricted state, the protrusion Wm534 of the engagement portion Wm530b comes into contact with the abutment portion Wm333 of the elastic deformation restricting means Wm330. As a result, the connection portion Wm331 (extension portion Wm332) is rotated (twisted) around the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction) as the rotation axis, and the abutment portion Wm333 is displaced toward the rear side (arrow B direction), and the restricting portion Wm334 is displaced toward the front side (arrow F direction).

As described above, the inclined portion Wm331a is formed to incline toward the front side (arrow F direction) as it moves from the upper side (arrow U direction) to the lower side (arrow D direction), making it easier to rotate the connecting portion Wm331 (extension portion Wm332) relative to the side wall of the flat portion Wj220.

By displacing the restricting portion Wm334 toward the front side (the direction of arrow F), the distance between the restricting portion Wm334 and the tip of the engaging portion Wm530b can be reduced. This makes it difficult to cause unauthorized elastic deformation of the engaging portion Wm530b. Note that in the restricted state, the restricting portion Wm334 may abut against the back surface of the engaging portion Wm530b.

As described above, in the front-to-rear direction (arrow F-B direction), the restricting protrusion Wm228 is disposed at a position overlapping approximately the center of the extension portion Wm332 in the left-to-right direction (arrow L-R direction), so that the restricting protrusion Wm228 comes into contact with the extension portion Wm332, thereby restricting the extension portion Wm332 (contact portion Wm333 and restricting portion Wm334) from being displaced toward the rear side (arrow B direction). This makes it difficult for the engagement portion Wm530b to be elastically deformed improperly.

Next, referring to FIG. 99, the board box Wn100 according to the 29th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 99(a) is a partial front view of the board box Wn100 in the 29th embodiment, Figure 99(b) is a side view of the protective cover Wn500 as viewed in the direction of the arrow XCIXb in Figure 99(a), and Figure 99(c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wn100 along the line XCIXc-XCIXc in Figure 99(a). Note that Figure 99(a) shows the protective cover Wn500 removed from the box cover W200 and box base Wn300, with the protrusion Wn534 and a pair of wall portions Wn538 of the protective cover Wn500 shown by dashed lines.

As shown in FIG. 99, the box base Wm300 of the board box Wn100 in the 29th embodiment has a pair of claw portions Wm340, and the engagement portion Wn530b of the protective cover Wn500 has a protrusion Wn534 and a pair of wall portions Wn538.

The front wall Wn312a of the box base Wm300 has notches formed at positions corresponding to the pair of claws Wm340, and the pair of claws Wm340 are disposed in the space formed by the notches. The pair of claws Wm340 are formed to protrude leftward (arrow L direction side) from the rear surface of the front wall Wn312a, and are disposed on the rear side (arrow B direction side) of the front wall Wn312a.

The pair of claws Wm340 are used to engage the protective cover Wn500 with the box cover W200 and the box base Wn300, and are arranged in a position overlapping the engagement portion Wn530b of the protective cover Wn500 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction) in the restricted state. An engagement hole Wm341 is drilled in the pair of claws Wm340 at a position on the protruding tip side (arrow L direction side) of the claws Wm340.

The engagement hole Wm341 is formed slightly larger than the outer shape of the protrusion Wn534 of the protective cover Wn500 described below, and the protrusion Wn534 is disposed inside the engagement hole Wm341 (the protrusion Wn534 engages with the engagement hole Wm341), thereby engaging the protective cover Wn500 with the box cover W200 and the box base Wn300.

The engaging portion Wn530b has a pair of connecting pieces W531b at both ends of the engaging portion Wn530b in the up-down direction (arrows U-D direction) spaced a predetermined distance apart in the left-right direction (arrows L-R direction). This prevents the engaging portion Wn530b from elastically deforming.

Furthermore, the engagement portion Wn530b is formed closer to the front side (the direction of the arrow F) than the engagement portion W530b in the seventh embodiment, and in this embodiment, is disposed on approximately the same plane as the front wall portion W520.

The protrusion Wn534 protrudes from the engagement portion Wn530b toward the rear wall portion W510 (arrow B direction). In the restricted state, the protrusion Wn534 is disposed at a position overlapping the engagement hole Wm341 in the front-to-rear direction (arrow F-B direction). This allows the protective cover Wn500 to engage with the box cover W200 and the box base Wn300.

The pair of walls Wn538 are intended to prevent a wire improperly inserted through a gap formed between the front wall W520 and the engagement portion Wn530b from releasing the engagement between the engagement hole Wm341 and the protrusion Wn534. The pair of walls Wn538 are formed at the end of the engagement portion Wn530b facing the front wall W520. This provides a protrusion Wn534 between the opposing pair of walls Wn538. The pair of walls Wn538 also protrude from the engagement portion Wn530b toward the rear wall W510 (arrow B direction).

As shown in FIG. 99(c), in the restricted state, a protrusion Wn534 is disposed on the inside of the engagement hole Wm341, and the inner wall of the engagement hole Wm341 comes into contact with the protrusion Wn534, restricting the displacement of the protective cover Wn500 to the left (in the direction of the arrow L).

The engaging portion Wn530b is disposed on approximately the same plane as the front wall portion W520, and the pair of claw portions Wm340 are disposed on the rear side (arrow B direction side) of the front wall portion Wn312a, so that in the restricted state, the pair of claw portions Wm340 are disposed on the rear wall portion W510 side (arrow B direction side) of the engaging portion Wn530b. Therefore, the pair of claw portions Wm340 are shielded by the protective cover Wn500. This makes it possible to prevent the pair of claw portions Wm340 from being improperly elastically deformed, and to prevent the protective cover Wn500 from being improperly removed from the box cover W200 and the box base Wn300.

Next, referring to FIG. 100, the board box Wo100 according to the 30th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 100(a) is a partial rear view of the board box Wo100 in the 30th embodiment, and Figure 100(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wo100 taken along line Cb-Cb in Figure 100(a). Note that the retaining pin Wo580 is omitted from Figure 100(a).

As shown in FIG. 100, the protective cover Wo500 of the board box Wo100 in the 30th embodiment has a retaining pin Wo580, and the planar portion Wq220 has a recess Wo229.

In addition, since the protective cover Wo500 is provided with the anti-slip pin Wo580, the flat portion Wo220 is formed on the front side by the amount of protrusion of the anti-slip pin Wo580 toward the front side (the direction of the arrow F) relative to the engagement portion Wo530a. This makes it possible to prevent the anti-slip pin Wo580 from coming into contact with the sealing seal WSL, thereby preventing damage to the sealing seal WSL.

The rear wall portion Wo214a of the cover portion Wo214 is formed to protrude further toward the protruding tip side (arrow L direction side) than the rear wall portion W214a in the seventh embodiment (see FIG. 73). The rear wall portion Wo214a has a protrusion Wo214b protruding toward the flat portion W320 side (arrow F direction side) at a position overlapping with the engagement hole W533 of the engagement portion Wo530a when viewed from behind in the restricted state. The protrusion Wo214b is a portion for engaging the box cover Wo200 with the protective cover Wo500 (engagement portion Wo530a) (for restricting displacement of the protective cover Wo500 to the opposite side from the side wall portion W212).

A recess Wo229 is recessed into the flat portion Wo220 at a position overlapping the retaining pin Wo580 in the front-to-rear direction (arrow F-B direction). The recess Wo229 is recessed from the rear surface of the flat portion Wo220 toward the flat portion W320 of the box base W300 (arrow F direction). This forms a space between the recess Wo229 and the sealing seal WSL.

The recess Wo229 is formed in a circular shape when viewed from the rear, and the inner diameter of the recess Wo229 is formed to be approximately the same as or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the head Wo581 described below. This makes it possible to receive a part of the retaining pin Wo580 inside the recess Wo229 when the engagement portion Wo530a is displaced (elastically deformed).

The engagement portion Wo530a of the protective cover Wo500 has an insertion hole Wo538 between the connecting piece W531a and the engagement hole W533. The insertion hole Wo538 is a hole for inserting the pin portion Wo582 of the anti-slip pin Wo580 described later, and is formed in a circular shape when viewed from behind.

The retaining pin Wo580 is made of a resin material and has a head Wo581 formed in a plate shape and a pair of pin portions Wo582 formed in a plate shape and erected in the plate thickness direction from the head Wo581.

The head Wo581 is circular when viewed from the rear, and the outer diameter of the head Wo581 is larger than the inner diameter of the insertion hole Wo538.

The erect length of the pair of pin portions Wo582 is formed to be smaller than the dimension between the back surface of the engagement portion Wo530a on the side opposite the sealing seal WSL and the sealing seal WSL. The pair of pin portions Wo582 are disposed at a predetermined distance in the plate thickness direction. In addition, the pair of pin portions Wo582 are formed with a plate thickness that allows for flexural deformation, and the pair of pin portions Wo582 are deformable in a direction approaching each other.

The erected tip of the pin portion Wo582 is formed with a locking portion Wo583 that protrudes toward the opposite side of the opposing surface. The opposite side of the engaging portion Wo583 is formed with an inclined portion o584 that is inclined toward the opposing surface of the engaging portion Wo583 as it approaches the erected tip, and the outer shape of the engaging portion Wo583 at the erected tip is formed to a size that allows it to pass through the insertion hole Wo538.

The outer shape of the locking portion Wo583 on the head Wo581 side (opposite the erected tip side) is formed to a size that does not allow it to pass through the insertion hole Wo538. In addition, the outer shape of the locking portion Wo583 on the head Wo581 side is formed to a size that allows it to pass through the insertion hole Wo538 when the pair of pin portions Wo582 are bent and deformed in a direction toward each other. In addition, the outer shape of the locking portion Wo583 on the erected tip side is formed to a size that allows it to pass through the insertion hole Wo538.

As a result, the retaining pin Wo580 is deflected in a direction in which the pair of pin portions Wo582 approach each other, and the locking portion Wo583 is inserted through the insertion hole Wo538. On the other hand, the deflection of the pair of pin portions Wo582 is released, and the locking portion Wo583 comes into contact with the engagement portion Wo530a, restricting displacement in the direction opposite (arrow B direction) to the insertion direction (arrow F direction).

The inclined portion o584 is formed so as to incline toward the opposing surface of the locking portion Wo583 as it approaches the erected tip, so that when the inclined portion o584 comes into contact with the inner circumference of the insertion hole Wo538, the pair of pin portions Wo582 are deflected and deformed in a direction that brings them closer to each other.

The outer diameter of the head Wo581 is made larger than the inner diameter of the insertion hole Wo538, so that the head Wo581 abuts against the engagement portion Wo530a, restricting the displacement of the retaining pin Wo580 in the insertion direction (direction of arrow F). This prevents the erected tips of the pair of pin portions Wo582 from abutting against the sealing seal WSL, preventing damage to the sealing seal WSL.

On the other hand, if the engaging portion Wo530a is elastically deformed toward the front side (arrow F direction) in order to illegally remove the protective cover Wo500 from the box cover Wo200 and the box base W300, the erected tips of the pair of pin portions Wo582 come into contact with the sealing seal WSL. This restricts the elastic deformation of the engaging portion Wo530a toward the front side (arrow F direction), and prevents the protective cover Wo500 from being removed from the box cover Wo200 and the box base W300.

In addition, the sealing seal WSL is damaged when the erected tips of the pair of pins Wo582 come into contact with the sealing seal WSL. This makes it easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize that a fraudulent person may have performed tampering on the main control board (not shown).

In addition, in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction), the flat portion Wo220 at the position overlapping with the retaining pin Wo580 (pair of pin portions Wo582) may have a recess facing the opposite side to the sealing seal WSL (arrow F direction). This makes it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL by abutting the erected tip portions of the pair of pin portions Wo582 with the sealing seal WSL.

Next, the attachment of the protective cover Wo500 to the box cover Wo200 and the box base W300 will be described. When attaching the protective cover Wo500 to the box cover Wo200 and the box base W300, the anti-slip pin Wo580 is disengaged from the protective cover Wo500, and with the protective cover Wo500 attached to the box cover Wo200 and the box base W300, the anti-slip pin Wo580 is engaged with the protective cover Wo500.

This makes it possible to prevent damage to the sealing seal WSL caused by the anti-slip pin Wo580 (locking portion Wo583) compared to when the protective cover Wo500 with the anti-slip pin Wo580 engaged is attached to the box cover Wo200 and the box base W300.

Next, referring to FIG. 101, a protective cover Wp500 according to the 31st embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that parts that are the same as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 101 is a rear view of the protective cover Wp500 in the 31st embodiment. Note that in this embodiment, the box cover and box base to which the protective cover Wp500 is attached are not shown, and the concept of removing the protective cover Wp500 from the box cover and box base is explained. Also, in the explanation of Figure 101, Figure 100 will be referred to as appropriate.

As shown in FIG. 101, the protective cover Wp500 in the 33rd embodiment has a second engagement portion Wp590. The protective cover Wp500 has a pair formed symmetrically (vertically symmetrically in FIG. 101) with respect to a plane parallel to the upper wall portion (lower wall portion W501) at approximately the center of the upper wall portion and lower wall portion W501 of the protective cover Wp500. In addition, the engagement portion W530b is not formed on the front wall portion Wp520 of the protective cover Wp500 (see FIG. 72).

The engaging portion Wp530a has a pair of connecting pieces W531b at both ends of the engaging portion Wp530a in the up-down direction (arrows U-D direction) spaced a predetermined distance apart in the left-right direction (arrows L-R direction). The connecting piece W531b on the left side (arrow L direction) of the pair of connecting pieces W531b is connected to the rear wall portion Wp510, and the connecting piece W531b on the right side (arrow R direction) of the pair of connecting pieces W531b is connected to the second engaging portion Wp590.

The second engagement part Wp590 is the part with which the retaining pin Wo580 engages. The second engagement part Wp590 has an insertion hole Wo538, a connecting piece W531a, and a pair of connecting pieces W531b. The connecting piece W531a is connected to the left side (arrow L direction) end of the second engagement part Wp590 and the rear wall part Wp510, and the connecting piece W531b is connected to both ends of the second engagement part Wp590 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction) and the upper end (lower end) and upper wall part (lower wall part W501) of the engagement part Wp530a.

The box cover and the box base each have a protrusion that engages with the engagement hole W533 at a position corresponding to the engagement hole W533 of one of the pair of engagement parts Wp530a in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction). These protrusions are arranged symmetrically with respect to a plane parallel to the rear wall part Wp510 (front wall part Wp520) at approximately the center of the rear wall part Wp510 and the front wall part Wp520.

As a result, when the protrusion formed on the box cover and the engagement hole W533 of one (the other) of the pair of engagement parts Wp530a are engageable, the protrusion formed on the box base and the engagement hole W533 of the other (the other) of the pair of engagement parts Wp530a are disengaged.

When the protrusion formed on the box cover is engageable with one (the other) engagement hole W533 of the pair of engagement parts Wp530a, the retaining pin Wo580 is inserted into the insertion hole Wo538 of the second engagement part Wp590 connected to one (the other) engagement part Wp530a, and the second engagement part Wp590 and the retaining pin Wo580 are engaged.

If one (the other) of the engaging parts Wp530a is improperly elastically deformed toward the front side (arrow F direction) in order to improperly remove the protective cover Wp500 from the box cover and box base, the erected tips of the pair of pin parts Wo582 come into contact with the sealing seal WSL. This restricts the elastic deformation of one (the other) of the engaging parts Wp530a toward the front side (arrow F direction), preventing the protective cover Wp500 from being removed from the box cover and box base.

In addition, the sealing seal WSL is damaged when the erected tips of the pair of pins Wo582 come into contact with the sealing seal WSL. This makes it easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize that a fraudulent person may have performed tampering on the main control board (not shown).

The protective cover Wp500 can be removed from the box cover and box base by cutting the connecting pieces W531a, W531b connected to the one (other) engaging part Wp530a and the second engaging part Wp590 with a cutting tool (not shown), and separating the one (other) engaging part Wp530a and the second engaging part Wp590 from the protective cover Wp500.

Here, the protective cover Wp500, from which one (the other) engaging portion Wp530a and the second engaging portion Wp590 have been separated, can be rotated (flipped) 180 degrees around the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) as a rotation axis, allowing the protrusion formed on the box base to engage with the other (one) engaging hole W533 of the pair of engaging portions Wp530a.

This allows the protective cover Wp500 to be used (reused) twice to prevent the box cover and box base from being opened. As a result, the maintenance costs of the pachinko machine W10 can be reduced compared to when the protective cover Wp500 is discarded every time the box cover and box base are opened.

In addition, depending on whether one (the other) of the engaging parts Wp530a and the second engaging part Wp590 are separated from the protective cover Wp500, it is possible to distinguish whether the protective cover Wp500 is reused and attached to the box cover and box base, or whether a new protective cover Wp500 is attached to the box cover and box base. Therefore, by comparing with the maintenance record of the pachinko machine W10, for example, if the maintenance record indicates that the protective cover Wp500 is reused, but a new protective cover Wp500 is attached to the box cover and box base, it is possible to easily make the worker (store clerk) aware that there is a risk of fraudulent manipulation of the main control board (not shown) by a fraudster.

Next, referring to FIG. 102, the board box Wq100 according to the 32nd embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 102(a) is a partial rear view of the board box Wq100 in the 32nd embodiment, and Figure 102(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wq100 taken along line CIIb-CIIb in Figure 102(a).

As shown in FIG. 102, the protective cover Wq500 of the board box Wq100 in the 32nd embodiment has a second engagement portion Wq590 and a pair of protrusions Wq534. Since the protective cover Wq500 has the second engagement portion Wq590, the dimension of the rear wall portion Wq510 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction) is shorter than the dimension of the rear wall portion W510 in the seventh embodiment.

In addition, by forming a pair of protrusions Wq534 on the engagement portion Wq530a, the flat portion Wq220 is formed on the front side (the direction of the arrow F) by the amount of protrusion of the pair of protrusions Wq534. This makes it possible to prevent the pair of protrusions Wq534 from coming into contact with the sealing seal WSL when attaching the protective cover Wq500 to the box cover Wq200 and the box base W300, thereby preventing damage to the sealing seal WSL.

A recess Wq229 is recessed into the flat surface Wq220 at a position overlapping a pair of protrusions Wq534 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction). The recess Wq229 is recessed from the rear surface of the flat surface Wq220 toward the flat surface W320 side of the box base W300 (arrow F direction). This forms a space between the recess Wq229 and the sealing seal WSL.

The rear wall Wq214a of the cover Wq214 is formed to protrude further toward the protruding tip side (arrow L direction side) than the rear wall W214a in the seventh embodiment (see FIG. 73). The rear wall Wq214a has a protrusion Wq214b protruding toward the flat surface W320 side (arrow F direction side) at a position overlapping with the engagement hole W533 (see FIG. 73) of the engagement part Wq530a in a rear view in the restricted state. The protrusion Wq214b is a portion for engaging the box cover Wq200 and the protective cover Wq500 (engagement part Wq530a) (for restricting the displacement of the protective cover Wq500 to the opposite side from the side wall W212). The cover Wq214 does not have a side wall on the lower side (arrow D direction side).

The second engagement portion Wq590 is disposed at the end of the engagement portion Wq530a on the lower side (the side indicated by the arrow D), and the pair of protrusions Wq534 are disposed at the end of the engagement portion Wq530a on the opposite side (the side indicated by the arrow U) from the second engagement portion Wq590. The pair of protrusions Wq534 are also disposed at a predetermined distance apart in the left-right direction (the direction indicated by the arrows L-R).

The second engagement portion Wq590 has an insertion hole Wo538 (see FIG. 100). When the pin portion Wo582 of the retaining pin Wo580 is inserted through the insertion hole Wo538, the retaining pin Wo580 engages with the second engagement portion Wq590.

Next, the removal of the protective cover Wq500 from the box cover Wq200 and the box base W300 will be described. When removing the engaging portion Wq530a from the box cover Wq200 in a state in which the engaging portion Wq530a has been separated from the protective cover Wq500, the engaging portion Wq530a can be easily removed from the box cover Wq200 by displacing the engaging portion Wq530a downward, since the cover portion Wq214 does not have a side wall on the lower side (the side in the direction of arrow D).

Here, in order to release the engagement between the engagement hole W533 of the engagement portion Wq530a and the protrusion Wq214b of the rear wall portion Wq214a, it is necessary to displace the engagement portion Wq530a toward the flat portion W320 (in the direction of the arrow F).

On the other hand, the anti-slip pin Wo580 is engaged with the second engagement portion Wq590, and the protruding tip of the pin portion Wo582 is disposed closer to the flat portion W320 (in the direction of the arrow F) than the second engagement portion Wq590, so that the protruding tip of the pin portion Wo582 is easily brought into contact with the rear wall portion Wq510.

Therefore, in order to prevent the protruding tip of the pin portion Wo582 from coming into contact with the rear wall portion Wq510, the retaining pin Wo580 is rotated toward the opposite side (arrow B direction) from the flat portion W320, with the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) as the rotation axis. As a result, the pair of protrusions Wq534 are rotated toward the flat portion W320 side (arrow F direction), and the pair of protrusions Wq534 damage the sealing seal WSL.

The pair of protrusions Wq534 can be easily received in the space formed between the sealing seal WSL and the recess Wq229, making it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL with the pair of protrusions Wq534. The area of the sealing seal WSL that is damaged by the pair of protrusions Wq534 can also be made larger.

In this way, in this embodiment, by making it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL when removing the engagement portion Wq530a from the box cover Wq200, it is possible to make the worker (store clerk) more aware of the risk of unauthorized operation of the main control board (not shown).

Next, referring to FIG. 103(a), the board box Wr100 according to the 33rd embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 103(a) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wr100 in the 33rd embodiment, and corresponds to line LXXIVb-LXXIVb in Figure 73(b). In the explanation of Figure 103(a), Figure 74(a) will be referred to as appropriate.

As shown in FIG. 103(a), the box cover Wr200 of the board box Wr100 in the 33rd embodiment has a protrusion Wr214b instead of the protrusion W221 in the seventh embodiment (see FIG. 72).

The protrusion W221 is not formed on the flat surface portion Wr220, and a notch is formed at a position overlapping the engagement portion W530a in rear view up to a position on the opposite side of the side wall portion W212 (the direction of the arrow L) from the engagement hole W533. This prevents the engagement portion W530a from contacting the flat surface portion Wr220 and restricting the elastic deformation of the engagement portion W530a even when the engagement portion W530a is elastically deformed toward the flat surface portion Wr220 (the direction of the arrow F).

The rear wall portion Wr214a of the cover portion Wr214 is formed to protrude further toward the protruding tip side (arrow L direction side) than the rear wall portion W214a in the seventh embodiment (see FIG. 73). The rear wall portion Wr214a has a protrusion Wr214b protruding toward the flat portion W320 side (arrow F direction side) at a position overlapping with the engagement hole W533 of the engagement portion W530a in rear view. The protrusion Wr214b is a portion for engaging the box cover Wr200 and the protective cover Wr500 (engagement portion W530a) (for restricting displacement of the protective cover Wr500 to the opposite side from the side wall portion W212).

The protrusion Wr214b protrudes from the rear wall portion Wr214a toward the flat surface portion W320 (in the direction of arrow F), so that the engagement portion W530a can be elastically deformed toward the front wall portion W520 (flat surface portion Wr220) to engage the box cover Wr200 and the protective cover Wr500.

On the other hand, the pair of engaging portions W530b are elastically deformed toward the rear wall portion W510 side (the flat portion W320 side, the direction of arrow B) to engage the box base W300 and the protective cover Wr500 (see FIG. 74(a)). Therefore, in order to illegally release the engagement between the box cover Wr200 and the box base W300 and the protective cover W500, the direction in which the engaging portions W530a are elastically deformed (displaced) (the direction of arrow F) can be opposite to the direction in which the pair of engaging portions W530b are elastically deformed (displaced) (the direction of arrow B).

As a result, when the engaging portion W530a (pair of engaging portions W530b) is elastically deformed (displaced) to release the engagement between the engaging portion W530a (pair of engaging portions W530b) and the protrusions Wr214b (pair of protrusions W312c), the pair of engaging portions W530b (engaging portion W530a) can be displaced in a direction that maintains the engagement with the pair of protrusions W312c (protrusions Wr214b) in accordance with the elastic deformation (displacement) of the engaging portion W530a (pair of engaging portions W530b). As a result, unauthorized removal of the protective cover Wr500 from the box cover Wr200 and the box base W300 can be prevented.

In addition, the protrusion Wr214b protrudes from the rear wall portion Wr214a toward the flat portion W320 (the direction of the arrow F), so that the engagement between the protrusion Wr214b and the engagement hole W533 is blocked by the rear wall portion Wr214a. This makes it difficult for the engagement between the protrusion Wr214b and the engagement hole W533 to be illegally released.

Next, referring to FIG. 103(b), the board box Ws100 according to the 34th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 103(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Ws100 in the 34th embodiment, and corresponds to line LXXIVa-LXXIVa in Figure 73(b). In addition, in the explanation of Figure 103(b), Figure 74(b) will be referred to as appropriate.

As shown in FIG. 103(b), the box base Ws300 of the board box Ws100 in the 34th embodiment has a pair of protrusions Ws328 instead of the pair of protrusions W312c in the seventh embodiment (see FIG. 73). Note that the manner in which the pair of engagement portions W530b engage with the pair of protrusions Ws328 is the same on one side (upper side) and the other side (lower side) (see FIG. 73), so a cross-sectional view of one side will be illustrated and explained, and an explanation of the other side will be omitted.

The front wall W312a of the box base Ws300 does not have the projections W312c, and the planar portion Ws320 extends to a position overlapping the engagement holes W533 of the pair of engagement portions W530b in a front view. At the extended tip of the planar portion Ws320, a pair of projections Ws328 protrude toward the planar portion W220 (the direction of arrow B) at a position overlapping the engagement holes W533 of the pair of engagement portions W530b in a front view. The pair of projections Ws328 are used to engage the box base Ws300 with the protective cover W500 (the pair of engagement portions W530b) (to restrict displacement of the protective cover W500 in the direction opposite the left wall W302).

The pair of projections Ws328 protrude from the flat surface Ws320 toward the opposite side to the front wall W312a (the direction of arrow F), allowing the pair of engagement portions W530b to be elastically deformed toward the front wall W312a side (the opposite side to the flat surface W220) in order to engage the box base Ws300 and the protective cover W500.

On the other hand, the engagement portion W530a is elastically deformed toward the opposite side of the front wall portion W520 (the opposite side of the flat portion W220, the direction of arrow B) to engage the box cover W200 and the protective cover W500 (see FIG. 74(b)). Therefore, in order to illegally release the engagement between the box cover W200 and the box base Ws300 and the protective cover W500, the direction in which the engagement portion W530a is elastically deformed (displaced) (arrow B direction) can be opposite to the direction in which the pair of engagement portions W530b are elastically deformed (displaced) (arrow F direction).

As a result, when the engaging portion W530a (pair of engaging portions W530b) is elastically deformed (displaced) to release the engagement between the engaging portion W530a (pair of engaging portions W530b) and the protrusions W221 (pair of protrusions Ws328), the pair of engaging portions W530b (engaging portion W530a) can be displaced in a direction that maintains the engagement with the pair of protrusions Ws328 (protrusions W221) in accordance with the elastic deformation (displacement) of the engaging portion W530a (pair of engaging portions W530b). As a result, unauthorized removal of the protective cover W500 from the box cover W200 and the box base Ws300 can be prevented.

Next, referring to FIG. 104, the board box Wt100 according to the 35th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 104(a) is a partial rear view of the board box Wt100 in the 35th embodiment, and Figure 104(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wt100 taken along line CIVb-CIVb in Figure 104(a). Note that Figure 104 illustrates the board box Wt100 with the protective cover W500 removed.

As shown in FIG. 104, the box cover Wt200 (flat portion Wt220) of the board box Wt100 in the 35th embodiment has a protrusion Wt224b instead of the recess W224b in the seventh embodiment (see FIG. 73).

The protrusion Wt224b protrudes from the rear surface of the planar portion Wt220 toward the opposite side to the planar portion W320 (the direction of the arrow B) and is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in cross section. The protrusion Wt224b ensures the strength of the planar portion Wt220.

A pair of notches Wt224b1 are formed in the protrusion Wt224b. The space formed between the opposing surfaces of the protrusion Wt224b by the notches Wt224b1 is defined as the cutting space WS3. In the restricted state, the cutting space WS3 is disposed at a position overlapping the connecting piece W531b of the engagement portion W530a when viewed from behind.

The distance between the opposing surfaces of the protrusion Wt224b formed by the notch Wt224b1 is formed to be approximately equal to or slightly larger than the extension dimension of the connecting piece W531b (see FIG. 73) in the vertical direction (direction of the arrows U-D). This allows the tip of a cutting tool (not shown) to be received in the cutting space WS3 when cutting the connecting piece W531b.

The protrusion Wt224b extends in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction) and is formed by connecting a pair of end wall portions W223. This allows the sealing seal WSL to be attached to the protrusion Wt224b between both ends of the sealing seal WSL in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction), excluding the cutting space WS3. Therefore, compared to a case where both ends of the sealing seal WSL in the vertical direction are not attached to the protrusion Wt224b, it is possible to prevent wrinkles from occurring in the sealing seal WSL and to prevent a space from occurring between the back surface of the flat portion Wt220 and the sealing seal WSL. As a result, it is possible to prevent the sealing seal WSL from being easily peeled off from the back surface of the flat portion Wt220.

In addition, by connecting the protrusion Wt224b to the pair of end wall portions W223, the strength of the pair of end wall portions W223 can be ensured.

Note that the protrusions Wt224b may be unconnected to the pair of end wall portions W223 as long as they extend beyond both ends of the sealing seal WSL in the vertical direction (direction of the arrows U-D) toward the pair of end wall portions W223.

In the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction), the distance between the protruding tip of the protrusion Wt224b and the protruding tip of the pair of end wall portions W223 is greater than the distance between the front surface of the engagement portion W530a (the surface facing the front wall portion W520) and the front surface of the rear wall portion W510 (the surface facing the front wall portion W520) (see FIG. 72). This prevents the sealing seal WSL affixed to the protrusion Wt224b from coming into contact with the engagement portion W530a when the protective cover W500 is attached to the box cover Wt200 and the box base W300, and prevents the sealing seal WSL from being damaged.

In addition, in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction), the distance between the protruding tip of the protrusion Wt224b and the protruding tip of the pair of end wall portions W223 may be formed to be approximately the same as the distance between the front surface of the engagement portion W530a (the surface facing the front wall portion W520) and the front surface of the rear wall portion W510 (the surface facing the front wall portion W520).

In the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction), the dimensions of the protrusion Wt224b are formed to be approximately the same as the dimensions of the connecting piece W531b of the engagement portion W530a.

Next, the application of the sealing seal WSL to the protrusion Wt224b will be described. The sealing seal WSL is applied along the protruding shape of the protrusion Wt224b, and is applied to a pair of side surfaces and the protruding tip surface that connect the protruding tip surface of the protrusion Wt224b to the flat portion Wt220.

On the other hand, the sealing seal WSL is not affixed to the opposing surface of the protrusion Wt224b formed by the notch Wt224b1 or to the flat portion Wt220 in the cutting space WS3. Therefore, the sealing seal WSL is affixed to the protrusion Wt224b in a manner that surrounds the cutting space WS3.

This makes it easier to place the tip of a cutting tool (not shown) in the cutting space WS3 when cutting the connecting piece W531b (see FIG. 73). As a result, it is easier to damage the sealing seal WSL with the tip of the cutting tool.

In addition, the dimensions of the protrusion Wt224b in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) are formed to be approximately the same as the dimensions of the connecting piece W531b of the engagement portion W530a, so the tip of a cutting tool (not shown) can be positioned in a manner that faces the sealing seal WSL. This allows the marks (damage) formed on the sealing seal WSL to be made larger.

Next, referring to FIG. 105, the board box Wu100 according to the 36th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 105 is a partial rear view of the board box Wu100 in the 36th embodiment, and corresponds to the cross-sectional view taken along line LXXXa-LXXXa in Figure 73(b).

As shown in FIG. 105, the protective cover Wu500 of the board box Wu100 in the 36th embodiment has a protrusion Wu534. Compared to the protrusion Wu534 in the 11th embodiment, the protrusion Wu534 is formed such that the side surface Wu534c of the protrusion Wu534 formed on the protruding tip side (arrow R direction side) of the engagement part Wu530b is curved on an arc that is convex toward the protruding tip side. The side surface Wu534d of the protrusion Wu534 formed on the opposite side (arrow L direction side) from the protruding tip of the engagement part Wu530b is formed by linearly connecting the engagement part Wu530b and the protruding tip of the protrusion Wu534.

As a result, when the engagement portion Wu530b is elastically deformed toward the sealing seal WSL (arrow B direction) to attach the protective cover Wu500 to the box cover W200 and the box base W5300, the side surface Wu534c of the projection Wu534 faces the sealing seal WSL. Therefore, even if the side surface Wu534c of the projection Wu534 abuts against the sealing seal WSL due to factors such as the machining accuracy (dimensional tolerance) of the box base W5300 or the protective cover Wu500, it is possible to easily prevent the sealing seal WSL from being damaged when the protective cover Wu500 is displaced toward the cover portion W312 (arrow R direction).

In other words, even if the protective cover Wu500 has the protrusion Wu534, damage to the sealing seal WSL is likely to be suppressed when the protective cover Wu500 is attached to the box cover W200 and the box base W5300.

On the other hand, when the protective cover Wu500 is displaced toward the opposite side to the cover part W312 (the direction of arrow L) while elastically deforming the engagement part Wu530b in order to illegally remove the protective cover Wu500 from the box cover W200 and the box base W5300, the sealing seal WSL can be easily damaged by the connecting part (the protruding tip part of the protrusion Wu534) of the side surfaces Wu534c and Wu534d.

In this manner, in this embodiment, even if the protective cover Wu500 has a protrusion Wu534 and is configured such that the sealing seal WSL is easily damaged if the protective cover Wu500 is unauthorizedly removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W5300, it is possible to easily prevent the sealing seal WSL from being damaged when attaching the protective cover Wu500 to the box cover W200 and the box base W5300.

In addition, side Wu534d may be curved concavely toward side Wu534c (the direction of arrow R). This allows the connection between side Wu534c and side Wu534d to be sharp, making it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL.

Next, referring to FIG. 106, the board box Wv100 according to the 37th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 106(a) is a partial rear view of the board box Wv100 in the 37th embodiment, and Figure 106(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wv100 taken along line CVIb-CVIb in Figure 106(a). Note that in Figure 106(a), the outline of the recess Wv229 and the sealing seal WSL are shown by dashed lines. Also, in the explanation of Figure 106, Figure 102 will be referred to as appropriate.

As shown in FIG. 106, the box cover Wv200 of the board box Wv100 in the 37th embodiment has a recess Wv229 in addition to the box cover Wq200 in the 32nd embodiment.

The recess Wv229 is recessed at a position overlapping the anti-pullout pin Wo580 when viewed from behind in the restricted state. The recess Wv229 is formed in a circular shape when viewed from behind, and the inner diameter of the recess Wv229 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the head Wo581. The sealing seal WSL is affixed to the flat portion Wv220 on the opposite side of the recess Wv229 from the side wall portion W212 (the side in the direction of arrow L). In other words, the sealing seal WSL is not affixed to the recess Wv229.

The protrusion amount of the pair of protrusions Wv534 formed on the protective cover Wv500 (engagement portion Wv530a) is shorter than that of the pair of protrusions Wq534 in the 32nd embodiment. In detail, when the retaining pin Wo580 is disposed (engaged) on the protective cover Wv500, the protruding tip portions of the pair of protrusions Wv534 are formed on the opposite side to the box base W300 (the direction of arrow B) from the protruding tip portion of the locking portion Wo583 of the retaining pin Wo580.

Of the pair of protrusions Wv534, the protrusion Wv534 arranged on the left wall W502 side (arrow L direction side) is arranged in a position overlapping the sealing seal WSL in rear view. This allows the protrusion Wv534 arranged on the left wall W502 side to come into contact with the sealing seal WSL when the pair of protrusions Wv534 are displaced (rotated) toward the box base W300 side (arrow F direction side).

In addition, by forming a pair of protrusions Wv534 on the engagement portion Wv530a, the flat portion Wv220 is formed toward the box base W300 (in the direction of arrow F) by the amount of protrusion of the pair of protrusions Wv534. This makes it possible to prevent the pair of protrusions Wv534 from coming into contact with the sealing seal WSL when attaching the protective cover Wv500 to the box cover Wv200 and the box base W300, thereby preventing damage to the sealing seal WSL.

Meanwhile, in the restricted state, the anti-slip pin Wo580 is disposed (engaged) in the protective cover Wv500, so that the protruding tip of the locking portion Wo583 of the anti-slip pin Wo580 is disposed closer to the box base W300 (in the direction of the arrow F) than the protruding tips of the pair of projections Wv534. As a result, the protruding tip of the locking portion Wo583 is received in the space formed by the recess Wv229.

As a result, when attaching the protective cover Wv500 to the box cover Wv200 and the box base W300, the engagement portion Wv530a is elastically deformed when the anti-slip pin Wo580 is not disposed (not engaged), and the engagement hole W533 (see FIG. 103(a)) of the engagement portion Wv530a can engage with the protrusion Wq214b of the box cover Wv200.

In the restricted state, when the anti-slip pin Wo580 is disposed (engaged) in the protective cover Wv500, the locking portion Wo583 abuts against the bottom surface of the recess Wv229, restricting the elastic deformation of the engagement portion Wv530a. This prevents the engagement portion Wv530a from being disengaged from the box cover Wv200.

In addition, when the protective cover Wv500 is displaced toward the opposite side of the side wall W212 (the direction of arrow L) while the engaging portion Wv530a is improperly elastically deformed in order to disengage the engaging hole W533 (see FIG. 73) of the engaging portion Wv530a from the protrusion Wq214b of the rear wall Wq214a, the engaging portion Wo583 comes into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the recess Wv229, thereby restricting the displacement of the protective cover Wv500 toward the opposite side of the side wall W212. This makes it possible to prevent the protective cover Wv500 from being removed from the box cover Wv200 and the box base W300.

Next, the removal of the protective cover Wv500 from the box cover Wv200 and the box base W300 will be described. When the engaging portion Wv530a is removed from the box cover Wv200 with the engaging portion Wv530a separated from the protective cover Wv500, the engagement hole W533 of the engaging portion Wv530a is released from the protrusion Wq214b of the rear wall portion Wq214a, and the retaining pin Wo580 is rotated toward the opposite side (arrow B direction) from the flat portion W320 with the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) as the rotation axis in order to prevent the protruding tip of the pin portion Wo582 from contacting the inner circumferential surface of the recess Wv229. As a result, the pair of protrusions Wv534 are rotated toward the flat portion W320 side (arrow F direction). From this state, by displacing the engagement portion Wv530a toward the opposite side of the side wall portion W212 (the direction of the arrow L), the pair of protrusions Wv534 come into contact with the sealing seal WSL, damaging the sealing seal WSL.

In this way, in this embodiment, by making it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL when removing the engagement portion Wv530a from the box cover Wv200, it is possible to make the worker (store clerk) more aware of the risk of unauthorized operation of the main control board (not shown).

Next, referring to FIG. 107(a), the protective cover Ww500 according to the 38th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 107 (a) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Ww100 in the 38th embodiment, and corresponds to the cross section at part LXXXIIa in Figure 76 (a).

As shown in FIG. 107(a), the connecting piece Ww531b of the protective cover Ww500 in the 38th embodiment is molded by two-color molding using different resin materials. In other words, the connecting piece Ww531b is formed from multiple (in this embodiment, two types) parts with different rigidities.

The connecting piece Ww531b is composed of a first connecting piece Ww531b1 and a second connecting piece Ww531b2 formed from a resin material having a different rigidity from that of the first connecting piece Ww531b1, and the first connecting piece Ww531b1 and the second connecting piece Ww531b2 are arranged side by side in the protruding direction (arrow L-R direction) of the engaging portion W530a (see FIG. 76).

This makes it easier to rotate the tip of a cutting tool (not shown) when cutting the connecting piece Ww531b. In more detail, for example, if the first connecting piece Ww531b1 is molded using a resin material that is harder than the second connecting piece Ww531b2, and the cutting tool is made of pliers or scissors, and the connecting piece Ww531b is sandwiched between a pair of blades to cut the connecting piece Ww531b, the second connecting piece Ww531b2 is more likely to be cut than the first connecting piece Ww531b1.

This makes it easier to cut the second connecting piece Ww531b2 from the first connecting piece Ww531b1, and easier to rotate the blade of the cutting tool. This makes it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL with the tip of the cutting tool. As a result, it makes it easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize that there is a risk of tampering with the main control board (not shown) by a tampering perpetrator.

Next, referring to FIG. 107(b), a protective cover Wx500 according to the 39th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 107 (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wx100 in the 39th embodiment, and corresponds to the cross section at part LXXXIIa in Figure 76 (a).

As shown in FIG. 107(b), the connecting piece Wx531b of the protective cover Wx500 in the 39th embodiment is composed of a first connecting piece Wx531b1 and a second connecting piece Wx531b2 whose dimension in the direction from the front wall portion W520 to the rear wall portion W510 (arrow F-B direction, see FIG. 76) is smaller than that of the first connecting piece Wx531b1.

The first connecting piece Wx531b1 and the second connecting piece Wx531b2 are arranged side by side in the protruding direction (arrow L-R direction) of the engaging portion W530a (see FIG. 76), and in cross-sectional view, the connecting piece Wx531b is formed in a substantially L-shape.

As a result, when the cutting tool is composed of nippers or scissors and the connecting piece Wx531b is sandwiched between a pair of blades to cut the connecting piece Wx531b, it is easier to cut the second connecting piece Wx531b2 relative to the first connecting piece Wx531b1, and it is easier to rotate the blades of the cutting tool. This makes it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL with the tip of the cutting tool. As a result, it is easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize that there is a risk of tampering with the main control board (not shown) by a tampering perpetrator.

Next, referring to FIG. 107(c), the protective cover Wy500 according to the 40th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 107(c) is a partial rear view of the protective cover Wy500 of the board box Wy100 in the 40th embodiment. In the explanation of Figure 107(c), refer to Figure 88(b) as appropriate.

As shown in FIG. 107(c), the protective cover Wy500 of the board box Wy100 in the 40th embodiment has a cutting portion Wy550. In addition, the connecting piece We531a is disposed at a predetermined distance from the cutting portion Wy550.

The cutting portion Wy550 is formed so that its width dimension in the direction connecting the pair of connecting pieces W531b (the direction of arrows U-D) becomes smaller as it moves from the engaging portion Wy530a toward the connecting portion W512 (the direction of arrow L). In other words, the cutting portion Wy550 is formed at an acute angle when viewed from the rear. This makes it easier to cut the sealing seal WSL.

When the engaging portion Wy530a is connected to the protective cover Wy500, the cutting portion Wy550 is surrounded by the rear wall portion W510 and the connecting portion W512. This prevents the worker (store clerk) from coming into contact with the cutting portion Wy550 and being injured.

The distance between the connecting piece W531a and the cut portion Wy550 is approximately the same as the distance between the front of the flat portion We320 of the box base We300 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction) and the space formed by the cutout portions We226 and We325 (see FIG. 88(b)).

By separating the engaging portion Wy530a from the protective cover Wy500 and abutting the side of the connecting piece We531a on the cutting portion Wy550 side (the side in the direction of arrow D) against the front of the flat portion We320, the cutting portion Wy550 can be received (disposed) in the space formed by the notches We226 and We325. As a result, the effort required to search for the notches We226 and We325 can be reduced, and the cutting operation of the sealing seal WSL can be easily performed.

The present invention has been described above based on the above embodiment, but the present invention is in no way limited to the above embodiment, and it can be easily imagined that various modifications and improvements are possible within the scope of the present invention.

In each of the above embodiments, part or all of the configuration in one embodiment may be combined with or replaced by part or all of the configuration in another embodiment to form another embodiment. The same applies to the modified examples (other embodiments) shown below, where part or all of the configuration in one modified example may be combined with or replaced by part or all of the configuration in another modified example to form another modified example. Any embodiment may be applied to the modified examples shown below, and any modified example (combination or replacement of modified examples) may be applied to any embodiment.

In each of the above embodiments, some or all of the configuration in one embodiment may be combined with or replaced with some or all of the configuration in another embodiment to form another embodiment.

In the above first embodiment, the case where the rotation operation unit A400b is configured in an operation mode that combines tilting and enlarging has been described, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a door-shaped door member that slides left and right may be moved by utilizing the movement of the base plate member A430 and the movement of the moving member A440.

In this case, the cylindrical portion protruding forward from the rotating tip of the base plate member A430 is supported by a first support portion having a long hole shape extending in the vertical direction and formed in the first door member arranged on the front side of the base plate member A430, and the cylindrical portion protruding forward from the rotating tip of the moving member A440 is supported by a second support portion having a long hole shape extending in the vertical direction and formed in the second door member arranged on the front side of the moving member A440. This allows the first door member and the second door member to slide left and right in conjunction with the tilting operation of the rotation operation unit A400b.

The first door member is positioned further outward from the display area of the third pattern display device 81 than the second door member, and during the sliding movement of the first and second door members, the rotating tip of the base plate member A430 is guided in the vertical direction by the first support portion, and the rotating tip of the moving member A440 is guided in the vertical direction by the second support portion.

In this case, the left-right positions and movement speeds of the first and second door members correspond to the left-right positions and movement speeds of the rotation tips of the base plate member A430 and the movable member A440. Therefore, compared to the first door member, which moves based on the left-right component of the rotational displacement around the rotary shaft rod AJ1, the movement amount is larger by the left-right component of the rotational displacement around the rotary shaft rod AJ1 plus the longitudinal extension of the movable member A440, so the movement speed of the second door member can be configured to be larger than that of the first door member.

As the base plate member A430 moves from the performance standby state to the extended state, the left-right component of the rotational displacement around the rotation axis rod AJ1 gradually decreases, so the left-right movement speed of the first door member from the position where it retreats to the outside left and right also gradually decreases (when the drive speed of the drive motor MT1 is constant, the left-right movement speed of the first door member gradually decreases).

On the other hand, the left-right component of the rotational displacement of the movable member A440 about the rotation axis rod AJ1 also basically becomes gradually smaller as it approaches the extended state, but the amount of longitudinal extension of the movable member A440 increases as it approaches the tilt end. Therefore, the left-right movement speed of the second door member from the position where it retreats to the outside left and right increases at the tilt end where the extension of the movable member A440 occurs (when the drive speed of the drive motor MT1 is constant, the left-right movement speed of the second door member increases toward the drive motor MT1).

As a result, the movement speed of the first door element and the movement speed of the second door element at the same point can be made significantly different, particularly at the tilt end side of the rotational motion unit A400b, improving the presentation effect of the presentation using the door elements.

In this embodiment, the first operating unit A400 and the second operating unit A500 are configured as a pair on the left and right, so each operating unit A400, A500 can be configured to move a door member, and a performance device can be configured that can perform a performance in which the door is closed on the front side of the third pattern display device 81 (so that there is no gap between the edges of the left and right door members in the moving direction when viewed from the front).

The first operating unit A400 may be configured to move a door member in the left-right direction to hide most (or the entire) of the display area of the third pattern display device 81. In this case, the second operating unit A500 may be configured to move a door member in the left-right direction to hide most (or the entire) of the display area of the third pattern display device 81.

In this embodiment, since the first operating unit A400 is positioned in front of the second operating unit A500, for example, it is possible to configure the second operating unit A500 so that the position of the second operating unit A500 is not obvious to the player (is hidden) when the entire display area of the third pattern display device 81 is hidden by the door member moved by the first operating unit A400. As a result, even if the door member moved by the first operating unit A400 moves to move away from the front side of the third pattern display device 81, the third pattern display device 81 is hidden by the door member moved by the second operating unit A500, so it is possible to configure a state in which the display of the third pattern display device 81 is still not visible. This can improve the player's ability to focus on the door member.

In the first embodiment, the change in the external shape of the rotational motion unit A400b from the performance standby state is caused by the shape of the functional long hole A444, in which the displacement of the moving member A440 in the longitudinal direction occurs first, and then the displacement of the direction switching member A450 occurs in the direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the moving member A440, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the shape of the functional long hole A444 may be such that the first parallel portion A444a is omitted, the formation position of the inclined portion A444b is moved in parallel to the rotation tip side of the moving member A440 by the length of the first parallel portion A444a, and similarly the second parallel portion A444c is extended so as to be connected to the end of the inclined portion A444b. With such a shape, the change in the external shape of the rotational motion unit A400b from the performance standby state starts from a state in which the displacement of the moving member A440 and the displacement of the direction switching member A450 occur simultaneously, and then a displacement that transitions to a state in which only the displacement of the moving member A440 occurs can be caused.

Also, an inverse inclined portion may be formed by a long hole that inclines from the end of the inclined portion A444b on the rotation shaft rod AJ1 side toward the center of the moving member A440 in the short direction as it approaches the rotation shaft rod AJ1. With this shape, a change in the external shape of the rotational motion unit A400b from the performance standby state can be started from a state in which the moving member A440 is displaced in the direction extending in the longitudinal direction and the direction switching member A450 is displaced in the direction expanding in the short direction simultaneously, and then a displacement can be generated in which the moving member A440 is displaced in the direction extending in the longitudinal direction and the direction switching member A450 is displaced in the direction approaching the short direction (towards the center) simultaneously.

In the above first embodiment, a pair of functional long holes A444 are configured with symmetrical shapes, but this is not necessarily limited to the above. For example, the pair may be configured asymmetrical. In this case, a performance item can be configured in which the timing and amount of displacement at which the left direction switching member A450 starts to displace differs from the timing and amount of displacement at which the right direction switching member A450 starts to displace, making it possible to configure a displacement pattern that suits the surrounding conditions (different displacements can be generated on the left and right sides, taking into account the amount and timing of displacement so as not to hit obstacles).

In the above first embodiment, a case has been described in which the moving member A440 moves in a linear direction relative to the base plate member A430 when the rotational motion unit A400b rotates, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which, when the rotational motion unit A400b rotates, another rotating member disposed in the rotational motion unit A400b rotates. In this case, a change in the visual appearance different from a change in the external shape of the rotational motion unit A400b can be produced.

In the above first embodiment, a case has been described in which the external shape of the rotational motion unit A400b does not change when tilting begins, but this is not necessarily limited to the case. For example, by designing the shape of the guide elongated hole A414 so that the external shape of the rotational motion unit A400b changes when tilting begins, the operating resistance of the rotational motion unit A400b when tilting begins can be increased, making it easier to maintain the position of the rotational motion unit A400b in the position at the start of tilting.

In the first embodiment, both the tilting and rising motions of the rotational motion unit A400b are performed by a driving force, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, it is also possible to perform a movement mode that does not depend on a driving force, such as releasing the generation of the driving force from an intermediate position and performing tilting by its own weight. In this case, the operation mode of the rotational motion unit A400b can be made different between when it is operated by a driving force and when it is operated without a driving force, thereby increasing the variation in operation. Furthermore, since the driving duration can be shortened, the useful life of the drive motor AMT1 can be extended.

In the first embodiment, the movable member A440 is arranged so as to partially overlap the front side of the base plate member A430, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a metal bar extending toward the rotating tip is arranged on the base plate member A430, and the movable member A440 is arranged on the rotating tip side of the metal bar so as to be guided so as to be able to slide and displace in the direction in which the metal bar extends, so that the base plate member A430 and the movable member A440 do not overlap when viewed from the front. In this case, the front side of the base plate member A430 is not hidden by the movable member A440, so the front side portion of the base plate member A430 can be used for presentation.

In the above first embodiment, a case was described in which the change in the external shape of the rotational motion unit A400b occurs in response to the attitude of the rotational motion unit A400b, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a separate drive device for switching between whether or not the external shape changes may be provided. By using this drive device to switch the shape of the guide elongated hole A414 or the shape of the functional elongated hole A444, it is possible to provide multiple types of external shape of the rotational motion unit A400b corresponding to the attitude of the rotational motion unit A400b.

Also, by configuring the moving member A440 and the direction switching member A450 to be driven and displaced by a separate drive device, the moving member A440 and the direction switching member A450 may be configured to be displaced simultaneously when there is no change in the posture of the rotational motion unit A400b. For example, by configuring the rotational motion unit A400b to reach the tilt end without a change in its external shape, and to be able to drive and displace the moving member A440 and the direction switching member A450 simultaneously at the tilt end by a separate drive device, the performance effect of the rotational motion unit A400b can be improved.

In the above first embodiment, the operating speed of the drive motor AMT1 is constant, and the angular velocity of the rotational operation of the rotational operation unit A400b is gradually decreased. However, this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, by taking into account the amount of decrease in angular velocity, the drive speed of the drive motor AMT1 may be gradually increased, so that the rotational operation of the rotational operation unit A400b can be executed even in a control mode in which the angular velocity of the rotational operation of the rotational operation unit A400b is constant.

In the first embodiment, a case was described in which the operating resistance of the rotating plate member A662 changes due to a change in the air resistance applied to the rotating plate member A662, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the frictional resistance applied to the rotating plate member A662 (e.g., contact resistance due to a plate member abutting from a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement) may be changed, or the viscous resistance applied to the rotating plate member A662 (e.g., resistance due to a damper member, etc.) may be changed.

In the above first embodiment, light irradiation from the light emitting substrate A720 sandwiched between the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740 has been described, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the light emitting substrate may be arranged so that the irradiation surface side faces the end faces of the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740.

In this case, the front plate member A730 (or the rear plate member A740) is irradiated with light from the light emitting substrate A720 (irradiation in the direction along the extension direction of the plate), while the rear plate member A740 (or the front plate member A730) may be irradiated with light from another light emitting substrate (a light emitting substrate with an orientation different by 90 degrees from the light emitting substrate A720) whose light irradiation unit arrangement surface is arranged opposite the light incident end surface of the rear plate member A740 (or the front plate member A730). This makes it easier to make light incident at the appropriate position even when the thickness of the front plate member A730 or the rear plate member A740 is large, which is considered difficult to handle depending on the light emitting substrate A720.

In the above first embodiment, the protruding portion A751a of the front cover member A750 and the light-emitting substrate A720 are arranged with a gap therebetween, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the protruding portion A751a may be designed with a dimensional relationship that allows it to apply a pressing force to the light-emitting substrate A720. In this case, the pressing force applied to the light-emitting substrate A720 can be divided by the number of protruding portions A751a, so the arrangement of the light-emitting substrate A720 can be stabilized.

The protrusions A751a of the front cover member A750 are formed in the same shape with the purpose of diffusing light, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the curvature of the protrusions A751a on the right side of the front light emitting portion A724 (the position on the side of the irradiation direction, the inner side of the front plate member A730) may be greater than the curvature of the protrusions A751a on the left side of the front light emitting portion A724 (the position on the opposite side of the irradiation direction, the outer side of the front plate member A730). In this case, the diffusion angle of the protrusions A751a on the side closer to the front plate member A730 can be reduced, so that it is possible to avoid diffused light illuminating a wide area of the front plate member A730 and reducing the visibility of the line-shaped light by the linear groove portion A732.

In the above first embodiment, it has been described that the light emitting substrate A720 is provided with light emitting units A724, A725 that irradiate light to the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a light emitting unit that irradiates light from the light emitting substrate A720 to the front cover member A750 may be provided. In this case, since the light emitting units A724, A725 are provided near the end of the light emitting substrate A720, it is easy to provide a light emitting unit that irradiates light to the front cover member A750 at a position that does not interfere with the light irradiated from the light emitting units A724, A725, and interference of light can be avoided.

In the above first embodiment, the linear groove A732 of the front side plate member A730 is formed to match the shape of an illustration including a specific character or logo formed on the thin resin plate A743, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the linear groove A732 may be formed in the shape of a figure or illustration different from the illustration formed on the thin resin plate A743. In this case, the difference in appearance between when the linear groove A732 is illuminated (when the shape of the linear groove A732 is illuminated) and when the linear groove A732 is not illuminated (when the illustration formed on the thin resin plate A743 is visible) can be made greater.

In addition, the linear grooves A732 may be formed not only in the front plate member A730 but also in the thin resin plate A743 (or the front plate member A730 may be disposed in front of and behind the light emitting substrate A720). In this case, if a highly directional LED is also used for the rear light emitting portion A725, a light effect can be realized in which linear light is visible even in the thin resin plate A743.

In addition, illustrations including specific characters or logos may be formed not only on the thin resin plate A743 but also on the front plate member A730 (or the rear plate member A740 may be disposed in front of or behind the light-emitting substrate A720), and the front-to-rear arrangement of the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740 may be reversed.

In each of these cases, the directivity of the front light emitting portion A724 and the rear light emitting portion A725 can be selected according to the purpose (higher directivity makes it easier to achieve total reflection, while lower directivity makes it easier to illuminate a wide area of the side of the plate member since total reflection is less likely to occur). In addition, the shapes of illustrations including specific characters, logos, etc. formed on the members arranged in front of and behind the light emitting substrate A720 may be the same or different.

In the above first embodiment, the front side plate member A730, the light emitting substrate A720, and the rear side plate member A740 are positioned by the parts protruding from the front cover member A750, but this is not necessarily limited to the above. For example, the front cover member A750, the light emitting substrate A720, and the rear side plate member A740 may be positioned by the parts protruding forward and backward from the front side plate member A730. In this case, the protruding length of the parts protruding from the front side plate member A730 can be shortened, thereby reducing the possibility of accidentally damaging the protruding parts by dropping the front side plate member A730 during assembly.

The front plate member A730, the light emitting substrate A720 and the front cover member A750 may be positioned by the parts protruding from the rear plate member A740. Since the rear plate member A740 is different from the member in which the linear groove portion is formed, the position of the protruding parts is not restricted by the linear groove portion. This improves the degree of freedom in arranging the protruding parts.

Also, it is possible to position only the light-emitting substrate A720, the front plate member A730, and the rear plate member A740, without positioning them with the front cover member A750. In this case, the front cover member A750 can be removed while keeping the light-emitting substrate A720, the front plate member A730, and the rear plate member A740 aligned. This makes it easy to replace the front cover member A750 as a decorative part (when it becomes dirty, when there is a change in specifications, etc.).

The position of the protruding portion for positioning can be exemplified in various ways. For example, if positioning with the front cover member A750 is envisaged, it is better to form it at a rear position of the front cover member A750. On the other hand, if positioning with the front cover member A750 is not envisaged, it may be formed at a position other than the rear position of the front cover member A750, as is the case with the fastening portion A733.

In the first embodiment, the visibility of the ball flowing down the rear flow path of the downstream guide member A803 is changed by the difference in the inclination angle of the line of sight in the left-right direction using the visibility changing sheet A806, but this is not necessarily limited to the above. When visibility is changed by the difference in the inclination angle of the line of sight in the left-right direction, there is an effect of reducing the possibility of a player playing next to the player peeking at the ball flowing down. However, for example, when the visibility changing sheet A806 is configured so that the visibility of the ball flowing down the rear flow path of the downstream guide member A803 changes by the difference in the inclination angle of the line of sight in the up-down direction, there is an effect of reducing the possibility of a person standing behind the player peeking at the ball.

In the above first embodiment, the visual appearance changing sheet A806 is attached to the front side of the plate-shaped main body A803a of the front member A803z, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the visual appearance changing sheet A806 may be attached to the left and right outer surfaces of the extension plate A803b. In this case, when the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2 are viewed from the left and right directions, it is possible to create a direction in which the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2 are easily visible and a direction in which the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2 are difficult to view.

In the first embodiment, the visibility of the ball is reduced by the viewing mode changing sheet A806 when a player with his head positioned in front of the third pattern display device 81 looks sideways at the downstream guide member A803, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a sheet that has the same function as the viewing mode changing sheet A806 may be attached to the entire display surface of the third pattern display device 81, so that a player with his head positioned in front of the downstream guide member A803 has difficulty viewing the display of the third pattern display device 81 sideways (the display is blocked by the viewing mode changing sheet A806). In this case, the display of the third pattern display device 81 is not visible when the player is paying attention to the ball flowing behind the downstream guide member A803, so that the player's attention is not distracted, and further, the light irradiated from the third pattern display device 81 can be configured not to reach the player, so that the player can avoid a situation in which dazzling light is received by the eyes and can rest his eyes.

In the first embodiment, the visual appearance changing sheet A806 is used to create a case where the left flow path ATL1 is difficult to see, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the case where it is difficult to see may be created by the right flow path ATL2, or the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2, and the selection is arbitrary. The right flow path ATL2 is a flow path that guides balls to the second winning opening 640, and by changing the shape of the left flow path ATL1 to guide the ball that flows down the left flow path ATL1 to the specific winning opening 65a, depending on the design of the visual appearance changing sheet A806, it is possible to make it easier to see only the balls guided to the second winning opening 640, or to make it easier to see only the balls guided to the specific winning opening 65a.

For example, assuming that the visual appearance changing sheet A806 is arranged to cover the front sides of the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2, the visual appearance changing sheet A806 covering the front side of the left flow path ATL1 is designed to have high permeability when viewed from the front and from a left diagonal direction, but low permeability when viewed from a right diagonal direction, and the visual appearance changing sheet A806 covering the front side of the right flow path ATL2 is designed to have high permeability when viewed from the front and from a right diagonal direction, but low permeability when viewed from the left diagonal direction. In this case, the permeability of the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2 can be made high when viewed from the front, the permeability of the left flow path ATL1 can be made high when viewed from the left diagonal direction, but low permeability of the right flow path ATL2 can be made low when viewed from the right diagonal direction, and the permeability of the left flow path ATL1 can be made low when viewed from the right diagonal direction, but high permeability of the right flow path ATL2 can be made high.

In this case, the transparency of the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2 may be reduced when viewed from the front. In this case, it is possible to eliminate a situation in which both the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2 are visible at the same time, so that a player who wants to see both the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2 at the same time can be encouraged to play by peering into the downstream guide member A803 from above.

The surface of the visual appearance changing sheet A806 may be decorated with illustrations, including specific characters and logos.

In the first embodiment, the visibility of the balls flowing down is changed by the visibility changing sheet A806, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a non-light-transmitting louver plate section may be placed between a pair of front and rear light-transmitting plates, and the louvers may swivel or bend to switch between blocking the player's line of sight and allowing light to pass through.

In addition, when openings are formed in a pair of front and rear non-transparent plate members, and the front plate member is configured to be able to move parallel to the rear plate member, for example, the positions of the openings formed in each plate member may be shifted when viewed from the front, so that the rear side can be seen when looking in a direction passing through the inside of the front and rear openings, but when looking in a direction away from either the front or rear opening, the line of sight is blocked by the plate members, making it impossible to see the rear side.

In the above first embodiment, a case has been described in which a prize ball is paid out when a ball is detected by the detection sensor SE1, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, prize balls do not have to be paid out. As an application in which prize balls are not paid out, for example, use in a gaming machine that allows the player to select the type of jackpot game (number of rounds, etc.) based on the detection of a ball by the detection sensor SE1 is envisioned. In such a gaming machine, attention to the detection sensor SE1 is likely to be extremely low except when the type of jackpot game is selected, so it is meaningful to place the visual appearance changing sheet A806 in front of it to hide the detection sensor SE1.

As another use when prize balls are not paid out, for example, detection sensor SE1 is placed downstream of specific winning port 65a, and is used in a gaming machine used as a "V winning port (specific area)" in which the game state after the end of the jackpot is controlled to transition to a predetermined advantageous state when the passage of a ball that entered specific winning port 65a during a jackpot game is detected. In such a gaming machine, balls are not guided to detection sensor SE1 except during a jackpot game, so it is thought that attention to detection sensor SE1 will be extremely reduced except during a jackpot game, and therefore it makes sense to place visibility changing sheet A806 in front of it to hide detection sensor SE1.

If the player moves his/her head to a position directly in front of the visual appearance changing sheet A806 during a jackpot, he/she can see through the visual appearance changing sheet A806 and visually confirm the detection sensor SE1 on the rear side of it, thus eliminating the complaint that it is difficult to see the detection sensor SE1 during a jackpot game.

For example, when prize balls are paid out, the third pattern display device 81 may display a number corresponding to the number of balls paid out (such as "+1" or "+3") in response to the detection of the balls. In this case, even if the player cannot see the balls flowing behind the downstream guide member A803, the player can understand from the display on the third pattern display device 81 that prize balls have been paid out, which can increase the player's interest.

In the above first embodiment, the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 has a front plate member A840 with linear grooves A842 that enable a light effect in which the contours of the light are visible, while the rear plate member A850 does not have linear grooves A842, and a light effect is achieved with uniform surface emission, but this is not necessarily limited to the above.

For example, linear grooves A842 may be formed not only on the front plate member A840 but also on the rear plate member A850. In this case, if highly directional LEDs are used for the edge light-emitting portions A833 and A837, a light effect can be realized in which linear light is visible on the rear plate member A850 as well.

In addition, illustrations including specific characters, logos, etc. may be formed not only on the rear panel member A850 but also on the front panel member A840, and the front-to-rear arrangement of the front panel member A840 and the rear panel member A850 may be reversed.

In each of these cases, the directivity of the edge light emitting parts A823, A827, A833, A837 can be selected according to the purpose (higher directivity makes it easier to achieve total reflection, while lower directivity makes it easier to illuminate a wide area of the side of the plate member since total reflection is less likely to occur). In addition, the shapes of the illustrations formed on the front plate member A840 and the rear plate member A850, including specific characters and logos, may be the same or different.

In the above first embodiment, the front light emitting unit A724 and the rear light emitting unit A725 are configured so that the optical axes of the multiple LEDs are parallel to each other, and the edge light emitting units A823, A827 and the edge light emitting units A833, A837 are configured so that the optical axes of the multiple LEDs are radial to each other (set in such a way that the distance between adjacent optical axes increases toward the tip in the direction of travel), but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the relationship of these optical axes may be reversed.

In the second embodiment, the linear portion of the guide slot A2414 extends in an inclined direction, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the linear portion may extend horizontally. In this case, the difference in operating resistance between the forward and return paths can be reduced.

In the above fourth embodiment, a case has been described in which a solenoid A4940 for driving the light-guiding displacement member A4920 is prepared separately, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the drive device for the electric role 640a may also be used. In this case, it is possible to easily synchronize the operation timing of the electric role 640a and the operation timing of the light-guiding displacement member A4920.

In addition, instead of the light-guiding displacement member A4920, a movable part (e.g., the first operating unit A400), which mainly performs the action of extending toward the front side of the third pattern display device 81, may be configured to be able to extend toward the front side of the base plate A60 through the internal area of the center frame A86, and configured to be able to move to a position that blocks the line of sight to the ball's flow path, so that the movable part can be used to block the line of sight to the ball's flow path. In this case, the solenoid A4940 can be eliminated because a separate drive device for the movable part can be used as a drive device for blocking the line of sight to the ball's flow path.

In the above fourth embodiment, if an illustration including a specific character, logo, etc. is formed on the front guide plate portion A4931 of the covering member A4930, the illustration can make the linear groove portion A4921a difficult to see. This can improve the appearance of the ball guide unit A4900 when the light emitting means A4933a is not lit. In addition, by forming the linear groove portion A4921a in a shape corresponding to the illustration formed on the front guide plate portion A4931, the presentation effect can be improved.

In the fourth embodiment, the visibility changing sheet A806 may be attached to the guided plate portion A4921 of the light guiding displacement member A4920. In this case, even if the player's line of sight does not change, the relative positional relationship between the player's line of sight and the visibility changing sheet A806 changes as the light guiding displacement member A4920 is displaced, so that it is possible to create a case where the visibility of the ball flowing behind the light guiding displacement member A4920 changes even if the player does not change his or her line of sight.

In the fourth embodiment, the incidence of light on the guided plate portion A4921 of the light-guiding displacement member A4920, the number and arrangement of the light-emitting means, the selection of the light-emitting means to be turned on, and the design of the structure may all or entirely use the structures of the auxiliary light-guiding plate unit A700b and the auxiliary light-guiding plate unit A810 described in the first embodiment.

In the above fifth embodiment, the case where the columnar protrusion member A5448 is pushed forward by the extension guide portion A5438 to displace it relative to the moving member A5440 has been described, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the columnar protrusion member A5448 may be displaced in response to the tilt angle of the rotational motion unit A5400b by configuring the gear and rack that mesh and rotate based on the tilt angle of the rotational motion unit A5400b to be interlocked with the columnar protrusion member A5448, or a drive device for driving the columnar protrusion member A5448 may be disposed in the rotational motion unit A5400b, and the columnar protrusion member A5448 may be driven and displaced by controlling the drive device.

In the seventh to fortieth embodiments, one engaging portion W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, Wy530a is connected (disposed) to the rear wall portion W510, W2510, W3510, Wp510, Wq510, and a pair (two) engaging portions W530b, W2530b, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, Wy530a is connected (disposed) to the front wall portion W520, W2520, W3520, Wp520, Wq520. Although the case where W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, Wy530a or W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, Wu530b are connected (arranged) has been described, this is not necessarily limited to this, and the engaging parts W530a, W2530a, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, Wu530b may be omitted.

In the seventh to fortieth embodiments, the recesses W224a, W224b may be recessed into the front of the flat portions W320, W4320, We320, Wj320, Wm320, Ws320 on the engaging portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, Wu530b side, and the connecting pieces W531a, W531b of the engaging portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, Wu530b may be disposed in positions overlapping the recesses W224a, W224b when viewed from the front.

In the seventh to fortieth embodiments, the protective covers W500, W2500, W3500, W4500, W5500, W8500, W9500, Wa500, Wb500, Wc500, Wd500, We500, Wf500, Wg500, Wh500, Wi500, Wj500, Wk500, Wl500, Wm500, W A standing portion W222 may be provided on the surface of the rear wall portions W510, W2510, W3510, Wp510, Wq510 of n500, Wo500, Wp500, Wq500, Wu500, Wv500, Ww500, Wx500, Wy500 facing the front wall portions W520, W2520, W3520, Wp520, Wq520. The upright portion W222 is disposed on the tip side (opposite side to the left wall portion W502) of the rear wall portions W510, W2510, W3510, Wp510, and Wq510, so that the protective covers W500, W2500, W3500, W4500, W5500, W8500, W9500, Wa500, Wb500, Wc500, Wd500, When removing We500, Wf500, Wg500, Wh500, Wi500, Wj500, Wk500, Wl500, Wm500, Wn500, Wo500, Wp500, Wq500, Wu500, Wv500, Ww500, Wx500, and Wy500, the erected portion W222 makes it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL.

In the above seventh to fortieth embodiments, the sealing seal WSL may be cut using the upright portions W540, Wc540, Wd540, or the sealing seal WSL may be cut using the inclined portions W532 (protruding tip portions) of the engaging portions W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, Wy530a, W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, Wu530b. This allows the inclined portion W532 to function both to facilitate elastic deformation of the engaging portions W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, Wy530a, W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, and Wu530b, and to cut the sealing seal WSL, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

In the seventh to fortieth embodiments, the erected portions W540, Wc540, and Wd540 are not molded, and the protective covers W500, W2500, W3500, W4500, W5500, W8500, W9500, Wa500, Wb500, Wc500, Wd500, We500, Wf500, Wg500, Wh500, Wi500, Wj500, Wk500, Wl500, Wm500, Wn500, Wo500, Wp500, Wq500, Wu500, Wv500, Ww500, Wx500, and Wy500 It may also be possible for the cover side engaged portion W210 of the box covers W200, W2200, W4200, W7200, Wb200, We200, Wj200, Wl200, Wm200, Wo200, Wq200, Wr200, Wt200, Wv200 and the base side engaged portion W310 of the box bases W300, W2300, W4300, W5300, W6300, Wb300, We300, Wj300, Wk300, Wm300, Wn300, Ws300, Wu300 when the cover side engaged portion W210 of the box covers W200, W2200, W4200, W7200, Wb200, We200, Wj200, Wl200, Wm200, Wo200, Wq200, Wr200, Wt200, Wv2 ... and the base side engaged portion W310 of the box bases W300, W2300, W4300, W5300, W6300, Wb300, We This allows a fraudulent person to mistakenly use protective covers W500, W2500, W3500, W4500, W5500, W8500, W9500, Wa500, Wb500, Wc500, Wd500, We500, Wf500, Wg500, Wh500, Wi500, Wj500, Wk500, Wl500, Wm500, Wn500, Wo50 With the box covers W200, W2200, W4200, W7200, Wb200, We200, Wj200, Wl200, Wm200, Wo200, Wq200, Wr200, Wt200, and Wv200 in the reversed position, An attempt is made to engage the joint W210 with the base side engaged portion W310 of the box bases W300, W2300, W4300, W5300, W6300, Wb300, We300, Wj300, Wk300, Wm300, Wn300, Ws300, and Wu300, and engaging portions W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, and We530a , Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, Wy530a, W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, and Wu530b can be brought into contact with the sealing seal WSL, providing an opportunity to damage the sealing seal WSL.

In the above seventh to fortieth embodiments, a case has been described in which one engagement portion W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, Wy530a is arranged, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and two or more (multiple) engagement portions W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, Wy530a may be arranged. When a plurality of engaging portions W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, and Wy530a are arranged, at least one of the engaging portions W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, and Wy530a may be configured to engage with the protrusion Wr214b of the cover portion Wr214 in the thirty-third embodiment. That is, the directions of elastic deformation can be opposite in the multiple engagement parts W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, and Wy530a. Therefore, for example, in order to release the engagement with the projection W221 in the seventh embodiment, the engagement parts W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, and Wy530a that are engaged with the projection W221 are elastically deformed (displaced). As a result, the engagement portions W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, and Wy530a that engage with the protrusion Wr214b in the 33rd embodiment can be displaced in a direction that maintains the engagement with the protrusion Wr214b. As a result, the box covers W200, W2200, W4200, W7200, Wb200, We200, Wj200, Wl200, Wm200, Wo200, Wq200, Wr200, Wt200, and Wv200 and the box bases W300, W2300, W4300, W5300, W6300, Wb300, We300, Wj300, Wk300, Wm300, Wn300, Ws300, and Wu300 to the protective cover W50 0, W2500, W3500, W4500, W5500, W8500, W9500, Wa500, Wb500, Wc500, Wd500, We500, Wf500, Wg500, Wh500, Wi500, Wj500, Wk500, Wl500, Wm500, Wn500, Wo500, Wp500, Wq500, Wu500, Wv500, Ww500, Wx500, and Wy500 can be prevented from being illegally removed.

In the above seventh to fortieth embodiments, a pair (two) of engaging portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, Wu530b are arranged, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and one engaging portion W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, Wu530b may be arranged, or three or more engaging portions may be arranged. When three or more engaging portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, and Wu530b are provided, at least one of the engaging portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, and Wu530b may be configured to be engaged with the protrusion Ws328 of the planar portion Ws320 in the thirty-fourth embodiment. That is, the directions of elastic deformation can be opposite in the multiple engaging portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, and Wu530b. Therefore, for example, by elastically deforming (displacing) the engagement portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, and Wu530b that engage with the protrusion W312c in the seventh embodiment to release the engagement with the protrusion W312c, the engagement portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, and Wu530b that engage with the protrusion Ws328 in the thirty-fourth embodiment can be displaced in a direction that maintains the engagement with the protrusion Ws328. As a result, the box covers W200, W2200, W4200, W7200, Wb200, We200, Wj200, Wl200, Wm200, Wo200, Wq200, Wr200, Wt200, and Wv200 and the box bases W300, W2300, W4300, W5300, W6300, Wb300, We300, Wj300, Wk300, Wm300, Wn300, Ws300, and Wu300 to the protective cover W50 0, W2500, W3500, W4500, W5500, W8500, W9500, Wa500, Wb500, Wc500, Wd500, We500, Wf500, Wg500, Wh500, Wi500, Wj500, Wk500, Wl500, Wm500, Wn500, Wo500, Wp500, Wq500, Wu500, Wv500, Ww500, Wx500, and Wy500 can be prevented from being illegally removed.

In the seventh to fortieth embodiments, the protective covers W500, W2500, W3500, W4500, W5500, W8500, W9500, Wa500, Wb500, Wc500, Wd500, We500, Wf500, Wg500, Wh500, Wi500, Wj500, Wk500, Wl500, Wm500, Wn500, Wo500, Wp On the rear wall portions W510, W2510, W3510, Wp510, and Wq510 sides of the rear walls W500, Wq500, Wu500, Wv500, Ww500, Wx500, and Wy500, there are provided engagement portions W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, and Wp530a. , Wq530a, Wv530a, Wy530a are provided, and a pair (two) of engaging portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, Wu530b are provided on the front wall portions W520, W2520, W3520, Wp520, Wq520 side. Although a case has been described in which a different number of engaging portions are arranged on the front wall portions W520, W2520, W3520, Wp520, Wq520 side, this is not necessarily limited to this, and the same number of engaging portions may be arranged on the rear wall portions W510, W2510, W3510, Wp510, Wq510 side and the front wall portions W520, W2520, W3520, Wp520, Wq520 side. For example, two engaging portions W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, and Wy530a may be arranged on the rear wall portion W510, W2510, W3510, Wp510, and Wq510 side, and two engaging portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, and Wu530b may be arranged on the front wall portion W520, W2520, W3520, Wp520, and Wq520 side.

In the seventh to fortieth embodiments described above, cases are assumed in which engaging portions W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, and Wy530a are arranged between pairs of engaging portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, and Wu530b in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction). As explained above, this is not necessarily limited to the above, and when viewed from behind, engaging portions W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, Wy530a may be arranged at a position overlapping one of a pair of engaging portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, Wu530b. That is, the engagement parts W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, and Wy530a may be arranged biased to one side in the vertical direction.

In the seventh to fortieth embodiments, the inclined surfaces formed by the cutouts W226, We226, W325, and We325 may be formed in a straight line, or may be formed in a curved shape that is concave toward the opposite side to the affixing surface of the sealing seal WSL.

In the above tenth embodiment, the protrusion W4534 is formed in a quadrangular pyramid shape protruding from the engagement portions W4530a, W4530b toward the opposing sides of the rear wall portion W510 and the front wall portion W520, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and it may be formed in a polygonal pyramid shape such as a triangular pyramid shape, a cone shape, a polygonal prism shape such as a quadrangular prism or a triangular prism, or a cylinder shape. When formed in a polygonal prism or cylinder shape, the fracture surface of the sealing seal WSL can be shaped like a torn piece, and when the broken (damaged) sealing seal WSL is reused, it is easy for the worker to recognize the traces of the breakage (damage).

In the above tenth to twelfth, thirty-second and thirty-seventh embodiments, when attaching the protective covers W4500, W5500, Wq500 and Wv500 to the box covers W200, W4200, Wq200 and Wv200 and the box bases W300, W5300 and W6300, the sealing seals WSL may be damaged by the protrusions W4534, W5534, Wq534 and Wv534.

In the eleventh and twelfth embodiments, a part of the pair of end wall portions W223, W321 may be omitted. For example, when a part of the pair of end wall portions W223, W321 on the side opposite to the sealing unit W400 (the side in the direction of the arrow L) is omitted, the protective cover W5500 can be displaced in the front-rear direction (the direction of the arrow F-B) before the engagement hole W533 of the engagement portion W5530b and the protrusion W312c are engaged when the protective cover W5500 is attached to the box cover W200 and the box base W5300, W6300, or after the engagement hole W533 and the protrusion W312c are released when the protective cover W5500 is removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W5300, W6300. This allows the protrusion W5534 to come into contact with the sealing seal WSL, damaging the sealing seal WSL.

In the eleventh and twelfth embodiments, the sealing seal WSL may be cut using the protrusion W5534 of the engagement portion W5530b cut off from the protective cover W5500. This eliminates the need to carry a cutting tool (not shown) and makes it easier to open the box cover W200 and the box base W300.

In the twelfth embodiment, the recess W6326 is formed at a position that overlaps with the protrusion W5534 in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction) in the restricted state. However, this is not necessarily limited to this, and the recess W6326 may be formed extending toward the opposite side of the protrusion W312c (arrow L direction) from the protrusion W5534. For example, the recess W6326 may be formed extending to half of the protrusion W312c side (arrow R direction) of the range in which the protective cover W5500 is displaced to release the engagement between the protrusion W312c and the engagement hole W533 (the first half of the range in which it is displaced for unauthorized removal), thereby making it possible to both form a trace (damage) on the sealing seal WSL and prevent the protective cover W5500 from being removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W6300.

That is, when the engagement portion 5530b is elastically deformed to release the engagement between the projection W312c and the engagement hole W533 without cutting the connecting pieces W531a and W531b, the projection W5534 is received in the recess W6326, and the engagement portion 5530b is displaced toward the opposite side of the projection W312c (the direction of the arrow L), forming a mark (damage) on the sealing seal WSL. On the other hand, the projection W5534 abuts against the inner wall of the recess W6326 opposite the projection W312c, restricting the displacement of the engagement portion 5530b toward the opposite side of the projection W312c (the direction of the arrow L), and preventing the protective cover W5500 from being removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W6300.

In the twelfth embodiment, the recess W6326 is formed at a position overlapping the protrusion W5534 in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction) in the restricted state, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and the recess W6326 may be formed extending toward the protrusion W312c side (arrow R direction) on the opposite side of the protrusion W312c (arrow L direction) from the protrusion W5534. For example, the recess W6326 may be formed extending to half of the range of the protective cover W5500 that is displaced on the opposite side of the protrusion W312c (arrow L direction) to the protrusion W312c (the latter half of the range that can be displaced for unauthorized removal) to release the engagement between the protrusion W312c and the engagement hole W533.

In the twelfth embodiment described above, the recess W6326 is formed at a position that overlaps with the protrusion W5534 in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction) in the restricted state, but this is not necessarily limited thereto, and the recess W6326 may be formed at a position on the opposite side of the protrusion W312c (arrow L direction) from the protrusion W5534. The recess W6326 may be formed midway through the range in which the protective cover W5500 is displaced to release the engagement between the protrusion W312c and the engagement hole W533.

In the above 14th embodiment, the surface of the connecting piece W8531b facing the sealing seal WSL or the surface opposite to the side facing the sealing seal WSL may be formed non-parallel to the sealing seal WSL.

In the above-described 14th embodiment, at least one of the pair of side surfaces of the connecting piece W8531b may be formed into a curved surface that is convex toward the opposite side from the opposing side. This makes it easier to rotate the cutting tool along the curved surface formed on at least one of the pair of side surfaces of the connecting piece W8531b, making it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL with the tip of the cutting tool.

In the above 14th embodiment, at least one of the pair of side surfaces of the connecting piece W8531b may be formed into a curved surface that is concave toward the opposing side.

In the above 14th embodiment, a pair of side surfaces of the connecting piece W8531b are formed at an incline relative to the sealing seal WSL (flat surface portion W220), but this is not necessarily limited to this. One of the pair of side surfaces of the connecting piece W8531b may be formed at an incline relative to the sealing seal WSL (flat surface portion W220), and the other of the pair of side surfaces may be formed perpendicular to the sealing seal WSL (flat surface portion W220).

In the fifteenth embodiment, the first part W9531b1 and the second part W9531b2 of the connecting piece W9531b may be formed into a substantially elliptical shape in a cross-sectional view. This makes it easier to rotate the cutting tool along the curved surface, and makes it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL with the tip of the cutting tool.

In the above fifteenth embodiment, a step is formed at the boundary between the first part W9531b1 and the second part W9531b2 of the connecting piece W9531b (the first part W9531b1 and the second part W9531b2 are directly connected), but this is not necessarily limited to this, and a connecting part that smoothly connects the first part W9531b1 and the second part W9531b2 may be interposed. That is, the interposed part is formed as a part whose cross-sectional shape gradually changes from the cross-sectional shape of the first part W9531b1 to the cross-sectional shape of the second part W9531b2 as it moves from the first part W9531b1 to the second part W9531b2. This makes it possible to suppress stress concentration at the connecting part between the first part W9531b1 and the second part W9531b2, and ensure the strength of the connecting piece WV9531b. Additionally, the interposed portion makes it easier to displace the cutting tool from the second portion W9531b2 toward the first portion W9531b1.

In the above fifteenth embodiment, if the engagement portion W530a is improperly elastically deformed, the sealing seal WSL may be damaged by the first portion W9531b1.

In the above-described 16th embodiment, the cutting portion Wa550 is disposed in a position offset toward the front wall portion W520 (arrow F direction) from approximately the center of the left wall portion W502 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction), and when the protective cover Wa500 is attached to the box cover W200 and the box base W300 with the front wall portion W520 and the rear wall portion W510 in the opposite position (the rear wall portion W510 facing the front side of the front wall portion W520), the cutting portion Wa550 may be disposed in a position facing the notches W226, W325. This makes it possible to prevent the sealing seal WSL from being cut even when the engagement portions W530a, W530b are cut and the protective cover Wa500 is displaced toward the sealing unit W400 (arrow R direction). On the other hand, by removing the protective cover Wa500 from the box cover W200 and the box base W300 and attaching the protective cover Wa500 to the box cover W200 and the box base W300 with the front wall W520 and the back wall W510 in the opposite position, the cutting portion Wa550 can be positioned opposite the notches W226 and W325, and the sealing seal WSL can be cut using the cutting portion Wa550. As a result, it is difficult for a fraudulent person to use the cutting portion Wa550.

In the above 16th embodiment, the cutting portion Wa550 is formed in a sawtooth shape, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and it may be formed in a straight line, and the protruding tip of the cutting portion Wa550 may be formed in a shape formed by connecting sine waves from 0 degrees to 180 degrees. When the cutting portion Wa550 is formed in a straight line, it may be formed parallel to the sealing seal WSL, or at least a part of it may be formed at an incline. By forming the cutting portion Wa550 parallel to the sealing seal WSL, when the sealing seal WSL is cut, the fracture surface of the sealing seal WSL can be formed in a torn state. This makes it difficult for a fraudulent person to join the fracture surfaces of the sealing seal WSL together without any gaps, making it difficult to reuse the sealing seal WSL.

In the above 16th embodiment, the sawtooth shape formed in the cutting portion Wa550 is received in the space formed by the notches W226 and W325, and the sealing seal WSL is separated into the flat portion W220 side and the flat portion W320 side. However, this is not necessarily limited to this, and the sealing seal WSL on the flat portion W220 side and the flat portion W320 side may be partially connected (at least a portion may be cut). In other words, the cutting portion Wa550 may form a perforation in the sealing seal WSL (a shape in which a cutting portion and a connecting portion are formed at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction). This makes it easier to cut the sealing seal WSL (separate it into the flat portion W220 side and the flat portion W320 side). On the other hand, when cutting (breaking) the connection portion formed in the sealing seal WSL, the broken surface can be shaped like a torn piece, so that if the cut (broken) sealing seal WSL is reused, the traces of the cut can be easily recognized by the worker. Also, by displacing the protective cover Wa500 toward the side wall portion W212 (the direction of the arrow R), it is easy to form perforations in the sealing seal WSL.

In the above 17th embodiment, the blade Wb552 has a tip formed in a cone shape, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the tip of the blade Wb552 may be formed in a cylindrical shape, and the cross-sectional shape of the tip of the blade Wb552 may be constant in the protruding direction (arrow L-R direction). In other words, the tip of the blade Wb552 does not have to be formed sharp. As a result, when the sealing seal WSL is cut using the blade Wb552, the fracture surface of the sealing seal WSL can be formed in a torn state. As a result, it is difficult for a fraudulent person to join the fracture surfaces of the sealing seal WSL together without any gaps and reuse the sealing seal WSL. In addition, the tip of the blade Wb552 may be formed in a polygonal pyramid shape such as a triangular pyramid or a square pyramid, and the tip of the blade Wb552 may be formed in a polygonal prism shape such as a triangular prism or a square prism.

In the above 17th to 20th, 24th and 40th embodiments, unevenness may be formed on the surface to which the sealing seal WSL is affixed on the planar portion W220, We220 of the box cover W200, Wb200, We200 or the planar portion W320, We320 of the box base W300, We300 (the surface to which the guide portion Wb560, Wd560, the lower wall portion W501 or the connecting piece We531a is aligned). As a result, when the guide portion Wb560, Wd560, the lower wall portion W501, or the connecting piece We531a is displaced from one end of the pair of end wall portions W223 to the other along the flat portion W220, We220 of the box cover W200, Wb200, We200 or the flat portion W320, We320 of the box base W300, We300, the position of the fracture surface formed in the sealing seal WSL between one end and the other end of the sealing seal WSL in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction) can be changed in the front-back direction (arrow F-B direction). As a result, it is possible for a fraudulent person to join the fracture surfaces of the sealing seal WSL together without any gaps, making it difficult to reuse the sealing seal WSL.

In the above 19th embodiment, in addition to the fitting (engagement) between the erected portion Wd540 and the engagement hole W533, the protective cover Wd500 may be provided with an engagement portion for engaging the engagement portion Wd530a. For example, an engagement portion may be formed on the rear wall portion W510 of the protective cover Wd500, and the end of the engagement portion Wd530a on the opposite side to the connecting piece W531a (the inclined portion W532 side) may be engaged with the engagement portion formed on the rear wall portion W510. This allows the engagement portion Wd530a to be engaged at two different points on the protective cover Wd500, making it possible to firmly attach the engagement portion Wd530a to the protective cover Wd500. In addition, the posture of the engagement portion Wd530a can be easily maintained. As a result, the sealing seal WSL can be easily cut using the engagement portion Wd530a.

In the above 25th embodiment, the elastic deformation restricting means Wj230 (first restricting portion Wj240 and second restricting portion Wj250) is formed on the planar portion Wj220. However, this is not necessarily limited to this. The elastic deformation restricting means Wj230 may be formed on the rear surface (arrow B direction side) of the planar portion Wj320, and the box cover Wj200 and the box base Wj300 may be combined so that, in the restricted state, the elastic deformation restricting means Wj230 is disposed at a position inside the engagement hole W533 of the engagement portion Wj530a. The box cover Wj200 and the box base Wj300 are combined so that the elastic deformation restricting means Wj230 and the engagement portion Wj530a are engaged with each other. The box cover Wj200 includes a cover portion Wj214 and an elastic deformation restricting means Wj230, which makes the resin molding die for the box cover Wj200 complex. However, by forming the elastic deformation restricting means Wj230 on the box base Wj300, the resin molding die for the box cover Wj200 can be simplified. As a result, manufacturing costs can be reduced.

In the 26th embodiment, the tip of the engaging portion W530b2 may not abut against the inclined portion Wk312g of the locking portion Wk312f (the engaging portion W530b2 may not be elastically deformed). This makes it possible to prevent one of the pair of engaging portions W530b from being elastically deformed in different directions. As a result, the amount of elastic deformation of one (the other) of the pair of engaging portions W530b can be reduced, making it difficult for one (the other) of the pair of engaging portions W530b to be damaged.

In the above 26th embodiment, the locking portion Wk312f of the cover portion Wk312 is formed on the box base Wk300, but this is not necessarily limited to the above. The locking portion Wk312f may be formed on the front surface (arrow F direction side) of the side wall portion W212, and may be disposed in a position where the locking portion Wk312f abuts on the tip of the engagement portion W530b2 in the restricted state by combining the box cover W200 and the box base Wk300. By combining the box cover W200 and the box base Wk300, the tip of the engagement portion W530b2 abuts on the inclined portion Wk312g of the locking portion Wk312f. Because the box base Wk300 has a cover portion Wk312, the resin molding die for the box base Wk300 becomes complicated. However, because the locking portion Wk312f is formed on the box cover W200, the resin molding die for the box base Wk300 can be simplified. As a result, manufacturing costs can be reduced.

In the twenty-sixth embodiment, the protective cover W500 may have the engagement portion W530b1 or the engagement portion W530b2 formed at two or more locations, and the box base Wk300 may have the protrusion W312c or the protrusion Wk312c formed at two or more locations. For example, if a pair of engagement portions W530b2 are formed on both ends of the protective cover W500 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction) and an engagement portion W530b1 is formed between the pair of engagement portions W530b2, the elastic deformation of the engagement portion W530b1 toward the box cover W200 side (arrow B direction) can be easily suppressed at both ends of the engagement portion W530b1, and the engagement portion W530b1 can be prevented from being improperly elastically deformed, making it difficult to improperly remove the protective cover W500 from the box cover W200 and the box base Wk300. Also, for example, if a pair of engaging portions W530b1 are formed on both ends of the protective cover W500 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction), and an engaging portion W530b2 is formed between the pair of engaging portions W530b1, the engaging portion W530b2 can be disposed in a position overlapping the engaging portion W530a in rear view. This makes it difficult to illegally elastically deform the engaging portion W530a and illegally remove the protective cover W500 from the box cover W200 and box base Wk300.

In the 27th embodiment, a notch may be formed in the connecting portion Wl535. This makes it easier to rotate (twist) the connecting portion Wl535.

In the above 28th embodiment, the restricting protrusion Wm228 is disposed at a position overlapping approximately the center of the extension portion Wm332 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction), but this is not necessarily limited to this, and it may be disposed below the restricting portion Wm334. This makes it difficult for the engaging portion Wm530b to be elastically deformed improperly.

In the above-mentioned 34th embodiment, the case where a pair of protrusions Ws328 are provided has been described, but this is not necessarily limited thereto. Only one (the other) of the pair of protrusions Ws328 may be formed, and the protrusion W312c in the seventh embodiment may be formed at a position corresponding to the other (the other) of the pair of protrusions Ws328. In other words, the protrusion Ws328 may be formed on one (the other) in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction), and the protrusion W312c may be formed on the other (the other). This allows the directions in which one and the other of the pair of engaging portions W530b of the protective cover W500 are elastically deformed in opposite directions. Therefore, by elastically deforming (displacing) one (the other) engaging portion W530b in order to release the engagement between one (the other) engaging portion W530b and the protrusion Ws328 (protrusion W312c), the other (the other) engaging portion W530b can be displaced in a direction that maintains the engagement between the other (the other) engaging portion W530b and the protrusion W312c (protrusion Ws328). As a result, unauthorized removal of the protective cover W500 from the box cover W200 and the box base Ws300 can be prevented.

In the 35th embodiment, a pair of notches Wt224b1 formed in the protrusions Wt224b may be formed with connecting portions that connect the protrusions Wt224b to each other. This ensures the strength of the protrusions Wt224b.

In the above 35th embodiment, the protrusion Wt224b is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in cross section, but this is not necessarily limited thereto, and the protrusion Wt224b may be formed in a curved shape that is convex toward the opposite side to the flat portion Wt220 in cross section. This makes it easier to attach the sealing seal WSL to the protrusion Wt224b (makes it difficult for the sealing seal WSL to peel off from the protrusion Wt224b).

In the above 35th embodiment, the dimensions of the protrusion Wt224b in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) are described as being approximately the same as the dimensions of the connecting piece W531b of the engagement portion W530a, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and the dimensions of the protrusion Wt224b may be smaller or larger than the dimensions of the connecting piece W531b.

If the dimension of the protrusion Wt224b in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) is formed smaller than the dimension of the connecting piece W531b, the sealing seal WSL affixed to the protrusion Wt224b is shielded by the connecting piece W531b and cannot be seen by a tamperer. This makes it easier for a tamperer to damage the sealing seal WSL with a cutting tool.

If the dimension of the protrusion Wt224b in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) is formed to be larger than the dimension of the connecting piece W531b, the tip of the cutting tool can be opposed to a pair of side surfaces of the connecting piece W531b, so that the cutting tool can be brought into contact with the sealing seal WSL without performing an operation to cut the connecting piece W531b, thereby damaging the sealing seal WSL.

In the 37th embodiment, the recess Wv229 may be formed to extend in the opposite direction (arrow D direction) from the pair of protrusions Wv534. As a result, when the engagement portion Wv530a separated from the protective cover Wv500 is removed from the box cover Wv200, the protrusion Wv534 is rotated toward the flat portion W320 (arrow F direction) with the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) as the rotation axis, and the engagement portion Wv530a can be displaced in the extending direction of the recess Wv229 (arrow D direction) while maintaining the protrusion Wv534 in contact with the sealing seal WSL. As a result, the mark (damage) formed on the sealing seal WSL can be made larger.

In the above-mentioned 39th embodiment, the first connecting piece Wx531b1 and the second connecting piece Wx531b2 may be molded by two-color molding using different resin materials. For example, when the first connecting piece Wx531b1 is molded using a resin material having higher rigidity than the second connecting piece Wx531b2, in addition to the shape of the first connecting piece Wx531b1 (a shape in which the dimension in the direction from the front wall portion W520 to the rear wall portion W510 is formed larger than that of the second connecting piece Wx531b2), the second connecting piece Wx531b2 can be easily cut from the first connecting piece Wx531b1, and the blade of the cutting tool can be rotated even more easily. This makes it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL with the tip of the cutting tool.

In the above thirty-ninth embodiment, the connecting piece Wx531b is formed in a generally L-shape in cross section, but this is not necessarily limited to this. It may be formed in a generally U-shape in cross section, with the open side facing the sealing seal WSL. This allows the cutting resistance of the connecting piece Wx531b in the front-to-back direction (arrow F-B direction) to be changed during cutting, making it easier to rotate the cutting tool (not shown).

The present invention may be implemented in a type of pachinko machine or the like different from the above-mentioned embodiments. For example, it may be implemented as a pachinko machine (commonly called a two-time right machine or a three-time right machine) in which the expected value of a jackpot is increased until a jackpot state occurs multiple times (for example, two or three times) including the first jackpot. It may also be implemented as a pachinko machine that generates a special game in which the player is given a predetermined game value after the jackpot pattern is displayed, with the necessary condition being that the ball enters a predetermined area. It may also be implemented as a pachinko machine that has a winning device with a special area such as a V zone, and the special game state is entered with the necessary condition being that the ball enters the special area. Furthermore, in addition to pachinko machines, it may be implemented as various gaming machines such as arepachi, mahjong ball, slot machines, and gaming machines that are a combination of a pachinko machine and a slot machine.

Slot machines are well known in that, for example, after inserting a coin and determining the effective line of symbols, a lever is operated to change the symbols, and a stop button is operated to stop and finalize the symbols. Therefore, the basic concept of a slot machine is "a slot machine that has a display device that displays a variable display of a string of identification information consisting of multiple identification information, and then displays the determined identification information, and that starts the variable display of the identification information due to the operation of a start operation means (e.g., a lever), stops the variable display of the identification information due to the operation of a stop operation means (e.g., a stop button) or after a predetermined time has passed, and generates a special game that awards a predetermined game value to the player, provided that the combination of identification information at the time of the stop is a specific one." In this case, typical examples of the game medium include coins, medals, etc.

An example of a gaming machine that combines a pachinko machine and a slot machine is one that has a display device that displays a pattern sequence consisting of multiple patterns in a variable manner and then displays the pattern in a fixed manner, but does not have a handle for shooting balls. In this case, after a specified amount of balls are inserted based on a specified operation (button operation), the pattern starts to change due to, for example, the operation of an operating lever, and the pattern change is stopped due to, for example, the operation of a stop button or after a specified time has passed, and a special game is generated in which a specified gaming value is awarded to the player, provided that the fixed pattern at the time of the stop is a so-called jackpot pattern, and a large number of balls are paid out to the player in a receiving tray at the bottom. If such a gaming machine is used instead of a slot machine, the gaming hall can handle only the balls as the gaming value, which can eliminate problems seen in current gaming halls where pachinko machines and slot machines are mixed, such as the burden on facilities due to the separate handling of medals and balls as the gaming value, and the restrictions on the location of gaming machines.

Below, we will explain the gaming machine of the present invention as well as the various invention concepts included in the above-mentioned embodiments.

<Displacement means that changes its shape during rotation>
The gaming machine A1 is provided with a presentation means having a displacement means configured to be tiltable around a predetermined rotation axis, and the presentation means is configured to make it possible to visually recognize a change in external shape that extends at least in a direction away from the rotation axis while the displacement means is tilted.

Among gaming machines such as pachinko machines, there is a gaming machine that is equipped with a displacement means configured to be rotatable about a first axis and a drive means for operating the displacement means, and is configured so that the displacement means is braked by receiving a biasing force at the terminal position (see, for example, JP 2014-144283 A).

However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, even if the displacement means is presented as tilting vigorously, the external shape of the displacement means does not change when tilted, so the effect lacks impact and there is room for improvement in terms of presentation effects.

In contrast, according to gaming machine A1, the presentation means is configured to be able to change the external shape while the displacement means is tilting, so it is possible to execute a powerful presentation in which the external shape of the displacement means changes while it is being tilted vigorously, thereby enhancing the presentation effect.

A gaming machine A2 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine A1, while the displacement means is tilted, the gaming machine A2 is configured to be able to transition from a first state in which the outer shape of the displacement means is maintained while the displacement means is tilted to a second state in which the outer shape of the displacement means is changed while the displacement means is tilted.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A1, gaming machine A2 transitions from a first state in which the external shape is maintained to a second state in which the external shape changes as the tilting operation of the displacement means progresses, so that the force required at the start of tilting can be reduced, making it easier to start the tilting operation smoothly.

Gaming machine A3 is characterized in that in gaming machine A2, the displacement means is configured to be in the first state at the displacement end position on the side where tilting begins.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A2, gaming machine A3 does not require the force required to change the external shape when tilting begins, so the force required when tilting begins can be reduced to only the force required for tilting, thereby reducing the amount of force required.

A gaming machine A4 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine A2 or A3, a section is provided in which the degree of change in the external shape relative to the tilt angle of the displacement means increases during the process in which the displacement means tilts in the direction of transition from the first state to the second state.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines A2 and A3, gaming machine A4 has the advantage that the change in the external shape of the displacement means while it is tilted in the second state becomes greater the further it is from the side where it was placed in the first state (the more it is tilted), so that the degree of tilt of the displacement means can be associated with the degree of change in the external shape of the displacement means.

A gaming machine A5, in any of the gaming machines A1 to A4, is characterized in that the displacement means comprises an axis side means supported so as to be tiltable about the predetermined rotation axis, and a component means configured to be displaceable relative to the axis side means, and is configured to assume a second position by being tilted from a first position, and the distance between the component means and the predetermined rotation axis is longer in the second position than in the first position.

In game machine A5, in addition to the effect of any of game machines A1 to A4, the direction of change in the distance between the component means and a predetermined rotation axis is set to one direction in response to the tilt direction, so that the greater the tilt angle, the greater the degree of the effect.

In other words, the more the displacement means is tilted, the further the component means is separated from the specified rotation axis, so the center of gravity of the displacement means can be moved toward the tip of the tilt, and the momentum of the tilt can be assisted by the displacement means' own weight, resulting in a powerful tilting motion, enhancing the presentation effect.

Furthermore, the more the displacement means is displaced in the opposite direction to the tilt (the rising direction), the closer the component means is to the specified rotation axis, so the center of gravity of the displacement means can be moved toward the rotation axis, reducing the force required for the rising motion.

A gaming machine A5 is characterized in that it is provided with a degree change means for making the degree of change in the distance between the component means and the predetermined rotation axis when tilted to the predetermined angle with the second attitude as the terminal attitude larger than the degree of change in the distance between the component means and the predetermined rotation axis when tilted to the predetermined angle with the first attitude as the terminal attitude.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A5, gaming machine A6 can greatly change the distance between the component means and the specified rotation axis even at a small tilt angle near the second attitude, making it possible to produce an effect in which the external shape of the displacement means is greatly changed without significantly changing the position of the displacement means relative to the specified rotation axis.

Furthermore, when the displacement means is caused to undergo a displacement that causes it to rise from the second position to the first position (displacement in the opposite direction to tilting), the distance between the component means and the specified rotation axis can be significantly changed (shortened) after the start of the displacement, so that the center of gravity of the displacement means can be brought closer to the specified rotation axis at an early stage, and the force required for the displacement to rise can be reduced.

Gaming machine A7 is characterized in that the configuration means in gaming machine A5 or A6 includes a first configuration means that can be displaced in a radial direction of a circle centered on the predetermined rotation axis, and a second configuration means that can be displaced in a direction perpendicular to the radial direction.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines A5 and A6, gaming machine A7 can further differentiate the external shape of the displacement means between the first and second positions.

A gaming machine A8 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine A7, while the displacement means is tilting, the displacement of the second component means starts with a delay from the start of the displacement of the first component means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A7, gaming machine A8 can reduce the force required compared to when the displacement of the first component means and the displacement of the second component means are started simultaneously.

Gaming machine A9 is characterized in that the second component means in gaming machine A7 or A8 is disposed on the axis side means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A7 or A8, gaming machine A9 has an external shape with a bulge on the side of a specific rotation axis, allowing the displacement means to be visually confirmed.

Gaming machine A10 is characterized in that the second component means is disposed in the component means in gaming machine A7 or A8.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines A7 and A8, gaming machine A10 allows the displacement means to be visually recognized due to the wide external shape of the component means.

<Driving force transmission at a position away from the rotating shaft>
A gaming machine B1 is provided with a displacement means configured to be tiltable around a predetermined rotation axis, and a drive means for displacing the displacement means, and is configured so that the drive force of the drive means is transmitted to the displacement means via an arrangement portion that is positioned closer to the tilting tip of the displacement means than the predetermined rotation axis.

Among gaming machines such as pachinko machines, there is a gaming machine that is equipped with a displacement means configured to be rotatable about a first axis and a drive means for operating the displacement means, and is configured so that the displacement means is braked by receiving a biasing force at the terminal position (see, for example, JP 2014-144283 A).

However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, the structure of the displacement means on the side of the first axis tends to become large, making it difficult to position the displacement means so that the first axis is close to a corner of the placement space. In other words, there is a problem in that there is room for improvement in the placement of the displacement means.

In contrast, with gaming machine B1, the driving force of the drive means is transmitted via a placement section that is located on the tilted tip side of the displacement means, which simplifies the structure of the displacement means on the first axis side and makes it easy to position the displacement means with the first axis close to a corner of the placement space. This allows for improved placement of the displacement means.

Gaming machine B2 is characterized in that, in gaming machine B1, the direction of the displacement of the arrangement part can be changed while the direction of the driving force of the driving means is maintained in a predetermined direction while the displacement means is tilted.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine B1, gaming machine B2 is configured to be able to change the direction of displacement of the placement section while maintaining the direction of the driving force of the driving means, so that even if the operation of the driving means is monotonous, the displacement of the placement section can be made complex.

Gaming machine B3 is characterized in that, in gaming machines B1 or B2, the direction of the driving force applied to the placement unit approaches a linear direction passing through the predetermined rotation axis and the placement unit as the displacement means approaches the displacement end position on the tilt side.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines B1 and B2, gaming machine B3 changes the direction of the driving force applied to the arrangement during tilting, making it possible to prevent the load generated in the tilting direction from becoming excessive when the displacement means approaches the displacement end position on the tilting side.

As a result, even if the displacement means tilts at high speed, it is possible to easily cushion the impact when the displacement means reaches the displacement end position on the tilt side, thereby improving the durability of the displacement means. In addition, it is possible to eliminate the need for shock-absorbing cushioning materials.

Gaming machine B4 is any one of gaming machines B1 to B3, characterized in that the direction of the driving force of the driving means is configured to generate a load on the displacement means in a predetermined linear direction.

Gaming machine B4, in addition to the effects of any of gaming machines B1 to B3, makes it easier to stabilize the driving force. Also, the ratio of the driving force component that faces the tilt direction of the displacement means to the component that faces a direction perpendicular to the tilt direction of the displacement means is determined according to the position (posture) of the displacement means, so the magnitude of the load in the tilt direction of the displacement means can be made to correspond to the position (posture) of the displacement means.

Gaming machine B5 is characterized in that, in gaming machine B4, the greater the angle between the predetermined linear direction and the rotational direction component centered on the predetermined rotational axis of the movement direction of the contact part of the displacement means that contacts the placement part, the longer the distance between the placement part and the predetermined rotational axis.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine B4, gaming machine B5 makes it easier to avoid a shortage of driving force for tilting the displacement means by increasing the distance between the positioning section to which the driving force is transmitted and the specified rotation axis, even in a situation in which it is difficult to transmit a load in the tilting direction, such as when the angle between the direction of the driving force and the displacement direction of the tilting displacement means is large.

In other words, by preventing the driving force required for tilting from increasing or decreasing locally within the tilt range of the displacement means, the range of change in the required driving force can be kept small, making it easier to select the driving means.

Gaming machine B6 is characterized in that, in gaming machine B4 or B5, the displacement means is displaceable between a position in front of the display device and a position outside the display device, and the angle between the direction of movement of the arrangement unit about the predetermined rotation axis at the front position and the predetermined linear direction is greater than the angle between the direction of movement of the arrangement unit about the predetermined rotation axis at the outer position and the predetermined linear direction.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines B4 and B5, gaming machine B6 can reduce the momentum of the rotational direction at the forward position, making it easier to stop the rotational motion at the desired position. Therefore, it is easy to perform the operation of rotating at high speed during the rotation, while smoothly stopping the rotation at the forward position.

A gaming machine B7, in which the angle between the direction of movement of the placement part around the predetermined rotation axis and the predetermined linear direction increases as the movement moves from the outer position to the forward position in the gaming machine B6.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine B6, gaming machine B7 can gradually slow down the rotational motion.

Gaming machine B8 is any one of gaming machines B1 to B7, characterized in that the electrical wiring connected to the displacement means is connected from the side of the specified rotation axis.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines B1 to B7, gaming machine B8 can effectively utilize the space freed up by shifting the position of the drive means toward the tip of the tilt as space for arranging electrical wiring.

Gaming machine B9 is any one of gaming machines B1 to B8, characterized in that the placement section is configured so that the distance from the predetermined rotation axis can be changed by moving the placement section in a second predetermined linear direction, and the second predetermined linear direction passing through the placement section is configured so as not to pass through the predetermined rotation axis.

In addition to the effects of any of gaming machines B1 to B8, gaming machine B9 can also utilize the force for moving the placement section in a second predetermined linear direction to rotate the displacement means about a predetermined rotation axis.

A gaming machine B10 is any one of the gaming machines B1 to B9, characterized in that it is equipped with an endless belt capable of transmitting the driving force of the driving means.

Gaming machine B10 has the same effects as any of gaming machines B1 to B9, and also makes it easier to ensure a large displacement range for the displacement means.

<Vary the resistance depending on the range>
A gaming machine C1 is characterized in that it is equipped with a displaceable displacement means and a drive means for displacing the displacement means, and further equipped with a mode change means for changing the mode of force received by the displacement means during displacement in accordance with the position of the displacement means.

Among gaming machines such as pachinko machines, there is a gaming machine that is equipped with a displacement means configured to be rotatable about a first axis and a drive means for operating the displacement means, and is configured so that the displacement means is braked by receiving a biasing force at the terminal position (see, for example, JP 2014-144283 A).

However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, no consideration is given to the forces that the displacement means receives during displacement, and there is a possibility that the load applied to the drive means may change suddenly during displacement, leaving room for improvement. In other words, there is a problem that there is room for improvement regarding the displacement of the displacement means.

In response to this, gaming machine C1 uses a mode changing means to change the mode of force received by the displacement means during displacement in accordance with the position of the displacement means, making it possible to appropriately adjust the force applied to the displacement means during displacement and to prevent abrupt changes in the load applied to the drive means. This makes it possible to improve the displacement of the displacement means.

Gaming machine C2 is characterized in that in gaming machine C1, the displacement means is capable of displacing between a first range and a second range different from the first range, and the force that the displacement means receives from the state change means is greater when the displacement means is positioned in the second range than when the displacement means is positioned in the first range.

In addition to the effect of gaming machine C1, gaming machine C2 can change the manner in which the force received by the displacement means for each range.

Gaming machine C3 is characterized in that in gaming machine C2, the first range or the second range is a range that includes at least one of the displacement ends of the displacement means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine C2, gaming machine C3 can prevent the force received by the displacement means from changing at the end of the displacement.

Gaming machine C4 is characterized in that in gaming machine C3, the first range includes the displacement end of the displacement means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine C3, gaming machine C4 can reduce the driving force required to displace the displacement means from the displacement end.

In gaming machine C4, the mode change means includes relative displacement means that can be displaced relative to the displacement means, and the number of the relative displacement means that are displaced relative to the second range is greater than the number of the relative displacement means that are displaced relative to the first range. Gaming machine C5.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine C4, gaming machine C5 can increase or decrease the force generated by the form change means while enhancing the presentation effect by changing the number of relative displacement means that are displaced relative to each other.

In gaming machine C5, the relative displacement means includes a first relative displacement means that performs relative displacement in a first manner, and a second relative displacement means that performs relative displacement in a second manner, and is characterized in that when the displacement means starts to displace from one of the displacement terminals, a relative displacement of the first relative displacement means occurs. Gaming machine C6.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine C5, gaming machine C6 stabilizes the displacement of the displacement means by shifting the timing of the relative displacement, rather than the relative displacement means performing relative displacement in multiple ways starting the relative displacement at the same time.

Gaming machine C7 is characterized in that, in gaming machine C6, the displacement occurs due to the relative displacement of the second relative displacement means when the displacement means starts to displace from the other displacement end.

In addition to the effect of gaming machine C6, gaming machine C7 can improve the presentation effect by changing the relative displacement means that undergoes relative displacement first for each end where the displacement means begins to displace.

Gaming machine C8 is characterized in that, in gaming machine C3, the first range includes at least one of the displacement ends of the displacement means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine C3, gaming machine C8 makes it easier to decelerate the displacement means at at least one of the displacement ends.

Gaming machine C9 is characterized in that the force received by the displacement means in gaming machine C8 is a predetermined resistance force.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine C8, gaming machine C9 can speed up the displacement of the displacement means by configuring the predetermined resistance force that the displacement means receives to be large at the end of the displacement and small midway through the displacement.

Gaming machine C10 is characterized in that the first range includes both displacement ends of the displacement means in gaming machine C8 or C9.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines C8 and C9, gaming machine C10 makes it easier to decelerate the displacement means at both displacement ends, thereby accelerating the displacement of the displacement means in both displacement directions.

In the gaming machine C10, the displacement means is configured as a pair, and the load transmitted from the pair of displacement means to the drive means is the same at both displacement ends. A gaming machine C11.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine C10, gaming machine C11 can make the driving force required to start displacement from both displacement ends the same.

<Irradiate parallel light onto the light guide plate aligned with the substrate>
A gaming machine D1 comprising a first means composed of a plate-like member, a first light-emitting means arranged on a predetermined surface side of the first means, and a plate-like first light-receiving means capable of receiving light from the first light-emitting means, wherein the side of the first light-receiving means that faces the predetermined surface abuts against the predetermined surface of the first means.

Among gaming machines such as pachinko machines, there are gaming machines that include a plate-shaped member on which a light-emitting means is arranged, and a light-receiving means having a plate-shaped portion that is arranged opposite the light-emitting means of the plate-shaped member and is configured so that light from the light-emitting means is incident thereon (see, for example, JP 2015-198675 A).

However, the conventional gaming machines described above required additional components to align the light receiving means, which made the structure more complicated. In other words, there was a problem that there was room for improvement in the placement of the light receiving means.

In contrast, with gaming machine D1, the first light receiving means can be aligned with the first light receiving means by abutting the first means with the first light receiving means, so the structure for aligning the first light receiving means can be simplified. In other words, improvements can be made with regard to the placement of the light receiving means.

A gaming machine D2 is characterized in that it comprises a second light emitting means disposed on the opposite side of the first means opposite to the predetermined side, and a plate-shaped second light receiving means capable of receiving light from the second light emitting means, and the second light receiving means has a side surface disposed opposite the opposite side that abuts against the opposite side.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine D1, gaming machine D2 can align the second light receiving means with the first means by abutting the second light receiving means with the first means, simplifying the structure for aligning the first light receiving means and the second light receiving means. In other words, it is possible to further improve the arrangement of the light receiving means.

Gaming machine D3 is characterized in that in gaming machine D2, the first light receiving means and the second light receiving means can be fixed to the first means by pressing from a predetermined pressing means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine D2, gaming machine D3 can fix three components by pressing from a pressing means, which reduces the number of fixing points for fixing multiple components and reduces manufacturing man-hours.

Gaming machine D4 is any one of gaming machines D1 to D3, and is provided with a support means configured to support the first means and the first light receiving means, the support means having a first protruding portion that can be fitted into the first means, and a second protruding portion that can be fitted into the first light receiving means.

In addition to the effects of any of gaming machines D1 to D3, gaming machine D4 supports the first means and the first light receiving means with a support means, thereby preventing misalignment between the first means and the first light receiving means in a direction parallel to the plate surface of the first means.

When a second light receiving means is provided, the second protrusion may be configured to be able to engage with the second light receiving means as well. In this case, it is possible to prevent misalignment between the first light receiving means and the second light receiving means in a direction parallel to the plate surface of the first means.

Gaming machine D5 is characterized in that, in gaming machine D3 or D4, it comprises a second light emitting means disposed on the opposite side of the first means opposite to the predetermined side, and a plate-shaped second light receiving means capable of receiving light from the second light emitting means, the second light receiving means has a side surface disposed opposite to the opposite surface in contact with the opposite surface, the first means is disposed outside the second protruding portion, and the first light receiving means and the second light receiving means can be pressed and fixed by a predetermined pressing means at the second protruding portion.

Gaming machine D5 has the same effect as gaming machines D3 and D4, but can also apply a pressing force from the means to the end of the first means. This allows the end of the first means to be damaged even if the pressing force becomes excessive, making it easier to avoid damage to the center where the light-emitting means is located.

Gaming machine D6 is characterized in that in gaming machine D5, the first light receiving means or the second light receiving means is configured so that the shape of the contact portion that contacts the first means corresponds to that of the first light receiving means.

Gaming machine D6 has the same effect as gaming machine D5, and in addition, it is possible to match the portion where force is applied to the first means through the first light receiving means by pressing from a predetermined pressing means with the portion where force is applied to the first means through the second light receiving means, making it easier to apply force perpendicular to the surface of the first means, improving the balance of the forces applied to the front and back. This makes it possible to prevent cracking of the first means caused by force being applied in a direction inclined to the surface of the first means.

A gaming machine D7 is characterized in that, in any one of gaming machines D3 to D6, it is provided with a second light emitting means disposed on the opposite side of the first means opposite to the predetermined side, and a plate-shaped second light receiving means capable of receiving light from the second light emitting means, the second light receiving means has a side surface disposed opposite to the opposite surface in contact with the opposite surface, the first light emitting means is disposed at a position corresponding to the second light emitting means, and is configured to emit light in a direction parallel to the irradiation direction of the second light emitting means.

Gaming machine D7, in addition to the effects of any of gaming machines D3 to D6, can match the position where light is irradiated from the first light emitting means to the first light receiving means with the position where light is irradiated from the second light emitting means to the second light receiving means. This allows the positions illuminated by different light emitting units to be aligned, resulting in a good light emission effect when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first light receiving means and the second light receiving means.

Gaming machine D8 is characterized in that the first light-emitting means in gaming machine D7 has a plurality of light-emitting elements, and the optical axis directions of the light from the plurality of light-emitting elements are parallel to each other.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine D7, gaming machine D8 can illuminate the first means uniformly over a wide area using the light from the first light-emitting means.

A gaming machine D9 is any one of gaming machines D1 to D8, and is provided with a support means configured to be able to support the first means and the first light emitting means, and the first light receiving means is configured so that the supported surface on the side opposite to the side on which the first means is arranged is supported by the support surface of the support means, and the supported surface or the support surface has a plurality of protrusions, and the plurality of protrusions are configured to be able to receive light from a specified light emitting means to produce an effect.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines D1 to D8, gaming machine D9 can utilize multiple protrusions as both a presentation surface that receives light and a structural surface that can divide the pressure force.

Gaming machine D10 is characterized in that, in gaming machine D9, the specified light-emitting means is disposed on the opposite side of the first light-receiving means from the first light-emitting means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine D9, gaming machine D10 can avoid interference between light from a specified light-emitting means and light from a first light-emitting means.

Gaming machine D11 is any one of gaming machines D1 to D10, characterized in that the first means comprises a plurality of plate-shaped members.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines D1 to D10, gaming machine D11 can increase the number of locations where the first light emitting means that irradiates light to the first light receiving means is arranged, thereby improving the design freedom of the size of the first light receiving means.

Gaming machine D12 is any one of gaming machines D1 to D11, characterized in that the light receiving end of the first light receiving means is positioned closer to the light emitting means than the end of the first means on the irradiation direction side of the first light emitting means.

In addition to the effects of any of gaming machines D1 to D11, gaming machine D12 uses the first means as a shielding member, making it possible to prevent light from leaking before it is received by the first light receiving means.

<Means for restricting the direction of light transmission>
A gaming machine E1 is provided with a flow-down means for forming an area on the front side through which game balls can flow down, and a front side means that is provided further forward than the flow-down means and through which game balls may flow down the area located on the rear side, the front side means being configured to be visible from a first direction and from a second direction in which it is easier to view game balls flowing down the area than from the first direction.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, have a transparent plate with decorative letters and figures drawn on it in front of the path through which the gaming balls flow (see, for example, JP 2017-23543 A). However, in the above-mentioned conventional gaming machines, the gaming balls flowing through the path are visible through the decorative letters and figures, and if one of them is made easier to see (for example, if the decorative letters or figures are made darker), the visibility of the other may become poor (for example, the gaming balls become difficult to see), which is an issue that there is room for improvement in the visibility of the gaming balls during play.

In contrast, with gaming machine E1, the front side means can be configured to make it easy to see the gaming ball flowing down the flow-down means or difficult to see it, depending on the viewing direction. That is, by making the front side of the front side means visible when viewed in a first direction, while making the gaming ball visible through the front side means when viewed in a second direction, it is possible to improve the visibility of the gaming ball during play while still employing the front side means.

Gaming machine E2 is characterized in that the front side means in gaming machine E1 is formed from a light-transmitting resin material and is equipped with a direction selection means that blocks light in the first direction toward the area and allows light in the second direction to reach the area.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine E1, gaming machine E2 uses a direction selection means to limit the directions through which light can pass, making it possible to more clearly show the difference in the degree of visibility due to different directions.

A gaming machine E3 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine E2, it is provided with a front side forming means that is arranged on the front side of the flow-down means and forms the front side of the area where the gaming balls flow down, and the direction selection means is arranged in the area between the front side means and the front side forming means and is configured to have a predetermined thickness.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine E2, gaming machine E3 can achieve changes in visibility due to differences in viewing direction by using the direction selection means located in the thin area between the front side means and the front side configuration means, making it less susceptible to the effects of light attenuation caused by the direction selection means itself, and making the difference in appearance between viewing in the first direction and viewing in the second direction more noticeable.

Gaming machine E4 is characterized in that, in any one of gaming machines E1 to E3, a first flow path in which the visibility of the gaming ball changes depending on the direction viewed by the direction selection means and a second flow path in which the visibility of the gaming ball does not change depending on the direction viewed are provided adjacent to each other.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines E1 to E3, gaming machine E4 can create a state in which the player is likely to pay attention to the second flow path, and a state in which the player is likely to pay attention to both the first flow path and the second flow path to the same degree, depending on the direction of the player's line of sight as he or she views the specified range.

Gaming machine E5 is characterized in that, in gaming machine E4, it is equipped with a detection means capable of detecting gaming balls flowing down the first flow path.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine E4, gaming machine E5 can be controlled so that even if the direction selection means makes it impossible to visually confirm that the gaming ball has flowed down the first flow path, if the detection means detects that the gaming ball has flowed down the first flow path, the player can be notified, making it easier for the player to know whether the gaming ball has flowed down the first flow path.

Gaming machine E6 is characterized in that, in gaming machine E4 or E5, gaming balls that flow into the first flow path are discharged from the gaming area via the first flow path.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines E4 and E5, gaming machine E6 can draw more attention to gaming balls flowing down the second flow path that may continue to flow down the gaming area after flowing down, compared to gaming balls flowing down the first flow path that is scheduled to be discharged from the gaming area.

Gaming machine E7 is characterized in that, in any one of gaming machines E1 to E6, the front side means includes a direction selection means that blocks light in the first direction toward the area and allows light in the second direction to reach the area, the direction selection means is covered with a light-transmitting resin member arranged to cover the front side, and decorative figures are formed on the surface of the resin member.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines E1 to E6, gaming machine E7 allows a player who looks toward the area from the first direction to see the decorative figures on the surface of the resin member, improving the presentation effect of the front side means.

Gaming machine E8 is characterized in that in gaming machine E7, the direction selection means is formed from a plate-like means having a plurality of plate-like parts arranged in a stack.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine E7, gaming machine E8 makes it easier to fill gaps in the front-to-rear direction using the direction selection means when the gap dimensions are large.

A gaming machine E9 is any one of gaming machines E1 to E8, and is characterized in that it is equipped with a light irradiation means, and the visibility of the front side means is changed by the light from the light irradiation means.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines E1 to E8, gaming machine E9 can change the visibility of the front side means when the light of the light irradiation means is turned on and off, so that the visibility of the gaming ball flowing down the area can be switched in accordance with the presentation.

A gaming machine E10 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine E9, the range in which the visibility of the front side means is changed by the light of the light irradiation means is switchable.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine E9, gaming machine E10 can change the visibility of each range of the front side means by switching the illumination mode of the light illumination means. This allows the direction in which the area where the gaming ball flows down can be seen with good visibility to be switched by the light illumination means.

Gaming machine E11 is any one of gaming machines E1 to E10, characterized in that the front side means is configured to be displaceable.

According to gaming machine E11, in addition to the effects achieved by any of gaming machines E1 to E10, it is possible to cause the angle between the player's line of sight and the front side means to change by displacing the front side means even without the player moving his or her line of sight, thereby changing the visibility of the area.
<Concept of the invention using board boxes W100 to W3100, W700 to W9100 as examples>
The gaming machine WA1-0 comprises a first member and a second member, an engagement member formed to be able to engage with at least the first member, and an arrangement member arranged on the first member and the second member, and in which the engagement member is removed and the arrangement member is removed, the gaming machine being characterized in that, when the engagement member is removed, a situation equivalent to that in which the arrangement member is removed can be created.

A gaming machine is known that includes a first member, a second member, an engagement member that is formed so as to be able to engage with at least the first member, and an attachment member that is attached to the first member and the second member (JP Patent Publication No. 2011-244900).

Here, the removed installation member may be reinstalled. In this case, it is preferable to be able to check the state of the installation member, but the gaming machine described above still has room for improvement in terms of making it possible to check the state of the installation member.

The present invention was made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above, and aims to provide an amusement machine that makes it possible to check the state of the installed components.

In the gaming machine WA1-0, the main body and the engagement part are connected by a connecting part, so the engagement part can be separated from the engagement member (main body) by cutting the connecting part. This allows the engagement member (main body) to be removed from the first member and the second member.

In this case, when the engaging member is removed, a situation equivalent to that in which the installation member is removed can be created. This makes it possible to check the condition of the installation member (whether the installation member is new, reused, or has been the subject of unauthorized operation) based on that situation.

In the gaming machine WA1-0, the engaging member includes a main body, an engaging portion that engages with the first member, and a connecting portion that connects the main body and the engaging portion, and the gaming machine WA1-1 is characterized in that a recess is formed in the portion of the first member where the mounting member is disposed, at a position corresponding to the connecting portion.

According to the gaming machine WA1-1, a recess is formed in the portion of the first member where the placement member is placed, so that a space can be formed between the placement member and the first member, and since the recess is formed in a position corresponding to the connecting portion, when the connecting portion is cut, the recess (space) can be used (the tip of the tool for cutting the connecting portion can be received in the recess) to make it easier to damage the placement member. In other words, when the cutting portion is cut, a trace can be formed on the placement member. This makes it possible to check the condition of the placement member (whether the placement member is new, reused, or has been the subject of fraudulent operation) based on the presence or absence of the trace on the placement member.

In addition, the formation of traces on the mounting members can prevent the mounting members from being reused.

If there are no traces on the mounting member, it can be determined that the mounting member is highly likely to be new. If there are traces on the mounting member, it can be determined that the traces were formed on the mounting member when the engaging member was removed from the first and second members, and that the mounting member was removed from the first and second members and re-installed (reused) on the same or different first and second members, or that the mounting member is a mounting part seat where only the engaging member was removed from the first and second members in order to perform unauthorized operations on the first and second members or stored items, and where the traces were formed when the engaging member was removed.

A gaming machine WA1-2 is characterized in that the first member and the second member are connected by fastening a screw in the gaming machine WA1-1, and the head of the screw is located in the recess.

In addition to the effects of the gaming machine WA1-1, the gaming machine WA1-2 has the following advantages: the first member and the second member are connected by fastening a screw, and the head of the screw is located in a recess; therefore, the trace of the mounting member that is formed when the connecting portion is cut can be formed in a position corresponding to the head of the screw. Therefore, even if the head of the screw is hidden by the mounting member, the position of the screw can be ascertained based on the trace of the mounting member. As a result, the workability of releasing the fastening of the screw can be improved.

A gaming machine WA1-3 is characterized in that the engagement member is configured such that the opposing distance between the connecting portion and the arrangement member is smaller than the opposing distance between the main body portion and the arrangement member in the gaming machine WA1-1 or WA1-2.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines WA1-1 and WA1-2, gaming machine WA1-3 has an engaging member with a smaller opposing distance between the connecting portion and the installation member than between the main body and the installation member, so that the tip of a tool for cutting the connecting portion can be brought closer to the installation member, making it easier to damage the installation member when the connecting portion is cut.

A gaming machine WA1-4 is any one of the gaming machines WA1-1 to WA1-3, characterized in that the connecting portion is formed with at least one side inclined.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines WA1-1 to WA1-3, the gaming machine WA1-4 has a connecting piece with at least one side formed with an inclination, so that when the connecting piece is cut, the tool can be moved along the inclination of the side. This makes it easier to bring the tip of the tool into contact with the mounting member and damage the mounting member.

For example, when using a tool to cut a connecting piece by clamping the connecting piece between a pair of blades (with the pair of blades abutting both sides), the tool can be rotated along the slope of the side as the connecting piece is cut, and as the tool rotates, the tip of the tool can be easily brought into contact with the mounting member.

A gaming machine WA1-5 is any one of the gaming machines WA1-1 to WA1-4, characterized in that the connecting portion includes a first portion and a second portion in which the distance between both sides is smaller than that of the first portion, and the opposing distance between the second portion and the arrangement member is smaller than the opposing distance between the first portion and the arrangement member.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines WA1-1 to WA1-4, the gaming machine WA1-5 has a smaller distance between the two sides of the second part than the first part, so that the connecting part can be easily cut by cutting the second part.

In this case, the opposing distance between the second part and the arrangement member is smaller than the opposing distance between the first part and the arrangement member, so the tip of the tool for cutting the second part can be brought closer to the arrangement member, making it easier to damage the arrangement member when the second part is cut.

In addition, by making the opposing distance between the second portion and the installation member smaller than the opposing distance between the first portion and the installation member (i.e., by extending the second portion toward the installation member), the difference in cross-sectional area between the first portion and the second portion can be suppressed accordingly. Therefore, when the engaging member is made of a resin material, its moldability can be ensured.
<Concept of the invention using board boxes W4100 to W6100 as examples>
A gaming machine WA2-1 is provided with a first member and a second member, an engagement member formed to be engageable with at least the first member, and an arrangement member arranged on the first member and the second member, wherein the engagement member has a main body portion, an engagement portion that engages with the first member, and a connecting portion that connects the main body portion and the engagement portion, and the engagement portion of the engagement member has a protrusion that protrudes toward the arrangement member.

A gaming machine is known that includes a first member, a second member, an engagement member that is formed so as to be able to engage with at least the first member, and an attachment member that is attached to the first member and the second member (JP Patent Publication No. 2011-244900).

Here, the removed installation member may be reinstalled. In this case, it is preferable to be able to check the state of the installation member, but the gaming machine described above still has room for improvement in terms of making it possible to check the state of the installation member.

The present invention was made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above, and aims to provide an amusement machine that makes it possible to check the state of the installed components.

In the gaming machine WA2-1, the main body and the engagement part are connected by a connecting part, so the engagement part can be separated from the engagement member (main body) by cutting the connecting part. This allows the engagement member (main body) to be removed from the first member and the second member.

In this case, since the engaging member has a protrusion that protrudes toward the arrangement member, when an attempt is made to release the engagement with the first member by operating the engaging portion without cutting the connecting portion, the protrusion can damage the arrangement member. In other words, regardless of whether the engagement is released or not, if the engaging portion is operated improperly, a trace can be left on the arrangement member. This makes it possible to confirm the condition of the arrangement member (whether the arrangement member is new, reused, or has been the subject of improper operation) based on the presence or absence of the trace on the arrangement member.

In addition, the formation of traces on the mounting members can prevent the mounting members from being reused.

If there are no traces on the mounting member, it can be determined that the mounting member is highly likely to be new. If there are traces on the mounting member, it can be determined that the traces were formed on the mounting member when the engaging member was removed from the first and second members, and that the mounting member was removed from the first and second members and re-installed (reused) on the same or different first and second members, or that the mounting member is a mounting part seat where only the engaging member was removed from the first and second members in order to perform unauthorized operations on the first and second members or stored items, and where the traces were formed when the engaging member was removed.

A gaming machine WA2-2 is characterized in that the protrusion is positioned on the outer edge side of the engagement portion in the gaming machine WA2-1.

In addition to the effects of the gaming machine WA2-1, the gaming machine WA2-2 has a protrusion positioned on the outer edge of the engagement portion, which makes it easier to visually confirm the traces of the installation member even when the engagement member is engaged with the first member. In other words, it makes it easier to check the condition of the installation member (whether the installation member is new, reused, or has been the subject of fraudulent operation).

A gaming machine WA2-3 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine WA2-1 or WA2-2, a recess is formed at a position corresponding to the protrusion in the portion of the first member where the mounting member is disposed.

According to gaming machine WA2-3, in addition to the effects of gaming machines WA2-1 and WA2-2, a recess is formed in the portion of the first member where the mounting member is mounted, so that a space can be formed between the mounting member and the first member, and since the recess is formed in a position corresponding to the protrusion, when the engagement with the first member is released by operating the engaging portion (elastic deformation) without cutting the connecting portion, the recess (space) can be utilized (allowing the tip of the protrusion to be received in the recess) to easily damage the mounting member with the protrusion. In other words, if the engaging portion is operated improperly, it is easy to leave a mark on the mounting member.

A gaming machine WA2-3, characterized in that the engaging member is removable from the first member by displacing a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction with the engaging portion operated in a direction approaching the placement member, and the recess is formed at least in a range that corresponds to the protrusion when the engaging member is displaced the predetermined distance in the predetermined direction with the engaging portion operated in a direction approaching the placement member.

In the gaming machine WA2-4, in addition to the effects of the gaming machine WA2-3, the engaging member can be removed from the first member by displacing a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction with the engaging portion operated in a direction approaching the arrangement member, and the recess is formed at least in the range that corresponds to the protrusion when the engaging member is displaced a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction with the engaging portion operated in a direction approaching the arrangement member, so that the damage range of the arrangement member can be secured.

In other words, when the engagement between the first member and the engaging member is released by operating the engaging portion without cutting the connecting portion, the engaging member is displaced in a predetermined direction with the tip of the protrusion received in the recess, so that the tip of the protrusion received in the recess can continue to damage the mounting member while the engaging member is displaced a predetermined distance in the predetermined direction. This ensures that the mounting member can be damaged within a certain range.

A gaming machine WA2-3, characterized in that the engaging member is removable from the first member by displacing a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction with the engaging portion operated in a direction approaching the placement member, and the recess is formed only in the front half of the range that corresponds to the protrusion when the engaging member is displaced the predetermined distance in the predetermined direction with the engaging portion operated in a direction approaching the placement member.

According to the gaming machine WA2-5, in addition to the effects of the gaming machine WA2-3, the engaging member can be removed from the first member by displacing a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction with the engaging portion operated in a direction approaching the arrangement member, and the recess is formed only in the front half of the range that corresponds to the protrusion when the engaging member is displaced a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction with the engaging portion operated in a direction approaching the arrangement member, so that the damage range of the arrangement member can be secured and the engaging member can be prevented from being improperly removed from the first member.

In other words, when the engagement between the first member and the engaging member is released by operating the engaging portion without cutting the connecting portion, the engaging member is displaced in a predetermined direction with the tip of the protrusion received in the recess, so that while the first half of the engaging member is displaced a predetermined distance in the predetermined direction, the tip of the protrusion received in the recess can continue to damage the mounting member. This ensures a certain range of damage to the mounting member.

On the other hand, after the engagement member has been displaced a predetermined distance in the predetermined direction, the tip of the protrusion received in the recess can be engaged with the end of the recess, thereby restricting the displacement of the engagement member in the predetermined direction and preventing the engagement member from being illegally removed from the first member.
<Concept of the invention using board boxes Wa100 to Wc100, Wi100 as examples>
Gaming machine WB1-1 is characterized in that in a gaming machine comprising a first member and a second member, an engagement member formed to be engageable with at least the first member, and an arrangement member arranged on the first member and the second member, the engagement member comprises a main body portion and an engagement portion formed to be separable from the main body portion and engaged with the first member, and the arrangement state of the arrangement member is changeable using the main body portion from which the engagement portion is separated.

A gaming machine is known that includes a first member, a second member, an engagement member that is formed so as to be able to engage with at least the first member, and an attachment member that is attached to the first member and the second member (JP Patent Publication No. 2011-244900).

The gaming machine described above still has room for improvement in terms of changing the arrangement of the arrangement members.

The present invention was made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above, and aims to provide an amusement machine that allows the arrangement state of the arrangement members to be suitably changed.

According to the gaming machine WB1-1, the engagement member comprises a main body and an engagement portion formed separable from the main body and engaged with the first member, and the main body from which the engagement portion is separated is used to form the arrangement state of the arrangement portion so that it is possible to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member, eliminating the need to carry a tool (e.g., a utility knife) for changing the arrangement state of the arrangement member. In addition, the main body of the engagement member is relatively large and easy to grip, making it easy to perform the task of changing the arrangement state of the arrangement member. This allows the arrangement state of the arrangement member to be changed in an ideal manner.

Gaming machine WB1-2 is characterized in that in gaming machine WB1-1, the engagement member includes a connecting portion that connects the main body portion and the engagement portion, the main body portion includes a change means that is disposed at a position corresponding to a predetermined area of the arrangement member, and when the connecting portion is cut off, the main body portion is displaceable relative to the first member and the second member up to a position where the change means at least abuts against the predetermined area of the arrangement member.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WB1-1, gaming machine WB1-2 has the following advantages: the main body and the engaging part are connected by a connecting part, and the engaging part can be separated from the engaging member (main body) by cutting the connecting part. This allows the engaging member (main body) to be removed from the first member and the second member.

In this case, the main body includes a change means disposed at a position corresponding to the predetermined region of the arrangement member, and when the connecting portion is cut, the main body is displaceable relative to the first and second members to a position where the change means at least abuts against the predetermined region of the arrangement member. Therefore, after the connecting portion is cut and before the main body is removed from the first and second members, the main body can be displaced to at least abut the change means against the predetermined region of the arrangement member (changing the arrangement state of the arrangement member). In other words, there is no need to separately perform the work of cutting the connecting portion and removing the main body from the first and second members and the work of changing the arrangement state of the arrangement member using the removed main body (change means), and these tasks can be efficiently performed as a series of tasks, so that the arrangement state of the arrangement member can be easily changed.

In addition, because the change means is disposed at a position corresponding to a predetermined region of the arrangement member, it is possible to prevent the worker's hands from touching the change means. This prevents the worker from being injured by the change means during the manufacture or transportation of the engagement member, during the attachment (detachment) of the engagement member to the first member and the second member, or during disposal of the main body portion from which the engagement portion has been separated by cutting the connecting member.

In addition, since the modification means is formed in the main body, the rigidity of the main body can be increased.

Gaming machine WB1-3 is characterized in that the modification means of the main body of the gaming machine WB1-2 is formed at least partially inclined with respect to the specified area of the mounting member.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WB1-2, gaming machine WB1-3 has a change means for the main body that is formed with at least a portion inclined relative to the specified area of the arrangement member, making it easier to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member when the main body is displaced and the change means is at least abutted against the specified area of the arrangement member.

Gaming machine WB1-4 is characterized in that in gaming machine WB1-1, the engagement member has a connecting portion that connects the main body portion and the engagement portion, and the main body portion has a change means that is formed so as to be able to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member and is arranged at a position opposite the engagement portion.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WB1-1, gaming machine WB1-4 has the following advantages: the main body and the engaging part are connected by a connecting part, and the engaging part can be separated from the engaging member (main body) by cutting the connecting part. This allows the engaging member (main body) to be removed from the first member and the second member.

The main body portion is provided with a change means that is formed so as to be able to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member and is disposed at a position opposite the engagement portion, so that when the engagement portion is separated from the engagement member (main body portion), it becomes possible to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member using the change means.

In this case, the change means is disposed at a position opposite the engagement portion, and the change means becomes usable when the engagement portion is separated from the engagement member (main body portion). Therefore, before the engagement portion is separated from the engagement member (main body portion), the worker's hands can be prevented from touching the change means. This can prevent the worker from being injured by the change means during the manufacture and transportation of the engagement member, and during the installation of the engagement member to the first and second members.

In addition, since the modification means is formed in the main body, the rigidity of the main body can be increased.

In the gaming machine WB1-4, at least one of the first member and the second member has an abutment portion, the main body has an abutment portion formed so as to be able to abut against the abutment portion, and when the abutment portion abuts against the abutment portion, the change means at least abuts against a predetermined area of the arrangement member. Gaming machine WB1-5.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WB1-4, gaming machine WB1-5 has the following advantages: when the abutting portion abuts against the abutted portion, the change means at least abuts against a predetermined area of the arrangement member; therefore, when using the change means to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member (at least abutting the change means against the predetermined area of the arrangement member), the effort required to find the location of the predetermined area of the arrangement member can be reduced.

Gaming machine WB1-6 is characterized in that the contacted portion in the gaming machine WB1-5 is formed so that the contacted portion that is in contact with the contacted portion can be displaced along the contacted portion, and when the contacted portion is displaced along the contacted portion, the change means is displaced along a predetermined area of the arrangement member.

According to gaming machine WB1-6, in addition to the effects of gaming machine WB1-5, when the abutment portion is displaced along the abutted portion, the change means is displaced along a specified area of the arrangement member, making it easier to use the abutted portion as a guide to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member (cutting a specified area of the arrangement member with the change means).
<Concept of the invention using board boxes We100 to Wg100 as an example>
Gaming machine WB2-1 is characterized in that, in a gaming machine comprising a first member and a second member, an engagement member formed to be engageable with at least the first member, and an arrangement member arranged on the first member and the second member, the engagement member comprises a main body portion and an engagement portion formed to be separable from the main body portion and engageable with the first member, and the arrangement state of the arrangement member is changeable using the engagement portion separated from the main body portion.

A gaming machine is known that includes a first member, a second member, an engagement member that is formed so as to be able to engage with at least the first member, and an attachment member that is attached to the first member and the second member (JP Patent Publication No. 2011-244900).

The gaming machine described above still has room for improvement in terms of changing the arrangement of the arrangement members.

The present invention was made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above, and aims to provide an amusement machine that allows the arrangement state of the arrangement members to be suitably changed.

According to the gaming machine WB2-1, the engagement member includes a main body and an engagement portion that is formed so as to be separable from the main body and engages with the first member, and the engagement portion that is separated from the main body is formed so as to be able to change the arrangement state of the arrangement portion, which eliminates the need to carry a tool (e.g., a utility knife) for changing the arrangement state of the arrangement member. In addition, the engagement portion of the engagement member is relatively small and interference with the surroundings of the arrangement member (the first member or the second member) can be suppressed, which makes it easy to perform the task of changing the arrangement state of the arrangement member. This makes it possible to conveniently change the arrangement state of the arrangement member.

Gaming machine WB2-2 is characterized in that in gaming machine WB2-1, the engagement member has a connecting portion that connects the main body portion and the engagement portion, and the engagement portion has a change means that is formed so as to be able to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member and is arranged at a position opposite the main body portion.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WB2-1, gaming machine WB2-2 has the following advantages: the main body and the engaging part are connected by a connecting part, and the engaging part can be separated from the engaging member (main body) by cutting the connecting part. This allows the engaging member (main body) to be removed from the first member and the second member.

The engagement portion is provided with a change means that is formed so as to be able to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member and is disposed at a position opposite the main body portion, so that by separating the engagement portion from the engagement member (main body portion), it becomes possible to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member using the change means.

In this case, the change means is disposed at a position opposite the main body, and the change means becomes usable when the engagement portion is separated from the engagement member (main body), so that the worker's hands can be prevented from touching the change means before the engagement portion is separated from the engagement member (main body). This can prevent the worker from being injured by the change means during the manufacture and transportation of the engagement member, and during the installation of the engagement member to the first and second members.

Gaming machine WB2-3 is characterized in that in gaming machine WB2-1, the engagement member has a connecting portion that connects the main body portion and the engagement portion, and the engagement portion has a change means that is formed so as to be able to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member and is protruded toward the arrangement member.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WB2-1, gaming machine WB2-3 has the following advantages: the main body and the engaging part are connected by a connecting part, and the engaging part can be separated from the engaging member (main body) by cutting the connecting part. This allows the engaging member (main body) to be removed from the first member and the second member.

The engagement portion is provided with a change means that is formed so as to be able to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member and that protrudes toward the arrangement member, so that by separating the engagement portion from the engagement member (main body portion), it becomes possible to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member using the change means.

In this case, the change means protrudes toward the installation member (i.e., is disposed at a position facing the installation member), and the change means becomes usable when the engagement portion is separated from the engagement member (main body portion). Therefore, the change means can be prevented from being touched by the hands of an operator before the engagement portion is separated from the engagement member (main body portion). This can prevent an operator from being injured by the change means during the manufacture or transportation of the engagement member, and during the installation of the engagement member to the first and second members.

In addition, since the engaging means protrudes from the engaging portion toward the arrangement member, when an attempt is made to release the engagement with the first member by operating the engaging portion without cutting the connecting portion, the engaging means can damage the arrangement member. In other words, regardless of whether the engagement is released or not, if the engaging portion is operated improperly, a trace can be left on the arrangement member. This makes it possible to confirm the condition of the arrangement member (whether the arrangement member is new, reused, or has been the subject of improper operation) based on the presence or absence of the trace on the arrangement member.

In addition, the formation of traces on the mounting members can prevent the mounting members from being reused.

In gaming machine WB2-2 or WB2-3, at least one of the first member or the second member has an abutment portion, the engagement portion has an abutment portion formed so as to be able to abut against the abutment portion, and when the abutment portion abuts against the abutment portion, the change means at least abuts against a predetermined area of the arrangement member. Gaming machine WB2-4.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WB2-2 or WB2-3, gaming machine WB2-4 has the following advantages: when the abutting portion abuts against the abutted portion, the change means at least abuts against the specified area of the arrangement member; therefore, when using the change means to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member (at least abutting the change means against the specified area of the arrangement member), the effort required to find the location of the specified area of the arrangement member can be reduced.

In the gaming machine WB2-4, the contact portion is formed so that the contact portion that contacts the contact portion can be displaced along the contact portion, and when the contact portion is displaced along the contact portion, the change means is displaced along a predetermined area of the arrangement member. In the gaming machine WB2-5,

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WB2-4, gaming machine WB2-5 displaces the change means along a specified area of the arrangement member when the contact portion is displaced along the contacted portion, making it easier to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member (cutting a specified area of the arrangement member with the change means) by using the contacted portion as a guide.

Gaming machine WB2-6 is characterized in that in gaming machine WB2-1, the engaging member has a connecting portion that connects the main body portion and the engaging portion, the engaging portion has a change means that is formed so that the arrangement state of the arrangement member can be changed, and the change means is formed by the connecting portion being cut.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WB2-1, gaming machine WB2-6 has the following advantages: the main body and the engaging part are connected by a connecting part, and the engaging part can be separated from the engaging member (main body) by cutting the connecting part. This allows the engaging member (main body) to be removed from the first member and the second member.

The engaging portion is provided with a change means that is formed so as to be able to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member, and the change means is formed by a cut connecting portion, so that by separating the engaging portion from the engaging member (main body portion), it becomes possible to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member using the change means.

In this case, the engaging portion of the engaging member is relatively small, and the connecting portion is even smaller than the engaging portion, so interference with the surroundings of the arrangement member (first member or second member) can be suppressed, and it is easy to form a shape (e.g., a sharp shape) suitable for changing the arrangement state of the arrangement member. This makes it easier to perform the task of changing the arrangement state of the arrangement member.

In addition, because the modification means becomes usable when the engaging portion is separated from the engaging member (main body portion) (i.e., the severed connecting portion becomes the modification means), the operator's hands can be prevented from touching the modification means before the engaging portion is separated from the engaging member (main body portion). This prevents the operator from being injured by the modification means during the manufacture and transportation of the engaging member, and during the installation of the engaging member to the first and second members.

Gaming machine WB2-7 is characterized in that the connecting portion in the gaming machine WB2-6 includes a one-side connecting portion that connects one end of one side of the engagement portion to the main body portion, and an other-side connecting portion that connects the other end of the one side of the engagement portion opposite to the one side to the main body portion.

According to the gaming machine WB2-7, the connecting portion includes a one-side connecting portion that connects an end of one side of the engaging portion to the main body portion, and an other-side connecting portion that connects an end of the other side of the engaging portion opposite to the one side to the main body portion. Therefore, the one-side connecting portion is used on one side of the predetermined region of the arrangement member to displace the engaging portion to one side, and the other-side connecting portion is used on the other side of the predetermined region of the arrangement member to displace the engaging portion to the other side, thereby changing the arrangement state of the predetermined region. In other words, even without changing the orientation of the engaging portion by changing its grip, the arrangement state can be changed (cut) from the end on one side of the predetermined region to the end on the other side while suppressing interference with surrounding members (first member or second member). Therefore, the arrangement state of the arrangement member in the predetermined region can be changed efficiently.

Gaming machine WB2-8 is characterized in that the connecting portion of the gaming machine WB2-6 or WB2-7 has a portion with a reduced cross-sectional area between the side connected to the main body portion and the side connected to the engagement portion.

According to the gaming machine WB2-8, in addition to the effects of the gaming machines WB2-6 and WB2-7, the connecting portion has a predetermined portion where the cross-sectional area is reduced between the side connected to the main body portion and the side connected to the engagement portion, so that the connecting portion can be easily cut by cutting the predetermined portion. Also, it is easy to form a shape (for example, a sharp shape) suitable for changing the arrangement state of the arrangement member in the cut connecting portion (predetermined portion).
<Concept of the invention using the board box Wd100 as an example>
Gaming machine WB3-1 is characterized in that, in a gaming machine comprising a first member and a second member, an engagement member formed to be engageable with at least the first member, and an arrangement member arranged on the first member and the second member, the engagement member comprises a main body portion and an engagement portion formed to be separable from the main body portion and engaged with the first member, the main body portion and the engagement portion separated from the main body portion are formed to be connectable, and the arrangement state of the arrangement member is changeable using the engagement portion connected to the main body portion.

A gaming machine is known that includes a first member, a second member, an engagement member that is formed so as to be able to engage with at least the first member, and an attachment member that is attached to the first member and the second member (JP Patent Publication No. 2011-244900).

The gaming machine described above still has room for improvement in terms of changing the arrangement of the arrangement members.

The present invention was made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above, and aims to provide an amusement machine that allows the arrangement state of the arrangement members to be suitably changed.

According to the gaming machine WB3-1, the engagement member includes a main body and an engagement portion that is formed so as to be separable from the main body and engages with the first member, the main body and the engagement portion separated from the main body are formed so as to be connectable, and the engagement portion connected to the main body is formed so as to be able to change the arrangement state of the arrangement portion, so that it is not necessary to carry a tool (e.g., a utility knife) for changing the arrangement state of the arrangement member. In addition, the main body of the engagement member is relatively large and easy to grip, while the engagement portion of the engagement member is relatively small and is able to suppress interference with the periphery of the arrangement member (the first member or the second member), making it easy to perform the task of changing the arrangement state of the arrangement member. Therefore, the arrangement state of the arrangement member can be changed in an advantageous manner.

Gaming machine WB3-2 is characterized in that the engaging portion of the gaming machine WB3-1 is connected to the main body portion at a portion that engages with the first member.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WB3-1, gaming machine WB3-2 has the following advantages: The engaging portion is connected to the main body at the portion that engages with the first member, so there is no need to provide a separate portion for connecting to the main body. In other words, the portion that engages with the first member can also be used as the portion that connects to the main body. This simplifies the shape of the engaging portion.

In gaming machine WB3-1 or WB3-2, the engaging member has a regulation portion formed on the main body portion so that the posture of engaging with the first member can be regulated, and the main body portion is characterized in that the regulation portion is connected to the engaging portion.

According to gaming machine WB3-3, in addition to the effects of gaming machines WB3-1 and WB3-2, the engaging member has a regulation portion formed on the main body portion so as to be able to regulate the posture of engaging with the first member, and the regulating portion of the main body portion is connected to the engaging portion, so there is no need to provide a separate portion on the main body portion for coupling with the engaging portion. In other words, the portion (regulating portion) that regulates the posture of the engaging member can also be used as the portion that is coupled to the engaging portion. Therefore, the shape of the engaging portion can be simplified.
<Concept of the invention using the board box Wj100 as an example>
Gaming machine WC1-1 is characterized in that in the gaming machine comprising a first member and a second member, an engagement member formed to be engageable with at least the first member, and an arrangement member arranged on the first member and the second member, the engagement member comprises a main body portion and an engagement portion formed to be separable from the main body portion and engageable with the first member, the engagement portion is formed to be displaceable in a predetermined direction when engaged with the first member, and the first member or the second member comprises a suppression means formed to be capable of suppressing displacement of the engagement portion in a direction in which the engagement with the first member is released in response to the engagement member displaced in the predetermined direction.

A gaming machine is known that includes a first member, a second member, an engagement member that is formed so as to be able to engage with at least the first member, and an attachment member that is attached to the first member and the second member (JP Patent Publication No. 2011-244900).

The gaming machine described above still has room for improvement in preventing the engagement members from being illegally removed.

The present invention was made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above, and aims to provide an amusement machine that can prevent the engagement member from being illegally removed.

According to the gaming machine WC1-1, by separating (cutting) the engagement portion from the main body portion, the engagement member (main body portion) can be removed from the first member and the second member even when the engagement portion is engaged with the first member.

Here, there is a risk that unauthorized removal of the engaging member from the first and second members may be performed by displacing (elastically deforming) the engaging portion in a direction that disengages it from the first member, thereby disengaging the first member from the engaging portion. However, the engaging member is formed so that it can be displaced in a predetermined direction when the engaging portion is engaged with the first member, and the first or second member is provided with a suppression means formed so that it can suppress displacement of the engaging portion in a direction that disengages it from the first member when the engaging member is displaced in the predetermined direction, thereby preventing unauthorized removal of the engaging member from the first and second members.

A gaming machine WC1-2, in which the first member or the second member in the gaming machine WC1-1 is provided with a restricting means for restricting the displacement of the engaging member in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction from a position where the restricting means can restrict the displacement of the engaging portion.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WC1-1, gaming machine WC1-2 has a restricting means for restricting displacement of the engaging member in a direction opposite to a predetermined direction from a position where displacement of the engaging portion can be restricted by the restricting means, so that unauthorized release of the engagement between the engaging portion and the first member can be restricted. As a result, unauthorized removal of the engaging member from the first member and the second member can be restricted.

Gaming machine WC1-3 is characterized in that in gaming machine WC1-2, the restricting means is formed to be able to engage with the engaging portion of the engaging member displaced in the predetermined direction, and by engaging with the engaging portion, the restricting means is able to restrict the engaging member from being displaced in the direction opposite to the predetermined direction.

According to gaming machine WC1-3, in addition to the effects of gaming machine WC1-2, the restricting means is formed to be able to engage with the engaging portion of the engaging member displaced in a predetermined direction, and by engaging with the engaging portion, it is possible to restrict the displacement of the engaging member in the direction opposite to the predetermined direction. Therefore, simply by displacing the engaging member in the predetermined direction, a state can be created in which the displacement of the engaging member is restricted by the restricting means, improving the workability of the work of assembling the engaging member.

Gaming machine WC1-4 is characterized in that the first member or the second member in gaming machine WC1-3 is provided with a shielding means for shielding the regulating means.

According to the gaming machine WC1-4, in addition to the effects of the gaming machine WC1-3, the first member or the second member has a shielding means for shielding the restricting means, so that the engagement between the engaging portion and the restricting means can be prevented from being illegally released. As a result, the engaging member can be prevented from being illegally removed from the first member and the second member.
<Concept of the invention using board boxes Wk100, Wl100, and Wr100 as examples>
Gaming machine WC2-1 is characterized in that in the gaming machine comprising a first member and a second member, an engagement member formed to be able to engage with at least one of the first member or the second member, and an arrangement member arranged on the first member and the second member, at least one of the first member or the second member and the engagement member are engaged with each other at multiple points, and the interaction of the engagement at the multiple points makes it difficult to release the engagement.

A gaming machine is known that includes a first member, a second member, an engagement member that is formed so as to be able to engage with at least the first member, and an attachment member that is attached to the first member and the second member (JP Patent Publication No. 2011-244900).

The gaming machine described above still has room for improvement in preventing the engagement members from being illegally removed.

The present invention was made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above, and aims to provide an amusement machine that can prevent the engagement member from being illegally removed.

In the gaming machine WC2-1, at least one of the first member or the second member and the engaging member are engaged at multiple points, and the interaction between the multiple engagement points makes the engagement difficult to release, so that unauthorized removal of the engaging member from the first member and the second member can be prevented.

In the gaming machine WC2-1, the engaging member comprises a main body, and a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion that are formed so as to be separable from the main body and engage with the first member, the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are formed so that the second engaging portion can engage with the first member after the first engaging member engages with the first member as the engaging member is displaced, and the first member comprises a restricting means for restricting the displacement of the first engaging portion in a direction in which the engagement with the first member is released.

With the gaming machine WC2-2, by separating (cutting) the first and second engagement parts from the main body, the engagement members (main body) can be removed from the first and second members even when the first and second engagement parts are engaged with the first member.

Here, there is a risk that fraudulent removal of the engaging member from the first and second members may be performed by displacing (elastically deforming) the first and second engaging portions in a direction that disengages them from the first member, thereby disengaging the first and second engaging portions. However, according to gaming machine WC2-2, in addition to the effects of gaming machine WC2-1, the first and second engaging portions are formed so that the second engaging portion can engage with the first member after the first engaging member engages with the first member as the engaging member is displaced, and the first member is provided with a restricting means for restricting the displacement of the first engaging portion in a direction that disengages it from the first member, thereby preventing the engaging member from being illegally removed from the first and second members.

In other words, the displacement of the first engaging part in a direction in which the engagement with the first member is released can be restricted by the restricting means, and the displacement of the engaging member in a direction in which the restriction of the displacement of the first engaging part by the restricting means is released can be restricted by the engagement between the first member and the second engaging part. As a result, unauthorized removal of the engaging member from the first member and the second member can be prevented.

A gaming machine WC2-2, characterized in that the direction of displacement of the engagement member when the first engagement portion engages with the first member and the direction of displacement of the engagement member when the second engagement portion engages with the first member are substantially the same. A gaming machine WC2-3.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WC2-2, gaming machine WC2-3 has the following advantages: the direction of displacement of the engaging member when the first engaging portion engages with the first member is substantially the same as the direction of displacement of the engaging member when the second engaging portion engages with the first member; therefore, for example, there is no need to perform a two-step operation of displacing the engaging member in the first direction to engage the first engaging portion, and then displacing the engaging member in the second direction to engage the second engaging portion; instead, the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion can be engaged by only operating in one direction when attaching the engaging member to the first and second members. This simplifies the operation of attaching the engaging member, and improves work efficiency.

Furthermore, in a configuration that requires two-stage operation, if the operator forgets to operate in the second direction, the second engagement portion will not be engaged, and there is a risk that the engagement member will be improperly removed from the first and second members. However, by being able to engage the first and second engagement portions with only one-way operation when attaching the engagement member to the first and second members, it is possible to prevent the operator from forgetting to perform the necessary operation and ensure that the second engagement portion is engaged.

In the gaming machine WC2-1, the engaging member comprises a main body, a first engaging portion formed separably from the main body and engaged with the first member, and a second engaging portion formed separably from the main body and engaged with the second member, and the direction of displacement of the first engaging portion that disengages the first engaging portion from the first member is opposite to the direction of displacement of the second engaging portion that disengages the second engaging portion from the second member. In the gaming machine WC2-4,

According to the gaming machine WC2-4, by separating (cutting) the first and second engagement parts from the main body, the engagement member (main body) can be removed from the first and second members even when the first and second engagement parts are engaged with the first member.

Here, by displacing (elastically deforming) the first and second engaging parts in a direction in which the engagement between the first and second members is released, there is a risk of fraudulently removing the engaging members from the first and second members by releasing the engagement between the first and second members and the first and second engaging parts. However, according to the gaming machine WC2-4, in addition to the effects of the gaming machine WC2-1, the direction of displacement of the first engaging part in which the engagement between the first engaging part and the first member is released is opposite to the direction of displacement of the second engaging part in which the engagement between the second engaging part and the second member is released. Therefore, when one of the first engaging part or the second engaging part is displaced in a direction in which the engagement is released, the displacement of the engaging member accompanying the displacement of the one part displaces the other of the first engaging part or the second engaging part in a direction in which the engagement is maintained. As a result, it is possible to suppress fraudulent removal of the engaging members from the first and second members.

In the gaming machine WC2-1, the engaging member includes a main body and an engaging portion that is formed separable from the main body and engages with the first member, and the engaging portion is engaged with the first member at two points, a first portion and a second portion, and when the engaging portion is displaced in a direction that releases the engagement between the first member and one of the first portion or the second portion, the engaging portion is displaced in a direction that maintains the engagement between the first member and the other of the first portion or the second portion. In the gaming machine WC2-5,

With the gaming machine WC2-5, the engaging portion can be separated (cut off) from the main body portion, allowing the engaging portion (main body portion) to be removed from the first member and the second member even when the engaging portion is engaged with the first member.

Here, by displacing (elastically deforming) the engaging portion in a direction in which the engagement between the first and second portions and the first member is released, the engagement between the first member and the engaging portion (the first and second portions) is released, and there is a risk of fraudulently removing the engaging member from the first and second members. However, according to the gaming machine WC2-5, in addition to the effect of the gaming machine WC2-1, when the engaging portion is displaced in a direction in which the engagement between one of the first and second portions and the first member is released, the engaging portion is displaced in a direction in which the engagement between the other of the first and second portions and the first member is maintained, making it difficult to release the engagement between the first member and the engaging portion. As a result, it is possible to suppress fraudulent removal of the engaging member from the first and second members.
<Concept of the invention using board boxes Wo100 to Wq100 as an example>
Gaming machine WD1-1 is characterized in that it includes a first member, a second member, and an engagement member formed to be engageable with at least the first member, and further includes an attachment member, the engagement member having a main body portion and an engagement portion formed to be separable from the main body portion and engageable with the first member, the attachment member is formed to be attachable to the engagement portion, and the attachment member is formed so that displacement of the engagement portion in a direction to release the engagement between the first member and the engagement portion can be suppressed by the attachment member.

A gaming machine is known that includes a first member, a second member, and an engagement member that is formed to be able to engage with at least the first member (JP Patent Publication No. 2011-244900).

The gaming machine described above still has room for improvement in preventing the engagement members from being illegally removed.

The present invention was made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above, and aims to provide an amusement machine that can prevent the engagement member from being illegally removed.

With the gaming machine WD1-1, the engaging portion can be separated (cut off) from the main body portion, allowing the engaging portion (main body portion) to be removed from the first member and the second member even when the engaging portion is engaged with the first member.

Here, there is a risk that unauthorized removal of the engaging member from the first and second members may be performed by displacing (elastically deforming) the engaging portion in a direction that disengages it from the first member, thereby disengaging the first member from the engaging portion. However, the mounting member is formed so that it can be attached to the engaging portion, and is formed so that the mounting member can suppress displacement of the engaging portion in a direction that disengages the first member from the engaging portion, thereby preventing unauthorized removal of the engaging member from the first and second members.

On the other hand, even if an attachment member is attached to the engagement portion, it is possible to separate (cut) the engagement portion from the main body portion, so in normal operations, the engagement member (main body portion) can be easily removed from the first and second members by separating (cutting) the engagement portion.

A gaming machine WD1-2 is characterized in that, when the engaging portion is displaced in a direction to release the engagement with the first member in the gaming machine WD1-1, the first surface side of the engaging portion is brought close to the first member, and when the mounting member is attached to the engaging portion, a part of the mounting member is disposed between the first surface of the engaging portion and the first member.

According to the gaming machine WD1-2, in addition to the effects of the gaming machine WD1-1, when the engaging portion is displaced in a direction to release the engagement with the first member, the first surface side of the engaging portion is brought closer to the first member, and when the attachment member is attached to the engaging portion, a part of the attachment member is disposed between the first surface of the engaging portion and the first member, so that the distance over which the engaging portion can be displaced in a direction to release the engagement with the first member can be shortened by the amount of the part of the attachment member that is disposed. As a result, it is difficult to release the engagement between the first member and the engaging portion, and therefore it is possible to inhibit the engaging member from being illegally removed from the first member and the second member.

Gaming machine WD1-3 is characterized in that the attachment member is formed so as to be attachable to the engagement portion engaged with the first member in gaming machine WD1-2.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WD1-2, gaming machine WD1-3 has an attachment member that is formed so that it can be attached to the engagement portion that is engaged with the first member. Therefore, when engaging the engagement portion with the first member, the displacement of the engagement portion is not hindered by a part of the attachment member. Therefore, the engagement portion can be smoothly engaged with the first member (i.e., the engagement member is attached to the first member and the second member). Also, the engagement allowance between the first member and the engagement portion can be increased, making it easier to prevent the engagement between the first member and the engagement portion from being released.

A gaming machine WD1-4 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine WD1-2 or WD1-3, it includes an attachment member that is attached to the first member and the second member, and a part of the attachment member to which the engagement portion is attached is formed as a protrusion that protrudes from the first surface, and the protrusion protrudes toward the attachment member that is attached to the first member.

According to the gaming machine WD1-4, in addition to the effects of the gaming machine WD1-2 or WD1-3, it has an arrangement member arranged on the first member and the second member, and a part of the mounting member to which the engagement part is attached is formed as a protrusion protruding from the first surface, and the protrusion protrudes toward the arrangement member arranged on the first member. Therefore, when an attempt is made to release the engagement between the first member and the engagement part without separating (cutting) the engagement part from the main body part (i.e., when an attempt is made to displace the engagement part in a direction that releases the engagement with the first member), the arrangement member can be damaged by the protrusion. In other words, a trace can be formed on the arrangement member. This makes it possible to confirm the condition of the arrangement member (whether the arrangement member is new, reused, or has been the subject of fraudulent operation) based on the presence or absence of the trace on the arrangement member.

In addition, the formation of traces on the mounting members can prevent the mounting members from being reused.

A gaming machine WD1-5 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine WD1-4, a recess is formed at a position corresponding to the protrusion in the portion of the first member where the mounting member is mounted.

According to gaming machine WD1-5, in addition to the effects of gaming machine WD1-4, a recess is formed in the portion of the first member where the arrangement member is arranged, so that a space can be formed between the arrangement member and the first member, and since the recess is formed in a position corresponding to the protrusion, when attempting to release the engagement between the first member and the engagement member without separating (cutting) the engagement member from the main body (i.e., when attempting to displace the engagement member in a direction that releases the engagement with the first member), the recess (space) can be utilized (making it possible for the tip of the protrusion to be received in the recess) to make it easier to damage the arrangement member with the protrusion. In other words, when the engagement portion is operated improperly, it is easier to make a mark on the arrangement member.

Gaming machine Z1 is characterized in that in any of gaming machines A1 to A10, B1 to B10, C1 to C11, D1 to D12, E1 to E11, WA1-0 to WA1-5, WA2-1 to WA2-5, WB1-1 to WB1-6, WB2-1 to WB2-8, WB3-1 to WB3-3, WC1-1 to WC1-4, WC2-1 to WC2-5 and WD1-1 to WD1-5, the gaming machine is a slot machine. Among them, the basic configuration of a slot machine is "a gaming machine equipped with a variable display means for dynamically displaying a string of identification information consisting of a plurality of identification information and then definitively displaying the identification information, and equipped with a special game state generating means for generating a special game state advantageous to the player, the dynamic display of the identification information being started due to the operation of a start operating means (e.g., an operating lever) and stopped due to the operation of a stop operating means (a stop button) or after a predetermined time has passed, and requiring that the definitive identification information at the time of stopping be a specific identification information." In this case, typical examples of gaming media include coins, medals, etc.

Gaming machine Z2 is a pachinko gaming machine in any one of gaming machines A1 to A10, B1 to B10, C1 to C11, D1 to D12, E1 to E11, WA1-0 to WA1-5, WA2-1 to WA2-5, WB1-1 to WB1-6, WB2-1 to WB2-8, WB3-1 to WB3-3, WC1-1 to WC1-4, WC2-1 to WC2-5, and WD1-1 to WD1-5. Among them, the basic configuration of a pachinko gaming machine includes an operation handle, a ball is launched into a predetermined play area in response to the operation of the operation handle, and the identification information dynamically displayed on the display means is fixed and stopped after a predetermined time, with the necessary condition being that the ball enters (or passes through) an operating port arranged at a predetermined position in the play area. In addition, when a special game state occurs, a variable winning device (specific winning port) located at a specific position within the game area opens in a specific manner, allowing balls to win, and a value (including not only prize balls but also data written to a magnetic card, etc.) is awarded according to the number of winning balls.

Gaming machine Z3 is characterized in that in any of gaming machines A1 to A10, B1 to B10, C1 to C11, D1 to D12, E1 to E11, WA1-0 to WA1-5, WA2-1 to WA2-5, WB1-1 to WB1-6, WB2-1 to WB2-8, WB3-1 to WB3-3, WC1-1 to WC1-4, WC2-1 to WC2-5 and WD1-1 to WD1-5, the gaming machine is a fusion of a pachinko gaming machine and a slot machine. Among these, the basic configuration of the combined gaming machine is "a gaming machine equipped with a variable display means for dynamically displaying a string of identification information consisting of a plurality of identification information and then definitively displaying the identification information, a gaming machine equipped with a special gaming state generating means for generating a special gaming state advantageous to the player, the dynamic display of the identification information being stopped by the operation of a start operating means (e.g., an operating lever) and stopped by the operation of a stop operating means (e.g., a stop button) or after a predetermined time has passed, the definitive identification information at the time of stopping being a specific identification information as a necessary condition, the gaming machine using balls as gaming media, requiring a predetermined number of balls to start the dynamic display of the identification information, and configured to pay out a large number of balls when the special gaming state is generated."

10. Pachinko machines (amusement machines)
16 Glass unit (front side surface forming means)
81 Third pattern display device (display device)
A60 Base plate (flow means)
A400 First operation unit (performance means)
A400b Rotational motion unit (displacement means)
A414 Guide slot (part of degree change means, form change means)
A423a Belt (endless belt)
A427 Connection mechanism (contact part)
A430 Base plate member (shaft side means, displacement means)
A440 Moving member (part of the component means, first component means, part of the relative displacement means)
A444 Functional slot (part of shape changing means)
A448 Columnar protrusion (placement part)
A449 Wiring (electrical wiring)
A450 Direction switching member (part of the configuration means, second configuration means, part of the relative displacement means)
A460 Decorative member (part of component means, second component means, part of relative displacement means)
A500 Second operation unit (performance means)
A500b Rotational motion unit (displacement means)
A514 Guide slot (part of degree change means, form change means)
A523a Belt (endless belt)
A527 Connection mechanism (placement part)
A530 Foundation member (shaft side means, displacement means)
A533 Functional slot (part of shape changing means)
A540 Moving member (part of the component means, first component means, part of the relative displacement means)
A546 Column-shaped protruding part (contact part)
A550 Direction switching means (part of the configuration means, second configuration means, part of the relative displacement means)
A560 Variable member (part of the constituent means, second constituent means, part of the relative displacement means)
A662 Rotating plate member (displacement means)
A674 Arc-shaped through hole (part of shape changing means)
A710 Frame-shaped member (part of pressing means)
A720 Light-emitting substrate (first means)
A724 Front light emitting unit (first light emitting means, multiple light emitting units)
A725 Rear light emitting unit (second light emitting means, multiple light emitting units)
A730 Front side plate member (first light receiving means)
A740 Rear side plate member (second light receiving means)
A750 Front cover member (part of pressing means, supporting means)
A753 Fastening part (first protruding part)
A754 Cylindrical fastening part (second protruding part)
A803z Front side member (front side means)
A806 Visibility changeable sheet (direction selection means)
A820 Front light emitting substrate (part of the first means, plate-like member)
A830 Rear light emitting substrate (part of the first means, plate-like member)
A4920 Light guide displacement member (part of direction selection means, plate-like means)
A4930 Covering member (part of direction selection means, plate-like means)
A4933a Light emitting means (light irradiating means)
AJ1 Rotating shaft rod (rotating shaft)
AJ2 Rotating shaft rod (rotating shaft)
AMT1 Drive motor (drive means)
AMT2 Drive motor (drive means)
AMT4 Drive motor (drive means)
ASE1 detection sensor (detection means)
ATL1 Left channel (first channel)
ATL2 Right channel (second channel)
W10 Pachinko machine (amusement machine)
W200, W2200, W4200, W7200, Wb200, We200, Wj200, Wl200, Wm200, Wo200, Wq200, Wr200, Wt200, Wv200 Box cover (first member, second member)
Wj214a Rear wall (shielding means)
Wj214b Restriction wall portion (restraint means)
W220 Flat surface (contact part)
W223 Both end walls (contact parts)
W224a, W224b Recess Wj250 Second restriction portion (restriction means)
W300, W2300, W4300, W5300, W6300, Wb300, We300, Wj300, Wk300, Wm300, Wn300, Ws300, Wu300 Box base (first member, second member)
Wk312f Locking portion (restriction means)
W320, We320 Flat surface portion (contact portion)
W321 Both end walls (contact parts)
W5326, W6326 Recess W500, W2500, W3500, W4500, W5500, W8500, W9500, Wa500, Wb500, Wc500, Wd500, We500, Wf500, Wg500, Wh500, Wi500, Wj500, Wk500, Wl500, Wm500, Wn500, Wo500, Wp500, Wq500, Wu500, Wv500, Ww500, Wx500, Wy500 Protective cover (engagement member)
W501 Lower wall (contact part)
W502 Left wall (main body)
W510, W2510, W3510, Wp510, Wq510 Rear wall (main body)
W510 Rear wall (contact part)
W520, W2520, W3520, Wp520, Wq520 Front wall (main body)
W520 Front wall (contact part)
W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, Wy530a Engagement portion W530a Engagement portion (first engagement portion, second engagement portion)
W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, Wu530b Engagement portion (first portion, second portion)
W530b Engagement portion (first engagement portion, second engagement portion)
W530b1 Engagement portion (second engagement portion)
W530b2 Engagement portion (first engagement portion)
W531a, We531a, Wf531a Connecting piece (connecting part)
We531a Connecting piece (modification means, abutment portion, connecting portion, one-side connecting portion, other-side connecting portion)
W531b, W2531b, W3531b, W8531b, W9531b, Ww531b, Wx531b Connecting piece (connecting part)
W9531b1 Part 1 (Part 2)
W9531b2 Part 2 (Part 1)
W4534, W5534, Wq534, Wu534, Wv534 Protrusions (protrusions)
Wd540 Standing part (regulating part)
Wa550, Wb550, Wy550 Cutting section (changing means)
Wb560, Wd560 Guide part (contact part)
Wo580 Anti-slip pin (mounting part)
Wo583 Locking part (projection)
WSL Seal (Installation material)

The present invention relates to gaming machines such as pachinko machines.

A gaming machine is known that includes a first member, a second member, an engagement member that is formed so as to be able to engage with at least the first member, and an arrangement member that is arranged on the first member and the second member (Patent Document 1).

JP 2011-244900 A

The gaming machine described above still has room for improvement in terms of changing the arrangement of the arrangement members.

The present invention was made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above, and aims to provide an amusement machine that allows the arrangement state of the arrangement members to be suitably changed.

To achieve this objective, the gaming machine of the present invention comprises a first member and a second member, an engagement member formed to be engageable with at least the first member, and an arrangement member disposed on the first member and the second member, the engagement member comprising a main body and an engagement portion formed to be separable from the main body and engaged with the first member, the main body and the engagement portion separated from the main body are formed to be connectable, and the arrangement state of the arrangement member is formed to be changeable using the engagement portion connected to the main body.

According to the gaming machine described in claim 1, the arrangement state of the arrangement members can be changed conveniently.

1 is a front view of a pachinko machine according to a first embodiment. FIG. FIG. 2 is a front view of the game board of a pachinko machine. FIG. 2 is a rear view of the pachinko machine. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the game board and the operating unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the game board and the operating unit. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a first operating unit. FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the first operating unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of a first operating unit; FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the first operating unit; FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the rotational motion unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the rotational motion unit. 13A and 13B are rear views of the rotational motion unit. 13A and 13B are rear views of the rotational motion unit. FIG. 4 is a front view of the first operating unit. FIG. 4 is a front view of the first operating unit. FIG. 4 is a front view of the first operating unit. FIG. 4 is a rear view of the first operating unit. FIG. 4 is a rear view of the first operating unit. FIG. 4 is a rear view of the first operating unit. FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a second operating unit. FIG. 13 is a rear perspective view of the second operating unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of a second operating unit; FIG. 13 is an exploded rear perspective view of the second operating unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the rotational motion unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the rotational motion unit. 13A and 13B are rear views of the rotational motion unit. 13A and 13B are rear views of the rotational motion unit. FIG. 13 is a front perspective view of a third operating unit. FIG. 13 is a rear perspective view of the third operating unit. FIG. 13 is an exploded front perspective view of a third operating unit. FIG. 13 is an exploded rear perspective view of the third operating unit. FIG. FIG. 4 is an exploded rear perspective view of the opening and closing operation unit. FIG. 11 is a rear view of the opening/closing operation unit of the third operation unit. FIG. 11 is a rear view of the opening/closing operation unit of the third operation unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the light guide plate unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the light guide plate unit. FIG. 4 is an exploded front perspective view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit. FIG. 4 is an exploded rear perspective view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit. FIG. 4 is a rear view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit. 47A is a cross-sectional view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit taken along line XLVIIIa-XLVIIIa in FIG. 47, and FIG. 47B is a cross-sectional view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit taken along line XLVIIIb-XLVIIIb in FIG. 5A to 5F are schematic front views of the auxiliary light guide plate unit. FIG. FIG. FIG. 4 is an exploded front perspective view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit. FIG. 4 is an exploded rear perspective view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit. FIG. 4 is a front view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit. 55 is a cross-sectional view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit taken along the line LV-LV in FIG. 54. FIG. 4 is an exploded front perspective view of a downstream guide member. FIG. 4 is an exploded rear perspective view of the downstream guide member. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a visual recognition appearance changing sheet. 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams showing how the downstream guide member appears when viewed from different directions. FIG. 11 is a rear view of the first operating unit in the second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a schematic rear view of the first operating unit in the third embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic rear view of the first operating unit. FIG. 4 is a schematic rear view of the first operating unit. 13A and 13B are cross-sectional views of a ball guide unit in a fourth embodiment. 13A and 13B are rear views of a rotational motion unit according to a fifth embodiment. FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view of a flow path front component in the sixth embodiment. FIG. 23 is a rear view of the pachinko machine according to the seventh embodiment. FIG. FIG. FIG. 71(a) is a rear view of the board box, and (b) is a side view of the board box as viewed in the direction of arrow LXXIb in FIG. 71(a). 1A is a partial front perspective view of a board box, and FIG. 1B is a partial rear perspective view of the board box. 1A and 1B are partial front views of the board box, and 1C and 1D are partial rear views of the board box. 73(b), (a) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box taken along line LXXIVa-LXXIVa in FIG. 73(b), and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box taken along line LXXIVb-LXXIVb in FIG. 73(b). 1A is a partial front view of the board box, and FIG. 1B is a partial rear view of the board box. A partial cross-sectional view of the board box taken along line LXXVI-LXXVI in Figure 75 (b). 1A is a partial front view of the board box, and FIG. 1B is a partial rear view of the board box. 78(a) is a partial rear view of the substrate box in the eighth embodiment, (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box along line LXXVIIIb-LXXVIIIb in FIG. 78(a), and (c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the protective cover in the ninth embodiment. 79(a) is a partial rear view of the substrate box in the tenth embodiment, (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box taken along line LXXIXb-LXXIXb in FIG. 79(a), (c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box taken along line LXXIXc-LXXIXc in FIG. 79(a), and (d) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box taken along line LXXIXd-LXXIXd in FIG. 79(a). 12(a) to 12(c) are partial cross-sectional views of a board box according to an eleventh embodiment, and FIG. 12(d) is a partial cross-sectional view of a board box according to a twelfth embodiment. 81(a) is a partial rear view of the board box in the thirteenth embodiment, and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box taken along line LXXXIb-LXXXLb in FIG. 81(a). 82(a) is a partial cross-sectional view of a substrate box in the fourteenth embodiment, (b) is a partial rear view of a substrate box in the fifteenth embodiment, and (c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box along line LXXXIIc-LXXXIIc in FIG. 82(b). 83(a) is a partial cross-sectional view of a substrate box in the sixteenth embodiment, (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box taken along line LXXXIIIc-LXXXIIIc in FIG. 83(a), and (c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box. 84(a) is a front view of the protective cover of the substrate box in the 17th embodiment, (b) is a side view of the protective cover as viewed in the direction of arrow LXXXIVb in FIG. 84(a), and (c) is a rear view of the protective cover as viewed in the direction of arrow LXXXIVc in FIG. 84(b). 85(a) is a rear view of the board box, (b) is a side view of the board box as viewed in the direction of arrow LXXXVb in FIG. 85(a), and (c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box along line LXXXVc-LXXXVc in FIG. 85(b). 73(a) is a side view of a protective cover of a board box in the 18th embodiment, and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box taken along line LXXIVb-LXXIVb in FIG. 73(b). FIG. 87(a) is a front view of the protective cover of the substrate box in the 19th embodiment, (b) is a side view of the protective cover as viewed in the direction of arrow LXXXVIIb in FIG. 87(a), and (c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box along line LXXIVb-LXXIVb in FIG. 73(b). 73(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box taken along line LXXIVb-LXXIVb in FIG. 73(b); FIG. 73(c) is a partial back view of the protective cover taken along line LXXXViiiid-LXXXVIIId in FIG. 88(c); and FIG. 88(d) is a partial cross-sectional view of the protective cover taken along line LXXXViiiid-LXXXVIIId in FIG. 88(c). 89(a) is a partial rear view of the protective cover Wg500 in the 22nd embodiment, (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the protective cover taken along line LXXXIXb-LXXXIXb in FIG. 89(a), and (c) is a partial rear view of the board box in the 23rd embodiment. 90(a) is a side view of a protective cover for a substrate box in the 24th embodiment, (b) is a side view of the substrate box, and (c) is a cross-sectional view of the substrate box along line XCc-XCc in FIG. 90(b). 91(a) is a partial rear view of the board box in the 25th embodiment, (b) is a partial side view of the board box as viewed in the direction of arrow XCIb in FIG. 91(a), and (c) is a rear view of the protective cover. 91(a) and (c) are rear views of the substrate box at part XCIIa in FIG. 91(a), (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box Wj100 at line XCIIb-XCIIb in FIG. 92(a), and (d) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box at line XCIId-XCIId in FIG. 92(c). 93(a) is a rear view of the board box in part XCIIa of FIG. 91(a), and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box along line XCIIIb-XCIIIb of FIG. 93(a). 94(a) is a partial front view of a substrate box in the 26th embodiment, (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box taken along line XCIVb-XCIVb in FIG. 94(a), and (c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box taken along line XCIVc-XCIVc in FIG. 94(a). 94(a) and (c) are partial cross-sectional views of the substrate box taken along line XCIVb-XCIVb in FIG. 94(a), and (b) and (d) are partial cross-sectional views of the substrate box taken along line XCIVc-XCIVc in FIG. 94(a). 96(a) is a partial rear view of the substrate box in the 27th embodiment, (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box taken along line XCVIb-XCVIb in FIG. 96(a), (c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box taken along line XCVIc-XCVIc in FIG. 96(a), (d) is a rear view of the protective cover, and (e) is a cross-sectional view of the protective cover taken along line XCVIe-XCVIe in FIG. 96(d). 96(a) is a rear view of the substrate box at part XCVIIa in FIG. 96(a), (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box at line XCVIb-XCVIb in FIG. 96(a), and (c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box at line XCVIc-XCVIc in FIG. 96(a). 98(a) is a partial front view of a board box in the twenty-eighth embodiment, and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box taken along line XCVIIIb-XCVIIIb in FIG. 98(a). 99(a) is a partial front view of a substrate box in the 29th embodiment, (b) is a side view of a protective cover as viewed in the direction of arrow XCIXb in Figure 99(a), and (c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box along line XCIXc-XCIXc in Figure 99(a). 100(a) is a partial rear view of the board box in the 30th embodiment, and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box taken along line Cb-Cb in FIG. 100(a). FIG. 31 is a rear view of the protective cover in the thirty-first embodiment. 102(a) is a partial rear view of the board box in the thirty-second embodiment, and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box taken along line CIIb-CIIb in FIG. 102(a). 3A is a partial cross-sectional view of a substrate box according to a thirty-third embodiment, and FIG. 3B is a partial cross-sectional view of a substrate box according to a thirty-fourth embodiment. 104(a) is a partial rear view of the board box in the thirty-fifth embodiment, and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box taken along line CIVb-CIVb in FIG. 104(a). A partial rear view of the substrate box in the thirty-sixth embodiment. 106(a) is a partial rear view of the board box in the thirty-seventh embodiment, and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box taken along line CVIb-CVIb in FIG. 106(a). 3A is a partial cross-sectional view of a substrate box in the 38th embodiment, FIG. 3B is a partial cross-sectional view of a substrate box in the 39th embodiment, and FIG. 3C is a partial rear view of a protective cover of the substrate box in the 40th embodiment.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, with reference to Figs. 1 to 55, a first embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a pachinko gaming machine (hereinafter simply referred to as a "pachinko machine") 10 will be described. Fig. 1 is a front view of the pachinko machine 10 in the first embodiment, Fig. 2 is a front view of the game board A13 of the pachinko machine 10, and Fig. 3 is a rear view of the pachinko machine 10.

In the following explanation, the front side of the paper will be referred to as the front (front) side and the back side of the paper will be referred to as the rear (rear) side with respect to the pachinko machine 10 in the state shown in Figure 1. Also, with respect to the pachinko machine 10 in the state shown in Figure 1, the top side will be referred to as the upper (upper) side, the bottom side will be referred to as the lower (lower) side, the right side will be referred to as the right (right) side, and the left side will be referred to as the left (left) side. Furthermore, the arrows U-D, L-R, and F-B in the figure (see Figure 2, for example) indicate the up-down direction, left-right direction, and front-back direction of the pachinko machine 10, respectively.

As shown in Figure 1, the pachinko machine 10 has an outer frame 11, the outer shell of which is formed by wooden frames assembled into a roughly rectangular shape, and an inner frame 12, which is formed to roughly the same external shape as the outer frame 11 and is supported so as to be openable and closable relative to the outer frame 11. Metal hinges 18 are attached to the outer frame 11 at two locations, top and bottom, on the left side when viewed from the front (see Figure 1), in order to support the inner frame 12, and the inner frame 12 is supported so as to be openable and closable towards the front, with the side where the hinges 18 are provided serving as the axis for opening and closing.

A game board A13 (see FIG. 2), which has numerous nails and winning holes 63, 64, etc., is attached to the inner frame 12 so that it can be detached from the back side. A pinball game is played by balls (game balls) flowing down the front of the game board A13. The inner frame 12 is also fitted with a ball launching unit 112a (see FIG. 4) that launches balls into the front area of the game board A13, and a launch rail (not shown) that guides the balls launched from the ball launching unit 112a to the front area of the game board A13.

On the front side of the inner frame 12, there is a front frame 14 that covers the upper front side, and a lower tray unit 15 that covers the lower side. Metal hinges 19 are attached to two places, top and bottom, on the left side when viewed from the front (see Figure 1), to support the front frame 14 and the lower tray unit 15, and the front frame 14 and the lower tray unit 15 are supported so that they can be opened and closed toward the front side, with the side where the hinges 19 are provided serving as the axis for opening and closing. The locks on the inner frame 12 and the front frame 14 can be released by inserting a special key into the keyhole 21 of the cylinder lock 20 and performing a specified operation.

The front frame 14 is fitted with decorative resin parts, electrical parts, etc., and has a window 14c formed in a roughly elliptical shape at approximately the center. A glass unit 16 having two glass plates is disposed on the back side of the front frame 14, and the front of the game board A13 can be seen from the front side of the pachinko machine 10 through the glass unit 16.

The front frame 14 has an upper tray 17 for storing balls, which is formed in a roughly box-like shape with an open top and extends out to the front, and prize balls and loan balls are discharged into this upper tray 17. The bottom of the upper tray 17 is formed with a downward slope to the right when viewed from the front (see Figure 1), and this slope guides balls dropped into the upper tray 17 to the ball launching unit 112a (see Figure 4). In addition, a frame button 22 is provided on the top surface of the upper tray 17. This frame button 22 is operated by the player, for example, when changing the stage of the performance displayed on the third pattern display device 81 (see Figure 2) or when changing the content of the Super Reach performance.

The front frame 14 is provided with various light-emitting means such as lamps around its periphery (for example, corners). These light-emitting means change and control the light-emitting state by lighting or blinking in response to changes in the game state such as when a jackpot is hit or when a certain reach is reached, and play a role in enhancing the presentation effect during the game. The periphery of the window portion 14c is provided with illumination units 29-33 incorporating illumination units such as LEDs. In the pachinko machine 10, these illumination units 29-33 function as presentation lamps such as jackpot lamps, and when a jackpot is hit or when a reach is reached, each illumination unit 29-33 lights up or blinks due to the built-in LEDs lighting up or blinking, thereby notifying that a jackpot is being hit or that a reach is being reached just before a jackpot. In addition, the upper left corner of the front frame 14 when viewed from the front (see Figure 1) is provided with an indicator lamp 34 incorporating an illumination unit such as an LED that can indicate when prize balls are being paid out and when an error has occurred.

A small window 35 is formed by attaching transparent resin to the underside of the right-side illumination section 32 from the back side so that the back side of the front frame 14 can be seen, and the certificate stamps and the like affixed to the attachment space K1 (see Figure 2) on the front of the game board A13 can be seen from the front of the pachinko machine 10. In addition, in order to create a more dazzling appearance, a plated member 36 made of chrome-plated ABS resin is attached to the area around the illumination sections 29-33 in the pachinko machine 10.

Below the window 14c, a ball lending operation unit 40 is provided. The ball lending operation unit 40 is provided with a number display unit 41, a ball lending button 42, and a return button 43. When the ball lending operation unit 40 is operated with bills, cards, etc. inserted into the card unit (ball lending unit) (not shown) arranged on the side of the pachinko machine 10, balls are lent out according to the operation. Specifically, the number display unit 41 is an area where the remaining balance information of the card, etc. is displayed, and the built-in LED is lit to display the remaining balance in numbers as the remaining balance information. The ball lending button 42 is operated to obtain loan balls based on the information recorded on the card, etc. (recording medium), and loan balls are supplied to the upper tray 17 as long as there is a remaining balance on the card, etc. The return button 43 is operated when requesting the return of the card, etc. inserted into the card unit. In addition, in pachinko machines where balls are directly dispensed from a ball dispensing device to the upper tray 17 without going through a card unit, i.e., in so-called cash machines, the ball dispensing operation unit 40 is not necessary, but in this case, a decorative sticker or the like may be added to the installation part of the ball dispensing operation unit 40 to make the parts configuration common. It is possible to standardize pachinko machines that use a card unit and cash machines.

The lower tray unit 15, located below the upper tray 17, has a lower tray 50 on the left side that is formed in a roughly box-like shape with an open top for storing balls that cannot be stored in the upper tray 17. An operating handle 51 is provided on the right side of the lower tray 50, which is operated by the player to shoot the ball into the front of the game board A13.

The operating handle 51 contains a touch sensor 51a for permitting the operation of the ball launching unit 112a, a launch stop switch 51b that stops the launch of balls while it is being pressed, and a variable resistor (not shown) that detects the amount of rotation (rotation position) of the operating handle 51 by changes in electrical resistance. When the operating handle 51 is rotated clockwise by the player, the touch sensor 51a is turned on and the resistance value of the variable resistor changes in response to the amount of rotation, and the ball is launched with a strength (launch strength) corresponding to the resistance value of the variable resistor, thereby hitting the ball into the front of the game board A13 with a flight amount corresponding to the player's operation. When the operating handle 51 is not being operated by the player, the touch sensor 51a and the launch stop switch 51b are off.

A ball removal lever 52 is provided on the lower front part of the lower tray 50 to be operated when discharging the balls stored in the lower tray 50 downward. This ball removal lever 52 is always biased to the right, and by sliding it to the left against this bias, the bottom opening formed on the bottom surface of the lower tray 50 opens, and the balls fall naturally from the bottom opening and are discharged. This ball removal lever 52 is usually operated with a box (commonly called a "senryo box") placed below the lower tray 50 to receive the balls discharged from the lower tray 50. As mentioned above, the operating handle 51 is disposed on the right side of the lower tray 50, and an ashtray 53 is attached to the left side of the lower tray 50.

As shown in Figure 2, the game board A13 is constructed by assembling a number of nails (not shown) and a windmill (not shown) for guiding balls to a base plate A60 machined into a roughly square shape when viewed from the front, as well as rails 61, 62, a general winning port 63, a first winning port 64, a second winning port 640, a variable winning device 65, a through gate 67, a variable display unit 80, etc., and the peripheral portion is attached to the back side (or front side) of the inner frame 12 (see Figure 1).

The base plate A60 is formed from a wooden plate member. The general winning opening 63, the first winning opening 64, the second winning opening 640, and the variable display unit 80 are arranged in through holes formed in the base plate A60 by router processing, and are fixed from the front side of the game board A13 with tapping screws or the like. The base plate A60 may be made of a light-transmitting resin material. In this case, it becomes possible for the player to see the various structures arranged on the back side of the base plate A60 from the front side.

The central front portion of the game board A13 can be seen from the front side of the inner frame 12 through the window portion 14c (see FIG. 1) of the front frame 14. The configuration of the game board A13 will be described below, mainly with reference to FIG. 2.

An outer rail 62 formed by bending a strip-shaped metal plate into an approximately arc shape is set up on the front of the game board A13, and an arc-shaped inner rail 61 formed from a strip-shaped metal plate like the outer rail 62 is set up inside the outer rail 62. The inner rail 61 and the outer rail 62 surround the front outer periphery of the game board A13, and the game board A13 and the glass unit 16 (see Figure 1) surround the front and back, forming a game area in front of the game board A13 where games are played based on the behavior of the ball. The game area is an area (where prize holes and the like are arranged and where the shot balls flow down) that is partitioned on the front of the game board A13 and is formed by the two rails 61, 62 and the resin outer edge member 73 that connects the rails.

The two rails 61, 62 are provided to guide the ball launched from the ball launching unit 112a (see Figure 4) to the top of the game board A13. A return ball prevention member 68 is attached to the tip of the inner rail 61 (upper left in Figure 2), which prevents a ball that has been guided to the top of the game board A13 from returning back into the ball guide passage. A return rubber 69 is attached to the tip of the outer rail 62 (upper right in Figure 2) at a position corresponding to the maximum flight part of the ball, and a ball launched with a certain amount of force or more hits the return rubber 69 and bounces back toward the center while its force is reduced.

At the lower left side of the game area when viewed from the front (lower left side of FIG. 2), the first pattern display devices 37A and 37B are provided, each equipped with a plurality of LEDs as light-emitting means and a seven-segment display. The first pattern display devices 37A and 37B display information according to the controls performed by the main control device 110 (see FIG. 4), and mainly display the game status of the pachinko machine 10. In this embodiment, the first pattern display devices 37A and 37B are configured to be used differently depending on whether the ball has entered the first winning hole 64 or the second winning hole 640. Specifically, when the ball has entered the first winning hole 64, the first pattern display device 37A is activated, while when the ball has entered the second winning hole 640, the first pattern display device 37B is activated.

The first symbol display devices 37A and 37B also use LEDs to indicate whether the pachinko machine 10 is in a special mode, a time-saving mode, or a normal mode, whether it is fluctuating, whether the stopped symbol corresponds to a special mode jackpot, a normal jackpot, or a miss, and the number of reserved balls, while the seven-segment display device displays the number of rounds during a jackpot and any errors. The multiple LEDs are configured to emit different colors (e.g., red, green, blue), and the combination of these colors can indicate various game states of the pachinko machine 10 with a small number of LEDs.

In addition, in this pachinko machine 10, a lottery is held when a prize is won in the first winning slot 64 and the second winning slot 640. In the lottery, the pachinko machine 10 determines whether or not there is a jackpot (jackpot lottery), and if it determines that there is a jackpot, it also determines the type of jackpot. The types of jackpots that can be determined here include a 15R special jackpot, a 4R special jackpot, and a 15R regular jackpot. The first pattern display devices 37A, 37B not only show whether or not the result of the lottery is a jackpot as the stopping pattern after the fluctuation has ended, but also show a pattern according to the type of jackpot if there is a jackpot.

Here, a "15R special jackpot" is a special jackpot that transitions to a high probability state after a jackpot with a maximum number of rounds of 15, and a "4R special jackpot" is a special jackpot that transitions to a high probability state after a jackpot with a maximum number of rounds of 4. A "15R normal jackpot" is a jackpot that transitions to a low probability state after a jackpot with a maximum number of rounds of 15, and is in a time-saving state for a specified number of changes (for example, 100 changes).

The "high probability state" refers to a state in which the probability of a jackpot increases after the jackpot as an added value, that is, when the probability is fluctuating (during a probability change), in other words, a state in which it is easy to transition to a special game state. In this embodiment, the high probability state (during a probability change) includes a game state in which the probability of hitting the second symbol, which will be described later, is increased and the ball is likely to enter the second winning hole 640. The "low probability state" refers to a time when the probability change is not in progress, and refers to a state in which the probability of a jackpot is normal, that is, a state in which the probability of a jackpot is lower than when the probability change is in progress. In addition, the time-saving state (during time-saving) of the "low probability state" refers to a game state in which the probability of a jackpot is normal and the probability of a jackpot remains the same, only the probability of a jackpot increases, and the ball is likely to enter the second winning hole 640. On the other hand, the pachinko machine 10 is in a normal state, which is neither a probability change nor a time-saving state (a state in which neither the probability of a jackpot nor the probability of a jackpot for the second symbol is increased).

During the special rate or time-saving period, not only does the probability of winning the second symbol increase, but the time that the electric device 640a associated with the second winning slot 640 is opened is also changed and set to a longer time than during normal play. When the electric device 640a is in an open state (open state), it is easier for the ball to win the second winning slot 640 than when the electric device 640a is in a closed state (closed state). Therefore, during the special rate or time-saving period, it is easier for the ball to win the second winning slot 640, and the number of times the jackpot lottery is held can be increased.

The state change of the electric role 640a between the open state and the closed state occurs by the opening and closing action of an opening and closing plate that can slide back and forth. When the electric role 640a is in the open state, the opening and closing plate is retracted rearward from the front surface of the base plate A60, allowing the game ball to enter the second winning opening 640 side, and when the electric role 640a is in the closed state, the opening and closing plate blocks the space between the game area and the second winning opening 640, making it difficult for the ball to enter the second winning opening 640 (the ball is swept to the left).

The change between the open and closed states of the electric device 640a may be caused by the opening and closing of an opening and closing plate that has a rotating shaft at the bottom end and rotates and displaces in a manner that tilts or stands up toward the play area. In this case, when the electric device 640a is in the open state, it is configured so that the ball is easily guided along the top surface of the opening and closing plate to the second winning hole 640, and when the electric device 640a is in the closed state, the opening and closing plate can be configured to block the gap between the play area and the second winning hole 640, making it difficult for the ball to enter the second winning hole 640.

In addition, during the probability bonus or time-saving period, instead of changing the opening time of the electric role 640a associated with the second winning slot 640, or in addition to changing the opening time, the number of times the electric role 640a opens with one win may be increased compared to normal. Also, during the probability bonus or time-saving period, the winning probability of the second symbol may not be changed, and at least one of the time when the electric role 640a associated with the second winning slot 640 is opened and the number of times the electric role 640a opens with one win may be changed. Also, during the probability bonus or time-saving period, the time when the electric role 640a associated with the second winning slot 640 is opened and the number of times the electric role 640a opens with one win may not be changed, and only the winning probability of the second symbol may be changed to be increased compared to normal.

In the play area, there are a number of general winning holes 63 through which 5 to 15 balls are paid out as prize balls when a ball enters the hole. In addition, a variable display unit 80 is arranged at a position visible through the center of the play area (behind the window of the base plate A60). The variable display unit 80 is provided with a third pattern display device 81 consisting of a liquid crystal display (hereinafter simply abbreviated as "display device") that performs a variable display of a third pattern in synchronization with the variable display in the first pattern display device 37A, 37B, triggered by the winning of the first winning hole 64 and the second winning hole 640 (initial winning), and a second pattern display device (not shown) consisting of an LED that displays a variable display of a second pattern, triggered by the passage of a ball through the through gate 67. In addition, a center frame A86 is arranged on the base plate 60 so as to surround the third pattern display device 81 in a front view.

The third symbol display device 81 is composed of a large liquid crystal display of about 9 inches to 19 inches, and the display contents are controlled by the display control device 114 (see FIG. 4), so that, for example, three symbol rows, upper, middle, and lower, are displayed. Each symbol row is composed of multiple symbols (third symbols), and these third symbols are scrolled horizontally for each symbol row, so that the third symbols are variably displayed on the display screen of the third symbol display device 81. The third symbol display device 81 of this embodiment performs decorative display according to the display of the first symbol display device 37A, 37B, while the display of the game state associated with the control of the main control device 110 (see FIG. 4) is performed by the first symbol display device 37A, 37B. Note that the third symbol display device 81 may be configured using, for example, a reel instead of a display device.

The second symbol display device performs a variable display in which a "circle" and an "x" symbol as display symbols (second symbol (not shown)) are alternately lit for a predetermined period of time each time the ball passes through the through gate 67. In the pachinko machine 10, when it is detected that the ball has passed through the through gate 67, a winning lottery is held. If the winning lottery results in a winning lottery, the second symbol display device displays a static "circle" symbol after the second symbol is displayed in a variable manner. If the winning lottery results in a losing lottery, the second symbol display device displays a static "x" symbol after the third symbol is displayed in a variable manner.

The pachinko machine 10 is configured so that when the variable display in the second pattern display device stops at a predetermined pattern (in this embodiment, a "circle" pattern), the electric device 640a attached to the second winning port 640 is activated (opened) for a predetermined period of time.

The time it takes for the second symbol to change display is set to be shorter during a special probability or time-saving mode than during normal game mode. As a result, during special probability and time-saving mode, the second symbol changes display in a short time, so more winning lotteries can be held than during normal game mode. This increases the chances of winning in the winning lottery, giving the player more opportunities for the electric device 640a of the second winning slot 640 to be in an open state. Therefore, during special probability and time-saving mode, it is possible to create a state in which it is easier for the ball to win the second winning slot 640.

Note that if the state is such that the ball is more likely to enter the second winning slot 640 during a special probability or time-saving period by increasing the probability of winning, increasing the opening time or number of times the electric device 640a opens for one win, or by other methods, the time it takes for the second symbol to change display may be kept constant regardless of the game state. On the other hand, if the time it takes for the second symbol to change display is set shorter during a special probability or time-saving period than during normal times, the probability of winning may be kept constant regardless of the game state, and the opening time or number of times the electric device 640a opens for one win may be kept constant regardless of the game state.

The through gate 67 is attached to the game board A13 in the area to the right of the variable display unit 80, and is configured to allow a portion of the ball launched at the game board A13 to pass through. When a ball passes through the through gate 67, a winning lottery for the second pattern is held. After the winning lottery, a variable display is performed on the second pattern display device, and if the winning lottery results in a winning lottery, a "○" pattern is displayed as the stopping pattern of the variable display, and if the winning lottery results in a losing lottery, an "X" pattern is displayed as the stopping pattern of the variable display.

The number of times that a ball passes through the through gate 67 can be reserved up to a maximum of four times in total, and the number of reserved balls is displayed by the above-mentioned first pattern display devices 37A, 37B, and is also displayed by lighting the second pattern reserved lamp (not shown). There are four second pattern reserved lamps, the maximum number of reserved balls, and they are arranged symmetrically below the third pattern display device 81.

The change in the second pattern may be displayed by switching on and off a number of lamps in the second pattern display device as in this embodiment, or may be displayed using a part of the first pattern display device 37A, 37B and the third pattern display device 81. Similarly, the second pattern hold lamp may be turned on by a part of the third pattern display device 81.

In addition, the maximum number of balls that can be held for passing through the through gate 67 is not limited to four times, but may be set to three times or less, or five times or more (e.g., eight times). In addition, the number of through gates 67 that can be installed is not limited to one, but may be, for example, two.

The installation position of the through gate 67 is not limited to the right side of the variable display unit 80, but may be, for example, on the left, right, or bottom of the variable display unit 80. The number of reserved balls is indicated by the first symbol display device 37A, 37B, so the second symbol reserved lamp may not be lit.

A first winning hole 64 into which a ball can enter is disposed below the variable display unit 80. When a ball enters this first winning hole 64, a first winning hole switch (not shown) provided on the back side of the game board A13 turns on. When the first winning hole switch turns on, a lottery for a jackpot is held by the main control device 110 (see FIG. 4), and a display according to the lottery result is shown on the first symbol display device 37A.

On the other hand, a second winning hole 640 into which a ball can enter is disposed on the lower right side of the through gate 67 when viewed from the front. When a ball enters this second winning hole 640, a second winning hole switch (not shown) provided on the back side of the game board 13 is turned on, and when the second winning hole switch is turned on, a lottery for a jackpot is held by the main control device 110 (see FIG. 4), and a display according to the lottery result is shown on the first symbol display device 37B. Note that the location of the second winning hole 640 is not limited to this. For example, it may be below the first winning hole 64 when viewed from the front, or it may be to the left of the center of the game area.

The first winning port 64 and the second winning port 640 are also each one of the winning ports through which five balls are paid out as prize balls when a ball enters the winning port. In this embodiment, the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the first winning port 64 is the same as the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the second winning port 640, but the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the first winning port 64 and the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the second winning port 640 may be different numbers, for example, the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the first winning port 64 may be three, and the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the second winning port 640 may be five.

An electric device 640a is attached to the second winning opening 640. This electric device 640a is configured to be able to open and close, and is usually in a closed state (reduced state), making it difficult for the ball to win the second winning opening 640. On the other hand, when the second pattern display device displays a "○" pattern as a result of the variable display of the second pattern, which is triggered by the passage of the ball through the through gate 67, the electric device 640a opens (expands), making it easier for the ball to win the second winning opening 640.

As mentioned above, during the special rate and time-saving period, the probability of the second symbol winning is higher than during normal play, and the time it takes for the second symbol to change is also shorter, so the "○" symbol is more likely to appear in the change display of the second symbol, and the number of times the electric device 640a is in the open state (expanded state) increases. Furthermore, during the special rate and time-saving period, the time that the electric device 640a is open is also longer than during normal play. Therefore, during the special rate and time-saving period, it is possible to create an environment in which the ball is more likely to win the second winning slot 640 than during normal play.

The probability of winning a jackpot when a ball enters the first winning slot 64 and when a ball enters the second winning slot 640 is the same in both low and high probability states. However, the probability of a 15R special jackpot being selected as the type of jackpot to be selected when a jackpot occurs is set higher when a ball enters the second winning slot 640 than when a ball enters the first winning slot 64. On the other hand, the first winning slot 64 does not have the electric device 640a found in the second winning slot 640, and the ball is always capable of winning.

Therefore, during normal play, the electric device 640a associated with the second winning port 640 is often in a closed state, making it difficult to win at the second winning port 640. Therefore, it is more advantageous for the player to aim for a big win by shooting the ball toward the first winning port 64, which does not have the electric device 640a, so that the ball passes to the left of the variable display unit 80 (the so-called "left shot") and having the ball win at the first winning port 64, thereby gaining more opportunities to win the big win lottery.

On the other hand, during the special bonus period or the time-saving period, the electric device 640a attached to the second winning slot 640 is likely to be opened by passing the ball through the through gate 67, making it easier to win at the second winning slot 640. Therefore, it is more advantageous for the player to shoot the ball toward the second winning slot 640 so that it passes to the right of the variable display device 80 (the so-called "right hit"), passing through the through gate 67 to open the electric device 640a and aiming for a 15R special bonus jackpot by winning at the second winning slot 640.

Unlike the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment, when the game board 13 is configured symmetrically, it is possible to aim for the first winning slot 64 with a "right hit" and for the second winning slot 640 with a "left hit". Therefore, the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment does not require the player to change the way the ball is shot between "left hit" and "right hit" depending on the game state of the pachinko machine 10 (whether it is in a special mode, a time-saving mode, or a normal mode). This eliminates the hassle of having to change the way the ball is shot.

On the other hand, the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment is configured so that it is not possible to aim at the first winning slot 64 with a "right hit", and so that a ball shot with a "left hit" does not pass through the through gate 67. Therefore, the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment can request the player to change the way the ball is shot between "left hit" and "right hit" depending on the game state of the pachinko machine 10 (whether it is in a special mode, a time-saving mode, or a normal mode). Therefore, by adding a game feature that changes the way the ball is shot, it is possible to prevent the game from becoming sluggish.

The variable winning device 65 (see FIG. 2) is disposed to the right of the first winning port 64, and the specific winning port 65a is disposed in the approximate center of the variable winning device 65. In the pachinko machine 10, when a jackpot lottery performed due to winning in the first winning port 64 or the second winning port 640 results in a jackpot, after a predetermined time (variable time) has elapsed, the first pattern display device 37A or the first pattern display device 37B is turned on to show the jackpot stop pattern, and the stop pattern corresponding to the jackpot is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 to indicate the occurrence of the jackpot. After that, the game state transitions to a special game state (jackpot) in which the ball is more likely to win. In this special game state, the specific winning port 65a, which is normally closed, is opened for a predetermined time (for example, until 30 seconds have elapsed, or until 10 balls have won).

This specific winning opening 65a is closed after a predetermined time has elapsed, and after this closure, the specific winning opening 65a is opened again for a predetermined time. The opening and closing operation of this specific winning opening 65a can be repeated up to, for example, 15 times (15 rounds). The state in which this opening and closing operation is taking place is one form of a special game state that is advantageous to the player, and the player is paid out a larger number of prize balls than usual as an addition of game value (game value).

The special game state is not limited to the above-mentioned form. A large opening that opens and closes separately from the specific winning opening 65a is provided in the game area, and when the LED corresponding to the big win is lit in the first pattern display device 37A, 37B, the specific winning opening 65a is opened for a predetermined time, and while the specific winning opening 65a is open, a ball enters the specific winning opening 65a, triggering the large opening provided separately from the specific winning opening 65a to be opened for a predetermined time and a predetermined number of times, and a game state may be formed as a special game state. In addition, the specific winning opening 65a is not limited to one, and one or more than two (for example, three) may be arranged, and the arrangement position is not limited to the right of the first winning opening 64, but may be, for example, the lower right side of the first winning opening 64, the lower left side of the first winning opening 64, the left or right side of the variable display unit 80, or above.

The lower right corner of the game board A13 is provided with an attachment space K1 for attaching stamps, identification labels, etc., and the stamps, etc. attached to the attachment space K1 can be seen through a small window 35 in the front frame 14 (see Figure 1).

The game board A13 is provided with an outlet 71. Balls that flow down the game area and do not enter any of the winning holes 63, 64, 65a, 640 are guided through the outlet 71 to a ball discharge path (not shown).

The game board A13 has many nails planted in it to appropriately distribute and adjust the direction in which the balls fall, and various parts (gimmicks) such as windmills are also arranged on it.

As shown in FIG. 3, the rear side of the pachinko machine 10 is mainly equipped with control board units 90, 91 and a back pack unit 94. The control board unit 90 is unitized with a main board (main control device 110), a voice lamp control board (voice lamp control device 113) and a display control board (display control device 114). The control board unit 91 is unitized with a payout control board (payout control device 111), a launch control board (launch control device 112), a power supply board (power supply device 115) and a card unit connection board 116.

The back pack unit 94 is a unit consisting of the back pack 92, which forms the protective cover, and the payout unit 93. In addition, each control board is equipped with an MPU as a one-chip microcomputer that controls each part, ports for communicating with various devices, a random number generator used in various lotteries, a clock pulse generating circuit used for time counting and synchronization, etc. as necessary.

The main control device 110, the voice lamp control device 113 and the display control device 114, the payout control device 111 and the launch control device 112, the power supply device 115, and the card unit connection board 116 are each stored in the board boxes 100-104. The board boxes 100-104 each include a box base and a box cover that covers the opening of the box base, and the box base and the box cover are connected to each other to store the respective control devices and boards.

The board box 100 (main control device 110) and the board box 102 (dispensing control device 111 and launch control device 112) are connected to the box base and box cover by a sealing unit (not shown) so that they cannot be opened (connected by a crimping structure). A sealing seal (not shown) is attached to the connection between the box base and the box cover, spanning the box base and the box cover. This sealing seal is made of a brittle material, and if you try to peel off the sealing seal to open the board box 100, 102 or forcefully open the board box 100, 102, it will be cut into the box base side and the box cover side. Therefore, by checking the sealing unit or sealing seal, you can know whether the board box 100, 102 has been opened.

The payout unit 93 is equipped with a tank 130 located at the top of the back pack unit 94 and opening upward, a tank rail 131 connected to the bottom of the tank 130 and gently sloping toward the downstream side, a case rail 132 connected vertically to the downstream side of the tank rail 131, and a payout device 133 provided at the most downstream part of the case rail 132, which pays out balls using a specified electrical configuration of a payout motor 216 (see Figure 4). The tank 130 is successively replenished with balls supplied from the island equipment of the game hall, and the payout device 133 pays out the required number of balls as appropriate. A vibrator 134 is attached to the tank rail 131 to impart vibration to the tank rail 131.

The payout control device 111 is also provided with a state recovery switch 120, the firing control device 112 with a variable resistor control knob 121, and the power supply device 115 with a RAM erase switch 122. The state recovery switch 120 is operated to clear ball jams (return to normal state) when a payout error occurs, such as ball jamming in the payout motor 216 (see FIG. 4). The control knob 121 is operated to adjust the firing force of the firing solenoid. The RAM erase switch 122 is operated when the power is turned on to return the pachinko machine 10 to its initial state.

Next, the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10.

The main control device 110 is equipped with an MPU 201, which is a one-chip microcomputer that is an arithmetic device. The MPU 201 contains a ROM 202 that stores various control programs and fixed value data executed by the MPU 201, a RAM 203 that is a memory for temporarily storing various data when executing the control programs stored in the ROM 202, and various other circuits such as an interrupt circuit, a timer circuit, and a data transmission/reception circuit. In the main control device 110, the MPU 201 executes the main processes of the pachinko machine 10, such as the jackpot lottery, the display settings on the first pattern display devices 37A, 37B and the third pattern display device 81, and the lottery for the display results on the second pattern display device.

In addition, in order to instruct the sub-control devices such as the dispensing control device 111 and the voice lamp control device 113 to operate, various commands are sent from the main control device 110 to the sub-control devices via a data transmission/reception circuit, but such commands are sent only in one direction, from the main control device 110 to the sub-control devices.

RAM 203 has various areas, counters, and flags, as well as a stack area in which the contents of the internal registers of MPU 201 and the return addresses of control programs executed by MPU 201 are stored, and a work area (working region) in which various flags, counters, I/O values, etc. are stored. Note that RAM 203 is configured so that it can retain (back up) data by receiving a backup voltage from power supply device 115 even after power to pachinko machine 10 is cut off, and all data stored in RAM 203 is backed up.

When the power supply is cut off due to a power outage or the like, the stack pointer and the values of each register at the time of the power outage (including the occurrence of a power outage; the same applies below) are stored in RAM 203. On the other hand, when the power is turned on (including the power turned on when the power outage is resolved; the same applies below), the state of the pachinko machine 10 is restored to the state before the power outage based on the information stored in RAM 203. Writing to RAM 203 is performed by main processing (not shown) when the power supply is turned off, and the restoration of each value written to RAM 203 is performed during start-up processing (not shown) when the power supply is turned on. Note that the NMI terminal (non-maskable interrupt terminal) of MPU 201 is configured to receive a power outage signal SG1 from the power outage monitoring circuit 252 when the power supply is cut off due to a power outage or the like, and when the power outage signal SG1 is input to MPU 201, NMI interrupt processing (not shown) is immediately executed as a power outage processing.

The MPU 201 of the main control device 110 is connected to an input/output port 205 via a bus line 204 consisting of an address bus and a data bus. The input/output port 205 is connected to the payout control device 111, the sound lamp control device 113, the first pattern display device 37A, 37B, the second pattern display device, the second pattern reservation lamp, and solenoids 209 consisting of a large opening solenoid for driving the opening and closing plate of the specific winning port 65a in the forward and backward directions and a solenoid for driving the electric role 640a, and the MPU 201 transmits various commands and control signals to these via the input/output port 205.

The input/output port 205 is also connected to various switches 208, which are made up of a group of switches (not shown) and a group of sensors including a slide position detection sensor S and a rotation position detection sensor R, and a RAM erase switch circuit 253 (described below) provided in the power supply device 115. The MPU 201 executes various processes based on the signals output from the various switches 208 and the RAM erase signal SG2 output from the RAM erase switch circuit 253.

The payout control device 111 drives the payout motor 216 to control the payout of prize balls and loan balls. The MPU 211, which is a calculation device, has a ROM 212 that stores the control program executed by the MPU 211, fixed value data, etc., and a RAM 213 that is used as a work memory, etc.

The RAM 213 of the payout control device 111, like the RAM 203 of the main control device 110, has a stack area in which the contents of the internal registers of the MPU 211 and the return addresses of the control programs executed by the MPU 211 are stored, and a work area (working area) in which the values of various flags, counters, I/O, etc. are stored. The RAM 213 is configured to be able to retain (back up) data by receiving backup voltage from the power supply device 115 even after the power supply of the pachinko machine 10 is cut off, and all data stored in the RAM 213 is backed up. Note that, like the MPU 201 of the main control device 110, the NMI terminal of the MPU 211 is also configured to receive a power outage signal SG1 from the power outage monitoring circuit 252 when the power supply is cut off due to a power outage or the like, and when the power outage signal SG1 is input to the MPU 211, an NMI interrupt process (not shown) is immediately executed as a power outage process.

The MPU 211 of the payout control device 111 is connected to an input/output port 215 via a bus line 214 consisting of an address bus and a data bus. The main control device 110, payout motor 216, launch control device 112, etc. are each connected to the input/output port 215. In addition, although not shown, a prize ball detection switch for detecting the paid-out prize balls is connected to the payout control device 111. Note that the prize ball detection switch is connected to the payout control device 111, but is not connected to the main control device 110.

When the main control device 110 issues an instruction to launch a ball, the launch control device 112 controls the ball launch unit 112a so that the strength of the ball launch corresponds to the amount of rotation of the operating handle 51. The ball launch unit 112a is equipped with a launch solenoid and electromagnet (not shown), and the launch solenoid and electromagnet are permitted to operate when certain conditions are met. Specifically, the touch sensor 51a detects that the player is touching the operating handle 51, and on condition that the launch stop switch 51b for stopping the launch of the ball is off (not operated), the launch solenoid is excited in response to the amount of rotation (rotation position) of the operating handle 51, and the ball is launched with a strength corresponding to the amount of rotation of the operating handle 51.

The audio lamp control device 113 controls the output of audio from the audio output device (such as a speaker not shown) 226, the output of turning on and off the lamp display device (such as the illumination units 29-33 and the display lamp 34) 227, and the setting of the display mode of the third pattern display device 81 performed by the display control device 114, such as variable performance (variable display) and advance notice performance. The MPU 221, which is a calculation device, has a ROM 222 that stores the control program executed by the MPU 221, fixed value data, etc., and a RAM 223 used as a work memory, etc.

An input/output port 225 is connected to the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 via a bus line 224 consisting of an address bus and a data bus. The input/output port 225 is connected to the main control device 110, the display control device 114, the voice output device 226, the lamp display device 227, other devices 228, the frame button 22, etc. The other devices 228 include the drive motors AMT1, AMT2, AMT3, AMT4, etc.

The voice lamp control device 113 determines the display mode of the third symbol display device 81 based on various commands (variation pattern command, stop type command, etc.) received from the main control device 110, and notifies the display control device 114 of the determined display mode by commands (display variation pattern command, display stop type command, etc.). The voice lamp control device 113 also monitors input from the frame button 22, and when the frame button 22 is operated by the player, instructs the display control device 114 to change the stage displayed on the third symbol display device 81 or change the performance content during a super reach. When the stage is changed, a back image change command including information about the changed stage is sent to the display control device 114 so that the third symbol display device 81 displays a back image corresponding to the changed stage. Here, the back image refers to an image displayed on the back side of the third symbol, which is the main image to be displayed on the third symbol display device 81. The display control device 114 displays various images on the third symbol display device 81 according to the command sent from this voice lamp control device 113.

The voice lamp control device 113 also receives a command (display command) from the display control device 114 that indicates the display content of the third pattern display device 81. Based on the display command received from the display control device 114, the voice lamp control device 113 outputs a voice corresponding to the display content of the third pattern display device 81 from the voice output device 226 in accordance with the display content, and also controls the turning on and off of the lamp display device 227 in accordance with the display content.

The display control device 114 is connected to the sound lamp control device 113 and the third pattern display device 81, and controls the display of the third pattern display device 81, such as the variable performance of the third pattern, based on commands received from the sound lamp control device 113. The display control device 114 also transmits display commands to the sound lamp control device 113 as appropriate, notifying the display contents of the third pattern display device 81. The sound lamp control device 113 can match the display of the third pattern display device 81 with the sound output from the sound output device 226 by outputting sound from the sound output device 226 in accordance with the display contents indicated by the display commands.

The power supply unit 115 has a power supply unit 251 for supplying power to each unit of the pachinko machine 10, a power failure monitoring circuit 252 for monitoring power interruption due to a power failure or the like, and a RAM erase switch circuit 253 provided with a RAM erase switch 122 (see FIG. 3). The power supply unit 251 is a device that supplies the necessary operating voltage to each of the control devices 110-114, etc. through a power supply path not shown. In summary, the power supply unit 251 takes in an externally supplied 24-volt AC voltage, generates a 12-volt voltage for driving various switches such as the various switches 208, solenoids such as the solenoid 209, motors, etc., a 5-volt voltage for logic, a backup voltage for RAM backup, etc., and supplies the necessary voltages to each of the control devices 110-114, etc.

The power failure monitoring circuit 252 is a circuit for outputting a power failure signal SG1 to each NMI terminal of the MPU 201 of the main control unit 110 and the MPU 211 of the dispensing control unit 111 when the power is cut off due to a power failure or the like. The power failure monitoring circuit 252 monitors the voltage of 24 volts DC, which is the maximum voltage output from the power supply unit 251, and when this voltage falls below 22 volts, it determines that a power failure (power failure, power cut) has occurred and outputs a power failure signal SG1 to the main control unit 110 and the dispensing control unit 111. By outputting the power failure signal SG1, the main control unit 110 and the dispensing control unit 111 recognize the occurrence of a power failure and execute NMI interrupt processing. The power supply unit 251 is configured to maintain the output of the 5 volt voltage, which is the drive voltage of the control system, at a normal value for a sufficient time to execute the NMI interrupt processing, even after the voltage of 24 volts DC becomes less than 22 volts. Therefore, the main control unit 110 and the dispensing control unit 111 can normally execute and complete the NMI interrupt processing (not shown).

The RAM clear switch circuit 253 is a circuit for outputting a RAM clear signal SG2 to the main control device 110 to clear the backup data when the RAM clear switch 122 (see FIG. 3) is pressed. When the main control device 110 inputs the RAM clear signal SG2 when the pachinko machine 10 is powered on, it clears the backup data and sends a payout initialization command to the payout control device 111 to clear the backup data in the payout control device 111.

Next, the structure of the game board A13 and the operation unit A200 will be described. FIG. 5 is an exploded front perspective view of the game board A13 and the operation unit A200, and FIG. 6 is an exploded rear perspective view of the game board A13 and the operation unit A200. Note that in FIGS. 5 and 6, the liquid crystal display device (variable display unit 80) disposed in the opening A211a of the rear case A210 is omitted, and the rear side is shown as being visible through the opening A211a. In addition, FIG. 2 will be referred to as appropriate in the explanation of FIGS. 5 and 6.

The operating unit A200 includes a rear case A210 formed in a box shape with the front side open from a bottom wall A211 and an outer wall A212 erected from the outer edge of the bottom wall A211. The rear case A210 is formed in a rectangular frame shape when viewed from the front by forming a rectangular opening A211a in the center of the bottom wall A211. The opening A211a is formed to a size that corresponds to the outer shape (outer edge) of the display area of the third pattern display device 81 (i.e., capable of dividing the display area of the third pattern display device 81 when viewed from the front).

The rear case A210 is provided as a flat plate extending from the front end of the outer wall A212 along the rear surface of the game board A13 (e.g., arranged parallel to the rear surface), and includes a support plate A213 that is supported by a surface of the game board A13 in the assembled state (see FIG. 2).

With the support plate portion A213 supported by the surface of the game board A13, the game board A13 and the operating unit A200 can be fixed together by screwing a fastening screw into the base plate A60 of the game board A13, thereby improving the overall rigidity of the game board A13 and the operating unit A200.

A pair of displacement control devices A214 are disposed on the rear side of the rear case A210. The displacement control devices A214 are configured to be able to change between a protruding state and a immersed state by manual operation from the rear of the rear case A210, and in the protruding state, they control the movable parts (first operating unit A400 and second operating unit A500) described below from starting to move from the performance standby state.

By adopting the displacement control device A214, it is possible to facilitate shipping and transporting the pachinko machine 10, even when the central opening of the base plate A60 is blocked by the light guide plate unit A700, as in this embodiment.

In more detail, in the past, the displacement of the movable parts was suppressed by stuffing the area in which the movable parts would displace with shock-absorbing material (cushioning material such as cotton) and removing the shock-absorbing material after the game arrived at the game hall, thereby preventing the movable parts from displacing during shipping or transportation. However, when the central opening of the base plate A60 is blocked as in this embodiment, there is no penetration for removing the shock-absorbing material, and therefore the shock-absorbing material cannot be removed without disassembling the game board A13 and the back case A210, which can cause a great burden on the game hall.

To address this issue, this embodiment employs a displacement restriction device A214. This allows the state of the displacement restriction device A214 to be switched between a protruding state in which the movement of the movable parts is restricted, and a recessed state in which the restriction is released, without releasing the fixation of the game board A13 and the rear case A210.

The pair of displacement restriction devices A214 are arranged as members that restrict the movement of different movable parts. In other words, if the number of movable parts increases or decreases, this can be accommodated by increasing or decreasing the number of displacement restriction devices A214.

The base plate A60 is formed into a plate shape from a light-transmitting resin material, and is configured to make it easy for the player to see the various structures arranged on the back side of the base plate A60 from the front side. This allows the structures arranged on the back side to be seen regardless of the shape or arrangement of the base plate A60, and can be used for various effects. Note that if there are areas that you do not want the player to see, you can deal with this by attaching a seal material with low light transmittance (or no light transmittance), etc.

The operation unit A200 is disposed on the rear side of the game board A13, and various light emitting means and various operation units are disposed inside. That is, the operation unit A200 includes a rear case A210, a first operation unit A400 disposed on the inner right part and upper part of the rear case A210 when viewed from the front and disposed near the front side of the rear case A210, a second operation unit A500 disposed on the inner left part and upper part of the rear case A210 when viewed from the front and disposed between the first operation unit A400 and the bottom wall part A211 of the rear case A210, a third operation unit A600 disposed on the inner lower part of the rear case A210 when viewed from the front, and a light guide plate unit A700 fastened and fixed to the front end surface of the outer wall part A212 of the rear case A210 in front of the first operation unit A400.

Specifically, the third operating unit A600 is fastened to the bottom wall A211 of the rear case A210 at a lower position of the opening A211a, and the second operating unit A500 is fastened to the bottom wall A211 of the rear case A210 at a left position and an upper position of the opening A211a. The first operating unit A400 is fastened to the bottom wall A211 of the rear case A210 at a right position of the opening A211a, and is fastened to the front side of the second operating unit A500 at an upper position of the opening A211a. First, an overview of the operation control of this operating unit A200 will be described.

Figures 7 to 12 are front views of the operating unit A200 showing an example of the operation control of the operating unit A200. Figure 7 illustrates the first operating unit A400, the second operating unit A500, and the third operating unit A600 in a performance standby state, and Figure 8 illustrates the first operating unit A400 in an extended state, and the second operating unit A500 and the third operating unit A600 in a performance standby state.

Furthermore, FIG. 9 illustrates the second operating unit A500 in an extended state, and the first operating unit A400 and the third operating unit A600 in a performance standby state, FIG. 10 illustrates the first operating unit A400 and the second operating unit A500 in an extended state, and the third operating unit A600 in a performance standby state, and FIG. 11 illustrates the third operating unit A600 in an extended state, and the first operating unit A400 and the second operating unit A500 in a performance standby state.

Figure 12 also shows the first operating unit A400 and the second operating unit A500 after rotating from the performance standby state without any change in external shape, and the third operating unit A600 after rising while maintaining the external shape in the performance standby state.

7 to 12, the shape surrounded by the edge of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b of the light guide plate unit A700, the edge of the decorative member A808, and the edge of the center frame A86 is shown by imaginary lines. The shape surrounded by this imaginary line is the actual size at which the third pattern display device 81 can be seen when viewed from the front, and outside the shape surrounded by this imaginary line (especially on the left and right sides), the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b of the light guide plate unit A700 and the decorative member A808 are hidden, so the visibility of the first operating unit A400 and the second operating unit A500 in the retracted state can be reduced.

As shown in Figures 8 to 10, the displacement trajectory of the first operating unit A400 and the displacement trace of the second operating unit A500 partially overlap when viewed from the front, but since the displacement trajectory of the first operating unit A400 and the displacement trajectory of the second operating unit A500 are offset from each other in the front and rear (they do not overlap when viewed from above), the first operating unit A400 and the second operating unit A500 do not collide with each other during operation. Therefore, as shown in Figure 10, both the first operating unit A400 and the second operating unit A500 can be in an extended state.

As shown in Figures 8 to 11, the displacement trajectory of the first operating unit A400 or the second operating unit A500 partially overlaps with the displacement trajectory of the third operating unit A600 in a front view. Therefore, for example, when the first operating unit A400 or the second operating unit A500 is in the extended state, if the third operating unit A600 changes state from the performance standby state, there is a possibility of a collision.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the state change of the first operation unit A400 or the second operation unit A500 from the performance standby state is controlled so as to be executable on the condition that the third operation unit A600 is in the performance standby state, and the state change of the third operation unit A600 from the performance standby state is controlled so as to be executable on the condition that the first operation unit A400 is in the performance standby state and the second operation unit A500 is in the performance standby state, thereby making it possible to avoid collision between the first operation unit A400 or the second operation unit A500 and the third operation unit A600. This makes it possible to improve the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the first operation unit A400, the second operation unit A500, and the third operation unit A600 (it is possible to allow the displacement trajectories to overlap when viewed from the front).

The operation of the first operating unit A400 and the second operating unit A500 is configured to be performed in such a manner that the length and width of the rotating rotation operation units A400b and A500b change during the rotation operation, as will be described in detail later.

The operation mode of the third operating unit A600 is configured so that the lifting and lowering operation of the opening and closing operating unit A600b and the opening and closing operation of the moving member A650 can be performed at different times. In other words, the opening and closing operation of the moving member A650 is controlled to be performed when the opening and closing operating unit A600b is positioned at the upper end position.

As described above, in this embodiment, the operation timing of each operating unit A400, A500, and A600 may be controlled to be staggered in anticipation of the possibility of a collision, but if the possibility of a collision can be eliminated from the beginning, it is of course possible to drive them simultaneously, and Figure 12 shows a case in which each operating unit A400, A500, and A600 is driven simultaneously from a standby state and moves to a position where they will not collide with each other.

In other words, the state change that moves each of the operating units A400, A500, and A600 from the standby state to the state shown in FIG. 12 can be realized by driving the drive devices that drive each of the operating units A400, A500, and A600, on the condition that each of the operating units A400, A500, and A600 is in the standby state, so that it is possible to realize a unified operation performance by the multiple operating units A400, A500, and A600.

In the state shown in FIG. 12, the first operating unit A400 and the second operating unit A500 are in a posture immediately before the length and width of the rotational operating units A400b, A500b begin to change during the rotational operation. In other words, if further tilting occurs, the driving force will be consumed in changing the length and width of the rotational operating units A400b, A500b, and the operating resistance of the rotational operating units A400b, A500b will increase. Therefore, it is easy to stop the operating units A400, A500 in the posture shown in FIG. 12, where the operating resistance begins to change.

As the tilting motion continues, the amount of change in the length and width of the rotational motion units A400b and A500b increases, and the motion resistance increases accordingly. This resistance creates a change in motion resistance similar to the elastic force of a spring, making it easier to maintain the motion units A400 and A500 in the position shown in FIG. 12, and to return them to their original position even if they have been tilted too far.

As described below, the third operating unit A600 has a drive unit used for lifting and lowering operations that is separate from the drive unit that opens and closes the moving member A650. By only driving the drive unit used for lifting and lowering operations and not driving the moving member A650, it is possible to easily control the third operating unit A600 to stop in the state shown in FIG. 12.

In this way, it is possible to execute control to drive the first operating unit A400, the second operating unit A500, and the third operating unit A600 simultaneously, realizing a sense of unity in operation while avoiding collisions between the operating units A400, A500, and A600.

The range in which the display of the third pattern display device 81 located behind it can be seen changes according to the positioning of each operating unit A400, A500, A600. In other words, when all of the operating units A400, A500, A600 are in a performance standby state, the range (area) in which the display of the third pattern display device 81 can be seen is at its maximum (see Figure 7), and the range (area and position) in which the display area of the third pattern display device 81 is hidden is configured to differ according to the operating units A400, A500, A600 that are in a protruding state.

The extent to which the display area of the third pattern display device 81 is hidden (area and position) also differs depending on the extent to which each operating unit A400, A500, A600 extends from the performance standby state. Also, for example, even when the same operating unit (e.g., first operating unit A400) is operating, the amount of operation and the external shape of the rotational operating unit A400b are different between the state shown in FIG. 8 and the state shown in FIG. 12 (the extended position side is larger), so the extent to which the display area of the third pattern display device 81 is hidden (area and position) is different.

Also, for example, even if the same operating unit (e.g., third operating unit A600) is operating, the state shown in FIG. 11 and the state shown in FIG. 12 have the same up-down position, but the left-right arrangement of the movable member A650 is different, so the range (area and position) that is hidden in the display area of the third pattern display device 81 is different.

In addition, even if multiple identical operating units (e.g., first operating unit A400 and second operating unit A500) are operating, the state shown in FIG. 10 differs from the state shown in FIG. 12 in terms of whether or not the multiple operating units A400, A500 intersect, and therefore the number of ranges that are continuously visible within the display area of the third pattern display device 81 as ranges that are not hidden by the multiple operating units A400, A500 (four above, below, left, and right in FIG. 10, and one in FIG. 12) differs.

In this way, by providing multiple ranges for hiding the display area of the third pattern display device 81 by each operating unit A400, A500, and A600, it is possible to increase the variety of presentations that allow the display of the third pattern display device 81 to be viewed together with each operating unit A400, A500, and A600.

In other words, the third pattern display device 81 is controlled to develop a display performance in the range that is not hidden by each of the operating units A400, A500, and A600. Since the range that is hidden by each of the operating units A400, A500, and A600 can be changed in multiple types, it is possible to increase the variation in the display performance in the range that is not hidden by each of the operating units A400, A500, and A600, thereby improving the presentation effect of the display performance.

For example, when a large, continuously visible display area is maintained as in FIG. 12, the player can be relaxed by viewing an animation on the full screen, whereas when the display area is viewed as being divided as in FIG. 8, FIG. 9 or FIG. 10, the displays in each divided area can be differentiated (for example, as displays distinguished between advantageous and unfavorable developments) and one of these displays can be selected to determine the subsequent development of the presentation, thereby increasing the attention to the displays in each divided area.

Next, the first operating unit A400 will be described with reference to Figures 13 to 26. Figure 13 is a front perspective view of the first operating unit A400, and Figure 14 is a rear perspective view of the first operating unit A400.

The first operating unit A400 includes a support unit A400a held in the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5) and a rotation operating unit A400b supported on the support unit A400a so as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft AJ1 located at the lower right side when viewed from the front.

In the first operating unit A400, the drive motor AMT1 is disposed on the upper left side, and the rotating shaft AJ1 is disposed on the lower right side. This simplifies the structure around the rotating shaft AJ1 compared to when the drive motor AMT1 is disposed near the rotating shaft AJ1, and allows the rotating shaft AJ1 to be positioned closer to the right corner.

Furthermore, the front-to-rear width of the first operating unit A400 can be made shorter than when the driving motor AMT1 is arranged on the front or rear side of the rotary operating unit A400b, as occurs when the driving motor AMT1 is arranged near the rotary shaft rod AJ1. Therefore, sufficient space can be secured when multiple movable parts are stacked in the front-to-rear direction of the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5).

Figure 15 is an exploded front perspective view of the first operating unit A400, and Figure 16 is an exploded rear perspective view of the first operating unit A400. In Figures 15 and 16, the support unit A400a is shown disassembled, and the rotation operating unit A400b is shown in an undisassembled state.

The support unit A400a includes a fixed support unit A410 that is fastened to the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5), and a drive transmission unit A420 that has a drive motor AMT1 that is fixed in position to the fixed support unit A410 and is configured to be able to transmit the drive force of the drive motor AMT1 to the rotational motion unit A400b.

The fixed support unit A410 includes a vertical member A411 fastened to the right side of the bottom wall A211 of the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5) when viewed from the front, a horizontal member A413 arranged opposite the upper end side of the vertical member A411 in the front-rear direction, a reinforcing member A415 formed by bending a sheet metal member disposed between the horizontal member A413 and the vertical member A411 forward, and an upper cover member A417 fastened to the horizontal member A413 with the bent portion of the reinforcing member A415 sandwiched between the horizontal member A413 and the reinforcing member A415.

The vertical member A411 includes a cylindrical support portion A411a through which the rotation shaft rod AJ1 of the rotation operation unit A400b is inserted, a non-performance hole A411b through which the protruding tip of the displacement control device A214 (see FIG. 6) disposed on the lower right side is inserted, a repair hole A411c formed through the hole large enough to allow a fastening screw to be attached and removed for maintenance purposes, and a detection sensor A411d for detecting whether the first operation unit A400 is in a performance standby state or an extended state by detecting the position of the rotation operation unit A400b.

The non-performance hole A411b is formed in a location that is concealed by the right decorative member A808 when viewed from the front (see FIG. 8). Therefore, regardless of the position of the rotational motion unit A400b, it is easy to prevent the player from seeing the displacement control device A214 (see FIG. 6) through the non-performance hole A411b.

This concealing effect also occurs with the upper displacement regulation device A214. That is, the upper displacement regulation device A214 is intended to regulate the displacement of the second operating unit A500, but by being concealed by the upper decorative member A808, it is also possible to easily prevent the displacement regulation device A214 from being seen by the player.

The detection sensor A411d is usually a photocoupler type sensor, but is not limited to this. For example, it may be a magnetic sensor or a contact type sensor.

The horizontally long member A413 includes a plate-shaped main body A413a formed from a resin material in the shape of a horizontally long plate, a guide elongated hole A414 formed through the plate-shaped main body A413a, a motor support hole A413b formed through the plate-shaped main body A413a in a bulging portion that bulges forward at the left end side of the plate-shaped main body A413a so as to be able to support the drive motor MT1, and a plate-shaped extension portion A413d that extends forward from the upper end of the plate-shaped main body A413a in a plate-like shape and has multiple protrusions A413c with female threads formed on the extension tip side.

The reinforcing member A415 is a member formed by bending a metal plate, and includes a plate-shaped main body A415a that is arranged to be attached to the back side of the plate-shaped main body A413a and is sandwiched between the vertical member A411 and the horizontal member A413 in the assembled state (see FIG. 13), a bent plate A415c that is bent from the upper end of the plate-shaped main body A415a to the front side and has a plurality of through holes A415b through which the plurality of protrusions A413c can be inserted, a pair of retaining bent portions A415d that are bent from the bent plate A415c and have through holes through which the metal rod AMB1 can be inserted, and a long hole A415e that is drilled in a shape that surrounds the guide long hole A414 from the outside.

The upper cover member A417 is a member formed from a resin material, and includes a plate-shaped main body A417a that is fastened to the horizontal member A413 by a fastening screw that is screwed into the female thread of the protrusion A413c that is inserted into the through hole A415b in a positional relationship in which the reinforcing member A415 is sandwiched between the plate-shaped main body A417a and the horizontal member A413, a biasing spring A417b whose one end is supported by the plate-shaped main body A417a, and a damper member A417c whose other end is supported by the biasing force of the biasing spring A417b and which is biased to the right end of the movable range extending in the left-right direction by the biasing force of the biasing spring A417b.

The drive transmission unit A420 includes a support member A421, which is a sheet metal member on whose left end the drive motor AMT1 is supported and which is fastened to the horizontal member A413 at both left and right ends, a transmission mechanism A423 composed of a plurality of rotating members rotatably supported on the front side of the support member A421, a covering cover A425 fastened to the support member A421 so as to cover the rotating members of the transmission mechanism A423 from the front side, and a connecting mechanism A427 which connects the transmission mechanism A423 to the rotation operation unit A400b.

The transmission mechanism A423 includes a ring-shaped belt A423a with teeth formed on the inner circumference, a pair of left and right pulleys A423b, A423c with teeth formed on the outer circumference that mesh with the teeth of the belt A423a and rotatably supported on the columnar portion A421a of the support member A421 so as to be able to support the belt A423a without slack, a drive gear A423d fixed to the drive shaft of the drive motor AMT1 so as not to move relative to it, and a transmission gear A423f rotatably supported on the columnar portion A421a of the support member A421 so as to mesh with the gear portion A423e formed on the back side of the left pulley A423c and the drive gear A423d.

The covering cover A425 is not only fastened to the female screw formed on the main plate portion of the support member A421, but also fastened to the female screw formed on the tip of the columnar portion A421a that supports the pulleys A423b, A423c and the transmission gear A423f. This improves the rigidity of the columnar portion A421a and stabilizes the rotation of the pulleys A423b, A423c and the transmission gear A423f.

The connecting mechanism A427 includes a connecting member A427a to which the upper end side of the rotational motion unit A400b is connected and which receives the metal bar AMB1 in a recess A427b on the front side, so that the direction of operation is left and right; a prevention member A427c which is fastened and fixed to the connecting member A427a so as to cover the recess A427b of the connecting member A427a from the front side, thereby preventing the metal bar AMB1 from falling out from between the connecting member A427a and the preventing member A427a; and a belt fixing member A427d which is fastened and fixed to the preventing member A427c in an arrangement in which the belt A423a is sandwiched between the preventing member A427c and the preventing member A427c.

A cylindrical collar A427f through which the metal bar AMB1 is inserted is disposed in the pair of recesses A427b, and a pulley A427g that supports the metal bar AMB1 in a groove on the outer periphery while it is inserted into the collar is rotatably supported by the connecting member A427a. This makes it easier to prevent the position of the connecting member A427a relative to the metal bar AMB1 from shifting, and reduces the operating resistance.

The upper surface of the belt fixing member A427d, which faces the belt A423a, is formed with an engagement protrusion A427h that corresponds to the tooth shape formed on the inner circumference of the belt A423a. The belt A423a is positioned so that this engagement protrusion A427h meshes with the teeth of the belt A423a, and the prevention member A427c is positioned facing the outer circumference of the belt A423a (above the upper belt A423a), thereby fastening and fixing the belt fixing member A427d and the prevention member A427c.

This prevents the belt A423a from falling off the engagement protrusion A427h. Also, unlike when the belt A423a is fixed by pressing it, it is possible to prevent the belt A423a from slipping relative to the connecting mechanism A427 while improving the durability of the belt A423a.

With this structure, the drive motor AMT1 is driven to rotate, and the left pulley A423c is rotated through meshing transmission, causing the portion of the belt A423a extending to the left and right to move left and right, and the connecting mechanism A427 is guided by the metal bar AMB1 to move left and right.

The connecting member A427a has a guide slot A427e extending in the vertical direction, through which the columnar protrusion A448 of the rotational motion unit A400b is inserted. The columnar protrusion A448 of the rotational motion unit A400b is inserted into the guide slot A427e and the guide slot A414 of the fixed support unit A410, so that as the connecting mechanism A427 moves left and right, the columnar protrusion A448 of the rotational motion unit A400b moves up and down and left and right.

In this way, a driving force is transmitted to the rotational motion unit A400b via the connecting mechanism A427, which moves in the left-right direction, and the rotational motion unit A400b is displaced. Details of the rotational motion unit A400b are described below.

Figure 17 is an exploded front oblique view of rotational motion unit A400b, and Figure 18 is an exploded rear oblique view of rotational motion unit A400b. As shown in FIG. 17 and FIG. 18, the rotational motion unit A400b includes a base plate member A430 with a rotational shaft rod AJ1 fitted to its lower end, a moving member A440 connected to the base plate member A430 so as to be slidable in a linear direction passing through the rotational shaft rod AJ1 on a plane perpendicular to the rotational shaft rod AJ1, a direction switching member A450 inserted through the base plate member A430 and the moving member A440 and movable in a direction perpendicular to the sliding movement of the moving member A440, a decorative member A460 for showing the player that the length of the short side of the rotational motion unit 400b changes as the position or posture of the direction switching member A450 changes due to the movement of the direction switching member A450, and a covering member A470 that is fitted or fastened to the base plate member A430 so as to arrange the direction switching member A450 in the space formed between the base plate member A430 and the direction switching member A450, and is formed in a shape that covers the direction switching member A450 from the front side.

The base plate member A430 includes a long plate-like plate body A431 into which the rotary shaft rod AJ1 is fitted, a pair of upper and lower guide elongated holes A432 drilled in the plate body A431 on the same straight line passing through the rotary shaft rod AJ1, a plurality of auxiliary elongated holes A433 drilled between the pair of guide elongated holes A432 so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the guide elongated holes A432 extend, and a plurality of auxiliary elongated holes A433 drilled in the plate body A431 near the lower end of the upper guide elongated hole A432. The plate-shaped body A431 is provided with a pair of support elongated holes A434 formed as elongated holes parallel to the guide elongated holes A432 at the short end of the plate-shaped body A431, a malfunction prevention tube portion A435 that protrudes in a cylindrical shape from the plate-shaped body A431 to the rear side, a pair of guide extension portions A436 that protrude from the front of the lower end of the plate-shaped body A431 and extend parallel to the straight line along which the guide elongated holes A432 are arranged, and a plate-shaped detection piece A437 that protrudes downward in a plate shape from the lower end of the plate-shaped body A431.

The malfunction prevention tube A435 is a through hole formed to a size that allows the protruding tip of the right-side displacement restriction device A214 (see FIG. 6) to be inserted. This malfunction prevention tube A435 is positioned in front of the non-performance hole A411b (see FIG. 8) when the first operating unit A400 is in a performance standby state.

When the protruding tip of the displacement restriction device A214 is brought into a protruding state in which it protrudes forward, the protruding tip passes through the non-performance hole A411b and is inserted into the malfunction prevention tube portion A435, thereby restricting the rotational movement of the rotational movement unit A400b.

The plate-shaped detection piece A437 is formed in a front-rear position that allows it to be placed in the detection groove of the detection sensor A411d (see FIG. 15). The plate-shaped detection piece A437 is formed on the side (back side) where the rotating shaft rod AJ1 is supported. This makes it possible to minimize the positional deviation of the plate-shaped detection piece A437 even if the rotating shaft rod AJ1 is bent (tilted) due to deformation of the rotating shaft rod AJ1, making it easier to avoid the plate-shaped detection piece A437 being placed in a position that deviates from the front-rear position that fits into the detection groove of the detection sensor A411d.

The position of the plate-shaped detection piece A437 is detected by the detection sensor A411d (see FIG. 15), so that the posture of the rotational motion unit A400b can be grasped, and therefore collisions between the multiple motion units A400-A600 can be avoided even when they are driven by separate drive sources.

The movable member A440 is configured to be able to perform an effect in which the decorative plate A441 on the front side is brightly illuminated by light irradiated from the light emitting means of the light emitting board arranged inside, and is equipped with a plate-shaped main body A442 arranged to sandwich the light emitting board between the plate-shaped main body A442 and the decorative plate A441, a pair of insertion protrusions A443 protruding from the back surface of the plate-shaped main body A442, a plurality of functional long holes A444 drilled in a shape that combines the up-down direction and the left-right inclination direction at a position corresponding to the auxiliary long hole A433 of the base plate member A430, an extension part A445 extending parallel to the straight line on which the pair of insertion protrusions A443 are arranged, and a columnar protrusion part A448 protruding from the upper right corner of the plate-shaped main body A422 to the back side and inserted into the guide long hole A427e (see Figure 15) of the drive transmission unit A420.

The decorative plate A441 has a translucent area A441a extending in the longitudinal direction at the center of the translucent area A441a, and a plated area A441b on both sides of the translucent area A441a in the translucent area A441a.

As a result, even if the placement of the board is restricted to the center in the short side direction due to the formation of the functional long hole A444, the light emission effect is achieved in the translucent area A441a near the center in the short side direction, and the other plated area A441b uses reflection from the plating to achieve the effect, thereby avoiding a decrease in the presentation effect.

The insertion protrusion A443 is inserted into the long guide hole A432 of the base plate member A430 and is configured to be prevented from falling out of the long guide hole A432 by the screw and collar member AC1 screwed into the tip.

The functional long hole A444 is composed of four long holes: a pair of upper and lower long holes and another pair of upper and lower long holes that are inverted by a straight line connecting a pair of insertion protrusions A443, and the shapes of the long holes are the same except for the inversion relationship.

Of the multiple functional long holes A444, a pair of upper and lower long holes are formed at a position where one of the long holes is translated along a straight line connecting a pair of insertion protrusions A443. In other words, the corresponding parts of the pair of upper and lower long holes extend on the same straight line or maintain a relationship of being arranged in parallel.

The extension portion A445 is formed with a width and length slightly shorter than the distance between the pair of guide extension portions A436 of the base plate member A430, and functions as a guide when the moving member A440 moves. The extension portion A445 has a U-shaped cross section in the extension direction that is open on the front side, and this shape not only improves rigidity but also prevents breakage of the wiring A449 connected to the board. In other words, by holding the wiring A449 on the extension portion A445 from the open side of the U shape, contact between other moving members and the wiring A449 can be avoided.

The wiring A449 is made of a flat cable and is made up of wiring that can bend in a direction corresponding to the rotation around the rotating shaft AJ1 and wiring that can bend in the direction in which the extension portion A445 extends.

In this embodiment, the drive motor AMT1 is disposed at a position away from the rotating shaft rod AJ1 (see FIG. 14), which makes it easier to secure space around the rotating shaft rod AJ1, and this space can be used as space for the wiring A449 to flex. This makes it possible to prevent excessive load from being applied to the wiring A449, and improves the durability of the wiring A449.

The direction switching member A450 and the decorative member A460 will be described together. The direction switching member A450 is composed of a pair of left and right members, and includes a plate-shaped main body A451, a pair of upper and lower columnar members A452 protruding from the back surface on the left and right inner parts of the plate-shaped main body A451, and a pair of upper and lower through holes A453 drilled on the left and right outer parts of the plate-shaped main body A451.

The columnar portion A452 is inserted in turn through the functional long hole A444 of the movable member A440 and the auxiliary long hole A433 of the base plate member A430, and can be displaced in a direction perpendicular to the straight line connecting the pair of insertion protrusions A443 depending on the arrangement of the movable member A440. In other words, depending on the arrangement of the movable member A440, the direction switching member A450 can be displaced in a direction perpendicular to the straight line connecting the pair of insertion protrusions A443 (can be displaced in a direction perpendicular to the movement direction of the movable member A440).

The decorative member A460 comprises a pair of left and right parallel moving members A461 and a pair of left and right rotational moving members A465. The parallel moving members A461 comprise a plate-shaped main body A462, a columnar portion A463 protruding from the lower corners on the left and right outer sides of the plate-shaped main body A462 toward the rear side, and a long columnar portion A464 protruding from the center side on the left and right outer sides of the plate-shaped main body A462 toward the rear side.

The rotational movement member A465 includes a plate-shaped main body A466, a columnar portion A467 protruding from the rear surface at the upper end of the plate-shaped main body A466, and a through hole A468 drilled below the columnar portion A467.

The columnar portion A463 has a female thread formed at the tip. A fastening screw is inserted into the through hole A453 on the lower side of the direction switching member A450 and screwed into the female thread, thereby fastening the decorative member A460 and the direction switching member A450 together.

The long columnar portion A464 has a female thread at the tip, but this is not used for fastening, but rather to prevent the member from falling off. In other words, the rotational movement member A465 through which the long columnar portion A464 is inserted is configured to be capable of rotational movement relative to the parallel movement member A461.

The long columnar portion A464 is first inserted through the upper through-hole A453 of the direction switching member A450, and then through the through-hole A468 of the rotational movement member A465. A large head screw is fixed to the tip of the long columnar portion A464, thereby preventing the rotational movement member A465 from falling off the long columnar portion A464.

The columnar portion A467 of the rotational movement member A465 is supported by the support long hole A434 of the base plate member A430, so that the displacement is reduced. By configuring it in this way, the displacement of the opposite end (lower end) of the columnar portion A467 of the rotational movement member A465 can be made greater than the displacement of the direction switching member A450 that displaces the through hole A468.

The covering member A470 has a translucent area A471 extending in the longitudinal direction at the center of the translucent area A471, and a plated area A472 on both sides of the translucent area A471 in the translucent area A471.

As a result, the direction switching member A450 and decorative member A460 are arranged so that the presentation effect can be maintained at a high level even on both sides of the short side where the light irradiated from the movable member A440 is easily blocked. In other words, the light emission presentation is performed in the translucent area A471 near the center of the short side, and the other plated area A472 uses reflection from the plating to produce the presentation, thereby avoiding a decrease in the presentation effect.

The covering member A470 has a pair of protruding portions A473 that protrude from the rear side at the lower end. The protruding portions A473 are positioned in a position corresponding to the front end of the guide extension portion A436 of the base plate member A430.

By arranging them in this manner, in the assembled state, the covering member A470 and the base plate member A430 can form an opening through which the extension portion A445 of the movable member A440 is inserted. This makes it possible to stabilize the movement direction of the movable member A440 in the extension direction of the extension portion A445.

Figures 19(a), 19(b), 20(a) and 20(b) are rear views of the rotational motion unit A400b. Figures 19(a), 19(b), 20(a) and 20(b) show the relative movement of the moving member A440 of the rotational motion unit A400b with respect to the base plate member A430 in chronological order.

That is, the relative movement is illustrated from the rotational movement unit A400b (see FIG. 19(a)) in the performance standby state (see FIG. 7) of the first movement unit A400 to the rotational movement unit A400b (see FIG. 20(b)) in the extended state (see FIG. 8). Note that the top and bottom on the paper of FIG. 19 and FIG. 19 differ from the actual top and bottom directions, and the direction of the sliding movement of the moving member A440 is illustrated in a position that matches the top and bottom of the paper.

The functional long hole A444 has a first parallel portion A444a that extends parallel to a straight line passing through the pair of insertion protrusions A443, an inclined portion A444b that is formed so that one end is connected to the first parallel portion A444a and extends linearly in a direction inclined relative to the first parallel portion A444a, and a second parallel portion A444c that is formed so that the other end is connected to the inclined portion A444b and extends parallel to the extension direction of the first parallel portion A444a.

Here, FIG. 19(a) illustrates a state in which the columnar portion A452 of the direction switching member A450 is disposed on the end side of the first parallel portion A444a, FIG. 19(b) illustrates a state in which the columnar portion A452 of the direction switching member A450 is disposed at the intersection of the first parallel portion A444a and the inclined portion A444b, FIG. 20(a) illustrates a state in which the columnar portion A452 of the direction switching member A450 is disposed at the intersection of the inclined portion A444b and the second parallel portion A444c, and FIG. 20(b) illustrates a state in which the columnar portion A452 of the direction switching member A450 is disposed on the end side of the second parallel portion A444c.

The length of the first parallel portion A444a is formed to be sufficiently long. As a result, even if the movable member A440 starts to move relative to the base plate member A430 from the state shown in FIG. 19(a), the direction switching member A450 does not move in the short direction of the movable member A440 for a while (until the state shown in FIG. 19(b) is reached), and the rotation operation unit A400b can be rotated while maintaining the appearance of a short width in the short direction.

The inclined portion A444b extends from the position where the first parallel portion A444a is formed toward the outside in the short side direction of the moving member A440. Therefore, when the moving member A440 moves relative to the base plate member A430 from a state in which the columnar portion A452 of the direction switching member A450 is arranged on the first parallel portion A444a, and the columnar portion A452 enters the inclined portion A444b, the direction switching member A450 moves toward the outside in the short side direction of the moving member A440.

A pair of columnar sections A452 of the direction switching member A450 are inserted into a pair of auxiliary long holes A433, and the pair is guided in parallel. Therefore, the relative movement of the direction switching member A450 with respect to the base plate member A430 is a parallel movement in the short direction of the base plate member A430.

The speed of this movement is proportional to the speed at which the moving member A440 moves relative to the base plate member A430 because the inclined portion A444b is formed in a straight line. This makes it easier for the moving member A440, the direction switching member A450, and the decorative member A460 to perform linked motion effects.

The second parallel part A444c is not as long as the first parallel part A444a, and is formed to the minimum necessary length. The purpose of forming the second parallel part A444c is to improve the presentation effect of the rotational motion unit A400b.

In other words, when the first operating unit A400 is driven to the extended state and the drive motor AMT1 (see FIG. 15) is stopped, the connecting mechanism A427 is pushed back slightly by the biasing force applied to the damper member A417c by the biasing spring A417b, and even if the moving member A440 moves in the opposite direction (return direction) relative to the base plate member A430, the presence of the second parallel portion A444c makes it possible to prevent the position of the direction switching member A450 in the short direction of the moving member A440 from changing.

This makes it easier to maintain the appearance of the first operating unit A400 in the extended state (the short-side length of the rotation operating unit A400b) even if a push-back action occurs due to the biasing force of the biasing spring A417b, which can occur when adopting control that stops the drive of the drive motor AMT1 when the first operating unit A400 is in the extended state.

In the state shown in FIG. 19(a), the distance between the rotating shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 is the first length AD1, and the angle between the line passing through the rotating shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 and the line passing through the pair of insertion protrusions A443 is the first angle Aθ1.

In the state shown in FIG. 19(b), the distance between the rotating shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 is the second length AD2, and the angle between the line passing through the rotating shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 and the line passing through the pair of insertion protrusions A443 is the second angle Aθ2.

The second length AD2 is configured to be longer than the first length AD1 (first length AD1 < second length AD2). The second angle Aθ2 is configured to be smaller than the first angle Aθ1 (first angle Aθ1 > second angle Aθ2).

In the state shown in FIG. 20(a), the distance between the rotating shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 is the third length AD3, and the angle between the straight line passing through the rotating shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 and the straight line passing through the pair of insertion protrusions A443 is the third angle Aθ3.

The third length AD3 is configured to be longer than the second length AD2 (first length AD1 < second length AD2 < third length AD3). The third angle Aθ3 is configured to be smaller than the second angle Aθ2 (first angle Aθ1 > second angle Aθ2 > third angle Aθ3).

In the state shown in FIG. 20(b), the distance between the rotating shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 is the fourth length AD4, and the angle between the line passing through the rotating shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 and the line passing through the pair of insertion protrusions A443 is the fourth angle Aθ4.

The fourth length AD4 is configured to be longer than the third length AD3 (first length AD1 < second length AD2 < third length AD3 < fourth length AD4). The fourth angle Aθ4 is configured to be smaller than the third angle Aθ3 (first angle Aθ1 > second angle Aθ2 > third angle Aθ3 > fourth angle Aθ4).

Therefore, when the first operating unit A400 goes from the performance standby state to the extended state, the rotation operating unit A400b changes so that the distance between the rotation shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 gradually increases, and accordingly, the angle between the straight line passing through the rotation shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 and the straight line passing through the pair of insertion protrusions A443 gradually decreases.

Figures 21, 22, and 23 are front views of the first operating unit A400. Figures 21, 22, and 23 chronologically illustrate how the first operating unit A400 is driven from the performance standby state to the extended state.

Figure 21 illustrates the first operating unit A400 in a standby state, Figure 22 illustrates a state between the standby state and the extended state of the first operating unit A400, where the appearance of the rotation operating unit A400b is the same as in the standby state except for the change in posture, and Figure 23 illustrates the extended state of the first operating unit A400.

In the state shown in FIG. 21, the plate-shaped detection piece A437 is placed in the detection groove of the detection sensor A411d. This allows the corresponding control device to know that the first operating unit A400 is in a performance standby state.

The long guide hole A414 has an arc portion A414a that follows an arc shape centered on the rotating shaft rod AJ1 and is formed to the right of the columnar protrusion A448 shown in FIG. 22, and a straight portion A414b that is formed in a straight line to the left of the columnar protrusion A448 shown in FIG. 22 and smoothly connects to the arc portion A414a (extending in the tangent direction of the arc portion A414a at the connecting portion).

In other words, when the columnar protrusion A448 is positioned on the arc portion A414a (see Figures 21 and 22), even if the rotational motion unit A400b rotates, the distance between the rotational shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 is maintained at the first length AD1 (see Figure 19(a)), and no relative movement of the moving member A440 with respect to the base plate member A430 occurs, so the appearance of the rotational motion unit A400b is maintained.

In the process of the rotational movement from the state shown in FIG. 22 to the state shown in FIG. 23, the appearance of the rotational movement unit A400b changes so that the rotational movement member A465 protrudes in the short side direction of the rotational movement unit A400b.

Between the state shown in FIG. 22 and the state shown in FIG. 23, the straight line portion A414b along which the columnar protrusion A448 is guided is arranged to intersect at one point with a circle centered on the rotating shaft rod AJ1, so there is a one-to-one correspondence between the arrangement of the columnar protrusion A448 and the distance between the rotating shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448.

The amount of protrusion of the rotational movement member A465 is configured to correspond to the distance between the rotational shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion portion A448 (see Figures 19 and 20), so the position of the columnar protrusion portion A448 at which the rotational movement member A465 begins to protrude and the amount of protrusion of the rotational movement member A465 corresponding to the position of the columnar protrusion portion A448 can be identified from a structural aspect.

This can avoid a situation that can occur when the posture change of the rotational motion unit A400b and the extension of the rotational movement member A465 are performed by separate drive sources, in which the amount of change (angle) in the posture of the rotational motion unit A400b is insufficient, causing the rotational movement member A465 to extend and collide with the rear case A210 (see Figure 5).

When the driving force of the drive motor AMT1 (see FIG. 15) is transmitted and the belt A423a is operated, the connecting mechanism A427 is guided by the metal bar AMB1 and slid left and right. In this embodiment, by controlling the driving amount of the drive motor AMT1, the rotational motion unit A400b can be operated to move back and forth between the state shown in FIG. 21 and the state shown in FIG. 22, the rotational motion unit A400b can be operated to move back and forth between the state shown in FIG. 22 and the state shown in FIG. 23, or the rotational motion unit A400b can be operated to move back and forth between the state shown in FIG. 21 and the state shown in FIG. 23.

On the extended side (left side), the connecting mechanism A427 comes into contact with the damper member A417c and is decelerated by the elastic force of the biasing spring A417b. As a result, even if the belt A423a is operated at high speed in a direction that puts the first operating unit A400 in the extended state, the connecting mechanism A427 bounces back on the extended side (left side), making it easier to avoid excessive load being applied to the belt A423a, and improving the durability of the belt A423a and the connecting mechanism A427.

When the rotational motion unit A400b starts from the performance standby state of the first motion unit A400 shown in FIG. 21, the starting direction of the columnar protrusion A448 faces the tangent direction AT1 of a circle that passes through the columnar protrusion A448 and has the rotation shaft rod AJ1 as its center.

In this embodiment, in the state shown in FIG. 21, the angle between the tangential direction AT1 and the direction in which the metal bar AMB1 extends (left-right direction) is small, so that the driving force of the drive motor AMT1 can be efficiently transmitted to perform the rotational operation of the rotational operation unit A400b.

In the state shown in FIG. 22, the tangential direction AT1 is parallel to the straight line portion A414b. Therefore, the resistance in the rotational direction can be reduced when the rotational motion unit A400b is rotated counterclockwise when viewed from the front from the state shown in FIG. 22.

Between the state shown in FIG. 22 and the state shown in FIG. 23, the angle between the tangential direction AT1 and the direction in which the metal bar AMB1 extends (left-right direction) gradually increases, and the downward component of the tangential direction AT1 becomes larger. As a result, the force that rotates the rotational motion unit A400b is increased by the weight of itself, creating a surplus in the driving force of the drive motor AMT1. This surplus driving force can be used to move the movable member A440 relative to the base plate member A430.

In this way, the driving force of the drive motor AMT1 is used for both the rotational movement of the rotational movement unit A400b and the relative movement of the movable member A440 with respect to the base plate member A430, and by configuring the timing at which the driving force is required for these multiple movements to be staggered, the maximum driving force required at one time can be reduced, making it possible to miniaturize the drive motor AMT1.

As shown in FIG. 23, the angle between the moving direction AM1, which is the direction in which the moving member A440 moves relative to the base plate member A430, and the extension direction of the metal rod AMB1 is smaller than the angle between the straight line connecting the rotating shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion portion A448, which is the point at which the driving force is transmitted, and the extension direction of the metal rod AMB1.

In this embodiment, the angle between the movement direction AM1 and the extension direction of the metal bar AMB1 is an acute angle, which makes it easier to ensure that the component of the driving force of the drive motor AMT1 transmitted in the extension direction of the metal bar AMB1 is directed in the movement direction AM1. This makes it possible to avoid a situation in which the driving force is transmitted in a direction that rotates the rotational motion unit A400b before the relative movement of the moving member A440 with respect to the base plate member A430, resulting in increased operating resistance of the rotational motion unit A400b. Note that in this embodiment, the movement direction AM1 coincides with the longitudinal direction of the rotational motion unit A400b.

When a load from the drive motor AMT1 is transmitted to the columnar protrusion A448 in the left-right direction, the load is resolved into a downward load that moves the movable member A440 relatively in the movement direction AM1, and an upward load that rotates (raises) the rotational motion unit A400b around the rotational axis rod AJ1. Because the load from the drive motor AMT1 is in the left-right direction (directly to the side), this kind of smooth resolution of the load in the up-down direction can occur.

At this time, the rotating shaft AJ1 is not positioned in the direction of the load that is resolved into the moving direction AM1, so that load also acts to rotate the rotational motion unit A400b around the rotating shaft AJ1.

In other words, in this embodiment, the columnar protrusion A448 is positioned at a position offset from a straight line passing through the rotation axis rod AJ1 and parallel to the movement direction AM1, so that the load component that moves the moving member A440 relatively in the movement direction AM1 also occurs in the rotation direction of the rotational movement unit A400b, making it easier to avoid malfunctions in rotation, such as when the load from the columnar protrusion A448 toward the rotation axis rod AJ1 becomes excessive.

Figures 24, 25, and 26 are rear views of the first operating unit A400. In Figures 24, 25, and 26, the first operating unit A400 is illustrated in chronological order as it is driven from the standby state to the extended state, and the illustration of the vertical member A411 is omitted.

Figure 24 illustrates the first operating unit A400 in a standby state, Figure 25 illustrates a state between the standby state and the extended state of the first operating unit A400, where the appearance of the rotation operating unit A400b is the same as in the standby state except for the change in posture, and Figure 26 illustrates the extended state of the first operating unit A400.

That is, FIG. 24 corresponds to a rear view of the rotational motion unit A400b in the state shown in FIG. 21, FIG. 25 corresponds to a rear view of the rotational motion unit A400b in the state shown in FIG. 22, and FIG. 26 corresponds to a rear view of the rotational motion unit A400b in the state shown in FIG. 23.

Mainly with reference to FIG. 25, the operation of the rotation operation unit A400b starting from the performance standby state of the first operation unit A400 will be described. Also, FIG. 19 and FIG. 20 will be referred to as appropriate.

When the rotational motion unit A400b is rotated clockwise when viewed from the rear from the state shown in FIG. 25 until the distance between the rotational axis rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 becomes the second length AD2 (see FIG. 19(b)), the movable member A440 moves relative to the base plate member A430, but the direction switching member A450 does not move in the short direction of the movable member A440. Therefore, the appearance of the rotational motion unit A400b changes to extend in the longitudinal direction, and no change occurs in the short direction.

When the rotational motion unit A400b is further rotated clockwise when viewed from the rear, and the distance between the rotational shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 changes from the second length AD2 to the third length AD3 (see FIG. 20(a)), the movable member A440 moves relative to the base plate member A430, and the direction switching member A450 moves in the short direction of the movable member A440.

Therefore, the appearance of the rotational motion unit A400b changes so that it extends in the longitudinal direction and also changes so that the width in the lateral direction becomes wider. In this way, the change in the appearance of the rotational motion unit A400b occurs in two stages during the rotational motion of the rotational motion unit A400b: a state in which only the longitudinal direction changes, and a state in which both the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction change.

When the rotational motion unit A400b is further rotated clockwise when viewed from the rear, and the distance between the rotational axis rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 changes from the third length AD3 to the fourth length AD4 (see FIG. 20(b)), the movable member A440 moves relative to the base plate member A430, but the direction switching member A450 does not move in the short direction of the movable member A440. Therefore, the appearance of the rotational motion unit A400b changes to extend in the longitudinal direction, and no change occurs in the short direction.

This makes it easier to maintain the appearance of the first operating unit A400 in the extended state (the short-side length of the rotation operating unit A400b) even if a push-back action occurs due to the biasing force of the biasing spring A417b (see FIG. 21), which can occur when adopting control that stops the drive of the drive motor AMT1 when the first operating unit A400 is in the extended state (see FIG. 26).

In this way, in the tilting operation of the rotational motion unit A400b, the number of members that move relative to the base plate member A430 varies in each section. By controlling the control load of the drive motor AMT1 to switch in accordance with the number of members that move relative to each other (for example, by increasing the control load in a range where the number of members is large and decreasing the control load in a range where the number of members is small), the effects of changes in the motion resistance can be suppressed, making it easier to prevent local changes in the motion speed of the rotational motion unit A400b.

The following describes the change in the rotation angle of the rotational motion unit A400b when the columnar protrusion A448 moves to the left at a constant speed component from the state shown in Figure 25. First, in the state shown in Figure 25, the straight line connecting the rotation shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 is perpendicular to the straight line portion A414b of the guide elongated hole A414.

When the columnar protrusion A448 moves with a constant speed component to the left from the state shown in FIG. 25, the columnar protrusion A448 is guided by the straight line portion A414b of the guide long hole A414, and the rotation angle Aφ1 of the rotation motion unit A400b is specified as the acute angle of a right triangle with the straight line connecting the rotation shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 as the hypotenuse, the straight line connecting the rotation shaft rod AJ1 and the columnar protrusion A448 shown in FIG. 25 as the base, and the straight line along the straight line portion A414b as the height AX1, as shown in FIG. 26.

If we assume that the first length AD1 is a unit length, then the relational equation for a right-angled triangle is given by the trigonometric functions Equation 1 [tan Aφ1 = AX1], and the inverse function Equation 2 [Aφ1 = arctan AX1] is also given.

From Equation 2, when the height AX1 increases at a constant speed as the columnar protrusion A448 moves at a constant speed component to the left, the amount of change in the rotation angle Aφ1 gradually decreases. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the drive motor AMT1 is driven at a constant speed and the connecting member A427a (see FIG. 21) of the connecting mechanism A427 is moved left and right at a constant speed, the rotation operation unit A400b can be rotated in an operating mode in which the amount of change in the rotation angle Aφ1 at start-up from the state shown in FIG. 25 to the state shown in FIG. 26 is maximized, and then the amount of change in the rotation angle Aφ1 gradually decreases.

In other words, while adopting simple control of driving the drive motor AMT1 at a constant speed, an operating mode can be realized in which the rotation speed of the rotational motion unit A400b is gradually reduced.

As a result, when the first operating unit A400 operates from the performance standby state to the extended state, the rotation speed of the rotational operating unit A400b is reduced as it approaches the extended state, while rotating at high speed at start. This allows the player to be surprised when the rotational operating unit A400b appears, while maintaining the position and posture of the rotational operating unit A400b in the extended state, making it easier for it to remain in the player's field of vision, by controlling the drive motor AMT1 to drive at a constant speed.

On the other hand, when the first operating unit A400 operates from the extended state to the performance standby state, the rotation speed of the rotational operating unit A400b is increased as the first operating unit A400 approaches the performance standby state, while rotating slowly at start-up. Therefore, by increasing the rotational speed of the rotational operating unit A400b near the performance standby state while retaining the afterglow of the start-up of the rotational operating unit A400b toward the retreat side, the rotational operating unit A400b can be quickly retreated by controlling the drive motor AMT1 to drive at a constant speed.

As a result, the operation of the rotational motion unit A400b can simultaneously cause a displacement in the rotational direction and a displacement in the linear direction, and can be configured to have an operating state in which the displacement in the rotational direction is noticeable (the rotational speed is high) and an operating state in which the displacement in the rotational direction is not noticeable (the rotational speed is low) but the displacement in the linear direction is noticeable.

In other words, when the first operating unit A400 is rotated clockwise from the performance standby state (see FIG. 24) as viewed from the rear, the relative movement of the movable member A440 with respect to the base plate member A430 is hardly caused until the state shown in FIG. 25 is reached, and further, in the rotational operation from the state shown in FIG. 25, the rotational speed of the first operating unit A400 is gradually decreased when the drive motor AMT1 is driven at a constant speed.

This allows for a smooth and natural transition between an operating state in which the rotational displacement is noticeable and an operating state in which the linear displacement is noticeable but the rotational displacement is not noticeable, with the columnar protrusion A448 being positioned at a position where the tip of the straight line of the second length AD2 coincides with the center line of the guide long hole A414.

As shown in Figures 24 to 26, when the rotational motion unit A400b rotates from the performance standby state, from the start of rotation in Figure 24 to the state shown in Figure 25, the columnar protrusion portion A448 is guided by the arc portion A414a, so there is no relative movement of the moving member A440 with respect to the base plate member A430, and only a rotational motion occurs.

From the state shown in FIG. 25 to the state shown in FIG. 26, the rotation of the rotational motion unit A400b causes the moving member A440 to move relative to the base plate member A430. The manner of relative movement occurs in the order shown in FIG. 19 and FIG. 20.

In FIG. 25, the first length AD1, second length AD2, third length AD3, and fourth length AD4 shown in FIG. 19 and FIG. 20 are correspondingly illustrated. The postures of the first length AD1, second length AD2, third length AD3, and fourth length AD4 shown in FIG. 25 correspond to the postures of the rotational motion unit A400b in each state of the first length AD1, second length AD2, third length AD3, and fourth length AD4 shown in FIG. 19 and FIG. 20.

In other words, when the rotational motion unit A400b rotates from the state shown in FIG. 25 to the posture of the second length AD2, only the relative movement of the movable member A440 with respect to the base plate member A430 occurs (see FIG. 19(a) and FIG. 19(b)).

Furthermore, when the rotational motion unit A400b rotates from the position of the second length AD2 to the position of the third length AD3, in addition to the relative movement of the moving member A440 with respect to the base plate member A430, the direction switching member A450 also moves relative to the base plate member A430 (see Figures 19(b) and 20(a)).

Furthermore, when the rotational motion unit A400b rotates from the position of the third length AD3 to the position of the fourth length AD4, only the relative movement of the movable member A440 with respect to the base plate member A430 occurs (see Figures 20(a) and 20(b)).

In this manner, in this embodiment, the rotational motion of the rotational motion unit A400b is configured to cause relative motion of multiple other members, but the start timing of the relative motion of each member is not the same, but is configured to be shifted from one another. This makes it possible to avoid a sudden increase in the driving force required for the operation of the rotational motion unit A400b.

The relationship between changes in the first length AD1, second length AD2, third length AD3, and fourth length AD4 shown in Figure 25 and changes in posture will be explained. The angle between the first length AD1 and the second length AD2 and the angle between the second length AD2 and the third length shown on the right are almost the same (about 18 degrees), but the difference between the first length AD1 and the second length AD2 and the difference between the second length AD2 and the third length AD3 is more than three times larger than the former.

Therefore, the length of movement of the moving member A440 relative to the base plate member A430 per unit angle when the rotational motion unit A400b rotates from the position of the second length AD2 to the position of the third length AD3 is more than three times longer than the length of movement of the moving member A440 relative to the base plate member A430 per unit angle when the rotational motion unit A400b rotates from the position of the second length AD2 to the position of the third length AD3 shown on the right side.

Furthermore, the movement length of the moving member A440 relative to the base plate member A430 per unit angle when the rotational motion unit A400b rotates from the position of the third length AD3 to the position of the fourth length AD4 is longer than the movement length of the moving member A440 relative to the base plate member A430 per unit angle when the rotational motion unit A400b rotates from the position of the third length AD2 to the position of the third length AD3.

This allows the operating mode of the rotational motion unit A400b to be gradually shifted from a state in which rotational motion is the main focus to a state in which relative movement (linear motion) of the movable member A440 with respect to the base plate member A430 is the main focus.

Here, at the end of the rotational movement of the first operating unit A400 toward the extended state (for example, from the position of the third length AD3 to the position of the fourth length AD4 in FIG. 25), the moving direction AM1 is configured to be returned to the counterclockwise direction as viewed from the rear for the columnar protrusion portion A448, which moves in the clockwise direction as viewed from the rear around the rotation shaft rod AJ1 (see FIGS. 19 and 20).

In other words, the angle between the columnar protrusion A448 and the moving direction AM1 is reduced so as to partially offset the rotation angle of the rotational motion unit A400b, so that the change in angle of the moving direction AM1 (see FIG. 23) in the state shown in FIG. 26 can be suppressed. As a result, even if the rotational motion unit A400b is pushed back slightly by the biasing force of the biasing spring A417b via the damper member A417c (see FIG. 23), the resulting change in angle of the moving direction AM1 can be suppressed.

This not only makes it difficult for the width of the rotational motion unit A400b to change in the short direction when the first motion unit A400 is in the extended state (see Figure 20), but also suppresses the change in the angle of the movement direction AM1, making it easier to stabilize the first motion unit A400 in the extended state.

In addition, the rotational motion unit A400b is configured to become longer in the longitudinal direction as it approaches the extended state, so the air resistance applied to the rotational motion unit A400b from the rotational direction becomes greater as it approaches the tilt end. This makes it possible to effectively generate a braking action due to air resistance.

Furthermore, with the rotational motion unit A400b, the direction switching member A450 and the decorative member A460 protrude in the short direction as they approach the protruding state, increasing the area when viewed in the front-to-rear direction. This increases the air resistance against tipping in the front-to-rear direction, making it easier to prevent the rotational motion unit A400b from tipping in the front-to-rear direction.

Next, the second operating unit A500 will be described with reference to Figures 27 to 34. Figure 27 is a front perspective view of the second operating unit A500, and Figure 28 is a rear perspective view of the second operating unit A500.

The second operating unit A500 includes a support unit A500a held in the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5) and a rotation operating unit A500b supported on the support unit A500a so as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft AJ2 located at the lower left side when viewed from the front.

In the second operating unit A500, the drive motor AMT2 is disposed on the upper right side, and the rotating shaft AJ2 is disposed on the lower left side. This simplifies the structure around the rotating shaft AJ2 compared to when the drive motor AMT2 is disposed near the rotating shaft AJ2, and the rotating shaft AJ2 can be positioned closer to the left corner.

Furthermore, the front-to-rear width of the second operating unit A500 can be made shorter than when the driving motor AMT2 is arranged on the front or rear side of the rotary operating unit A500b, as occurs when the driving motor AMT2 is arranged near the rotary shaft rod AJ2. Therefore, sufficient space can be secured when multiple movable parts are stacked in the front-to-rear direction of the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5).

Furthermore, by orienting the axis of the drive motor AMT2 in the vertical direction, the front-to-rear width is kept to approximately the diameter of the main body of the drive motor AMT2. This allows the front-to-rear width of the second operating unit A500 to be shortened.

In addition, by making the axial direction of the drive motor AMT1 (see FIG. 14) and the axial direction of the drive motor AMT2 perpendicular to each other, it is easier to prevent the drive motor AMT2 from being moved (malfunctioning) by vibrations (vibrations on a plane perpendicular to the axis) that occur when one of the drive motors AMT1 is driven.

Figure 29 is an exploded front perspective view of the second operating unit A500, and Figure 30 is an exploded rear perspective view of the second operating unit A500. In Figures 29 and 30, the support unit A500a is shown disassembled, and the rotation operating unit A500b is shown in an undisassembled state.

The support unit A500a includes a fixed support unit A510 that is fastened to the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5), and a drive transmission unit A520 that has a drive motor AMT2 that is fixed in position to the fixed support unit A510 and is configured to transmit the drive force of the drive motor AMT2 to the rotational motion unit A500b.

The fixed support unit A510 includes a vertical member A511 fastened to the right side of the bottom wall A211 of the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5) when viewed from the front, a horizontal member A513 fastened to the upper end side of the vertical member A511, a reinforcing member A515 formed by bending a sheet metal member disposed on the rear side of the horizontal member A513, and a covering member A517 disposed on the lower side of the vertical member A511 and configured to cover the lower end of the rotation operation unit A500b from the front.

The horizontal member A513 includes a plate-shaped main body A513a formed from a resin material in the shape of a horizontal plate, a guide elongated hole A514 formed through the plate-shaped main body A513a, a support portion A513b formed so as to be able to support a drive gear A523d of the drive transmission unit A520 with a protruding portion protruding in a bifurcated shape toward the front side at the right end side of the plate-shaped main body A513a, a biasing spring A513c having one end supported by the plate-shaped main body A513a, and a damper member A513d having the other end supported by the biasing force of the biasing spring A513c and biased to the left end of a movable range extending in the left-right direction.

The shape of the guide slot A514 is symmetrical to the shape of the guide slot A414 (see FIG. 24) described above in the first operating unit A400. As a result, the relationship of the rotational operation of the rotational operation unit A500b (relationship between the rotation angle and the longitudinal movement width) is the same as the rotational operation described in the rotational operation unit A400b (see FIGS. 21 to 26) except for the left-right symmetry, so a description of the rotational operation of the second operating unit A500 will be omitted.

The guide slot A514 corresponds to the location where the protruding tip of the upper displacement regulation device A214 (see FIG. 6) is inserted. When the upper displacement regulation device A214 is in the protruding state, the protruding tip interferes with the columnar protruding portion A546 (see FIG. 28) and is configured to restrict the movement of the columnar protruding portion A546.

The reinforcing member A515 is a member formed by bending a metal plate, and includes a plate-shaped body A515a arranged to be attached to the back side of the plate-shaped body A513a, a pair of retaining bent portions A515b formed by bending the plate-shaped body A515a and having through holes through which the metal rod AMB2 is inserted, and a long hole A515c drilled in a shape that surrounds the guide long hole A514 from the outside.

The covering member A517 is a member formed from a resin material, and includes a main body A517a formed in a shape in which the left and right side ends and the lower end of a plate-like portion are extended toward the rear side, a cylindrical support portion A517b formed on the main body A517a and into which the rotation shaft rod AJ2 of the rotation operation unit A500b is inserted, and a detection sensor A517c for detecting whether the second operation unit A500 is in a performance standby state or an extended state by detecting the position of the rotation operation unit A500b.

The detection sensor A517d is usually a photocoupler type sensor, but is not limited to this. For example, it may be a magnetic sensor or a contact type sensor.

The drive transmission unit A520 includes a support member A521 that is fastened to the right end of the horizontal member A513 and supports the drive motor AMT2, a transmission mechanism A523 that is composed of a plurality of rotating members that are rotatably supported on the upper surface side of the support member A521, a left end holding member A525 that holds the rotating member at the left end of the transmission mechanism A523 and is fastened to the horizontal member A513, and a connecting mechanism A527 that connects the transmission mechanism A523 to the rotation operation unit A500b.

The transmission mechanism A523 includes a ring-shaped belt A523a with teeth formed on the inner circumference, a pair of left and right pulleys A523b, A523c with teeth formed on the outer circumference that mesh with the teeth of the belt A523a and rotatably supported on the horizontal member A513 via the support member A521 and the left end holding member A525 so as to be able to support the belt A523a without slack, a drive gear A523d fixed to the drive shaft of the drive motor AMT2 so as not to move relative to it, and a transmission gear portion A523e, which is a gear-shaped portion formed at the lower end of a cylindrical portion that extends from the underside of the right pulley A523b into a cylindrical shape centered on the rotation axis and which meshes with the drive gear A523d.

The rotation axes of the pulleys 523b, 523c and the drive gear A523d are parallel to each other. As a result, when the drive motor AMT2 is driven and the drive gear A523d rotates, the rotation is transmitted to the transmission gear portion A523e, causing the right pulley A523b to rotate, and the belt A523a is driven in such a manner that the portion of the belt A523a that extends in the left-right direction is moved in the left-right direction.

The left end holding member A525 is made of a resin material and includes an upper member A525a that is fastened to the plate-shaped main body A513a and rotatably supports the left pulley A523c, and a lower member A525b that is made of a metal material and fastened to the upper member A525a in such a way that the left pulley A523c is sandwiched between the upper member A525a and the lower member A525b.

The connecting mechanism A527 includes a connecting member A527a to which the upper end side of the rotational motion unit A500b is connected and which receives the metal rod AMB2 in a recess A527b on the front side, thereby making the direction of operation the left-right direction, and a prevention member A527c which is fastened and fixed to the connecting member A527a so as to cover the recess A527b of the connecting member A527a from the front side, thereby preventing the metal rod AMB2 from falling out from between the connecting member A527a and the connecting member A527a.

The connecting member A527a has a flat plate-like contact portion A527d at its upper end that contacts the rear surface of the belt 523a, and the preventing member A527c has a sawtooth-shaped contact portion A527e at a position corresponding to the contact portion A527d.

The contact portion A527d is disposed opposite the flat portion (outer peripheral portion) of the belt A523a, and the sawtooth contact portion A527e is disposed opposite the sawtooth portion (inner peripheral portion) of the belt A523a. By sandwiching the belt A523a between the contact portion A527d and the sawtooth contact portion A527e, it is possible to prevent misalignment due to slippage of the flat contact portion A527d and the sawtooth contact portion A527e relative to the belt A523a.

The connecting member A527a is formed with columnar fastening parts for fastening and fixing to the prevention member A527c, and the connecting mechanism A527 is designed so that the pulley A527g is rotatably supported on one of them and the metal bar AMB2 is placed in a groove on the outer periphery of the pulley A527g. This reduces the operating resistance generated between the connecting mechanism A527 and the metal bar AMB2, thereby reducing the driving force required of the drive motor AMT2 to operate the second operating unit A500 and making the drive motor AMT2 more compact.

With this structure, the drive motor AMT2 is driven to rotate, and the right pulley A523b is rotated through meshing transmission, causing the portion of the belt A523a extending to the left and right to move left and right, and the connecting mechanism A527 is guided by the metal bar AMB2 to move left and right.

The connecting member A527a has a guide slot A527f extending in the vertical direction, through which the columnar protrusion A546 of the rotational motion unit A500b is inserted. The columnar protrusion A546 of the rotational motion unit A500b is inserted into the guide slot A527f and the guide slot A514 of the fixed support unit A510, so that as the connecting mechanism A527 moves left and right, the columnar protrusion A546 of the rotational motion unit A500b moves up and down and left and right.

Through the connecting mechanism A527, which moves in the left-right direction in this manner, a driving force is transmitted to the rotational motion unit A500b, and the rotational motion unit A500b is displaced. Details of the rotational motion unit A500b are described below.

Figure 31 is an exploded front oblique view of the rotational motion unit A500b, and Figure 32 is an exploded rear oblique view of the rotational motion unit A500b. As shown in Figures 31 and 32, the rotational motion unit A500b includes a base member A530 rotatably supported on the rotational axis rod AJ2 at the lower end, a moving member A540 connected to the base member A530 so as to be slidable in a linear direction passing through the rotational axis rod AJ2 on a plane perpendicular to the rotational axis rod AJ2, a direction switching member A550 inserted through the base member A530 and the moving member A540 and movable in a direction perpendicular to the sliding movement of the moving member A540 when the moving member A540 slides, a change member A560 for changing the position or posture due to the movement of the direction switching member A550 so as to make the player see that the length of the short side of the rotational motion unit 500b changes, and a covering member A570 fixed to the base member A530 via a fixed support member A565 so as to arrange the moving member A540 and the direction switching member A550 in the space formed between the base member A530 and the change member A560 and to be disposed in front of the change member A560.

The base member A530 includes a long plate-shaped main body A531, a pair of upper and lower guide long holes A532 drilled as long holes parallel to the long direction of the plate-shaped main body A531, a plurality of functional long holes A533 drilled in a position between the pair of guide long holes A532 in a shape that combines the up-down direction and the left-right inclined direction, a spatial component A534 fastened to both ends of the short side direction of the lower end of the plate-shaped main body A531 so as to form a space between the plate-shaped main body A531, a support hole A535 drilled in the front-back direction in the spatial component A534 and supported by the rotating shaft rod AJ2, and a pair of protruding insertion parts A536 formed to protrude in the short side direction of the plate-shaped main body A531 above the position where the spatial component A534 is fastened and fixed, and function as an insertion part for the fastening screw.

The functional long hole A533 is composed of four long holes: a pair of long holes, one above the other, and another pair of long holes, the shape of which is the inverse of the first pair of long holes. The shapes of the long holes are the same except for the inversion.

Of the multiple functional slots A533, a pair of upper and lower slots are formed at positions where one of the slots is translated in parallel along the longitudinal direction of the guide slot A532. In other words, the corresponding portions of the pair of upper and lower slots are on the same straight line or maintain a relationship of being arranged in parallel.

Of the functional long holes A533, a pair of upper and lower long holes and another pair of upper and lower long holes are offset in the direction in which the guide long holes A532 extend. This configuration makes it easier to utilize the free space compared to when the arrangements are not offset, and makes it easier to ensure the length of the functional long holes A533 in the short direction of the plate-shaped main body A531 while suppressing the short-side length of the plate-shaped main body A531.

The spatial component A534 has a plate-shaped detection piece A534a that extends from the lower end on the front side in a plate-like shape in a direction away from the support hole A535. The plate-shaped detection piece A534a is formed in a front-rear position that allows it to be placed in the detection groove of the detection sensor A517c (see FIG. 30).

The plate-shaped detection piece A534a is formed on the side (front side) where the rotating shaft rod AJ2 is supported. This makes it possible to minimize the positional deviation of the plate-shaped detection piece A534a even if the rotating shaft rod AJ2 is bent (tilted) due to deformation of the rotating shaft rod AJ2, making it easier to avoid the plate-shaped detection piece A534a being positioned outside the front-rear position where it fits into the detection groove of the detection sensor A517c.

By detecting the position of the plate-shaped detection piece A534a using the detection sensor A517c, the posture of the rotational motion unit A500b can be grasped, so that even if multiple motion units A400 to A600 are driven by separate drive sources, collisions between them can be avoided.

The moving member A540 includes a plate-shaped main body A541 made of a resin material, a light-emitting substrate A542 fastened to the front side of the plate-shaped main body A541 and having a plurality of light-emitting means such as LEDs arranged on the front side, a decorative member A543 fastened to the plate-shaped main body A541 and configured to cover the upper side of the light-emitting substrate A542 and have a portion that can transmit light from the light-emitting means of the light-emitting substrate A542, a pair of insertion protrusions A544 protruding to an extent that they can be inserted into the guide elongated hole A532 of the base member A530, a plurality of auxiliary elongated holes A545 drilled at positions corresponding to the functional elongated holes A533 of the base member A530 so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the guide elongated hole A532, and a columnar protrusion A546 protruding from the upper left corner of the plate-shaped main body A541 to the rear side and inserted into the guide elongated hole A527f (see FIG. 30) of the drive transmission unit A520.

By configuring the movable member A540 in this manner, it is possible to create an effect in which the decorative member A543 is brightly illuminated by light irradiated from the light emitting means arranged on the light emitting board A542. In addition, the light emitting means such as LEDs arranged on the light emitting board A542 include not only LEDs arranged with their optical axes facing forward (perpendicular to the front surface of the board), but also LEDs arranged with their optical axes facing sideways (parallel to the front surface of the board), particularly at the short ends. This can improve the effect of the light-based presentation, and more details will be given below.

When the second operating unit A500 is in a standby state (see FIG. 27), the lower end of the movable member A540 is disposed in the space formed between the plate-shaped main body A531 of the base member A530 and the space forming member A534. In other words, when viewed from the front, the movable member A540 is configured to be able to overlap with the rotating shaft rod AJ2 inserted through the support hole A535, improving the degree of freedom in the placement of the movable member A540.

The decorative member A543 has a translucent area A543a extending in the longitudinal direction at the center of the translucent area A543a, and plated areas A543b on both sides of the translucent area A543a in the transverse direction.

As a result, even if the placement of the board is restricted to the center in the short side direction due to the formation of the functional long hole A533 and auxiliary long hole A545, the front-facing light emission effect is achieved in the translucent area A543a near the center in the short side direction, and the other plated area A543b uses reflections from the plating to achieve the effect, thereby avoiding a decrease in the presentation effect.

In addition, the short end of the decorative member A543 does not extend to the rear side and does not cover the side of the light-emitting substrate A542. This allows the light irradiated laterally from the light-emitting substrate A542 to be sufficiently illuminated in the light-emitting performance without being attenuated by the decorative member A543.

The insertion protrusion A544 is inserted into the long guide hole A532 of the base member A530 and is configured to be prevented from falling out of the long guide hole A532 by the screw and collar member AC1 screwed into the tip. By configuring it in this way, the moving member A540 is configured to be movable relative to the base member A530 along the long guide hole A532.

The direction switching member A550 is composed of a pair of corresponding left and right members, and includes a corresponding plate-shaped main body A551, a pair of front columnar parts A552 arranged in the longitudinal direction protruding toward the front side at the left and right inner parts of the plate-shaped main body A551, a pair of rear columnar parts A553 arranged in the longitudinal direction protruding toward the rear side in the same straight line as the protruding direction of the front columnar parts A552, through holes A554 drilled in the longitudinal direction at the left and right outer parts of the plate-shaped main body A551, a movable decorative member A555 fastened and fixed to the plate-shaped main body A551 at the left and right outer and upper outer peripheral ends of the plate-shaped main body A551 so as to maintain a space between the plate-shaped main body A551 and the movable member A540, and a through hole A556 drilled in the longitudinal direction (parallel to the through hole A554) from the lower end of the movable decorative member A555.

In this embodiment, the plate-shaped main body A551 and the movable decorative member A555 are formed from a colored, transparent, light-transmitting resin material in consideration of the presentation. In particular, the resin is yellow in color, which improves the color continuity with the plated area A543b (gold plating) of the movable member A540, improving the light-emitting presentation effect when in operation.

If the plate-shaped main body A551 and the movable decorative member A555 could be constructed from identically shaped components, it would be possible to standardize the components, which may be preferable. In contrast, in this embodiment, the plate-shaped main body A551 and the movable decorative member A555 are constructed from two corresponding components, and although they are not constructed with the exact same shape, this difference in shape is designed based on functional requirements.

For example, the difference in shape at the upper end is due to the fact that a notch is formed on the side where the columnar protrusion A546 of the moving member A540 is located to avoid interference with the columnar protrusion A546, resulting in a different shape.

In addition, for example, the difference in the arrangement of the front columnar portion A552 and the rear columnar portion A553 is that the functional elongated hole A533 and the auxiliary elongated hole A545 are arranged in asymmetric positions, resulting in different shapes.

By having the rear side configuration take care of such functional requirements, it is possible to improve the design freedom of the shape of the front side of the moving decorative member A555 that is visible to the player, and in this embodiment, by making the shape symmetrical, it is possible to improve the presentation effect of the rotational motion unit A500b.

The front columnar portion A552 is inserted into the auxiliary elongated hole A545 of the movable member A540, and the rear columnar portion A553 is inserted into the functional elongated hole A533 of the base member A530. This allows the direction switching member A550 to be displaced in the direction in which the auxiliary elongated hole A545 extends, depending on the position of the movable member A540 relative to the base member A530.

The rear columnar portion A553 is inserted into the functional long hole A533 of the base member A530 and is configured to be prevented from falling out of the functional long hole A533 by a screw and collar member AC1 that are screwed into the tip.

On the other hand, since the movable member A540 is connected to the base member A530 by the insertion protrusion A544, and the direction switching member A550 is connected by the rear columnar portion A553, which is sufficient to prevent them from falling off, a collar member AC1 is disposed between the front columnar portion A552 and the movable member A540, and no screw threading is used to prevent them from falling off.

As a result, even if the light-emitting substrate A542 is formed very close to the auxiliary elongated hole A545, friction does not occur between the collar member AC1 and the light-emitting substrate A542, so the durability of the light-emitting substrate A542 is not reduced and the design freedom of the shape of the light-emitting substrate A542 can be improved.

In addition, it is possible to prevent the screw head from interfering with the movable decorative member A555, and to shorten the front-to-rear distance between the movable decorative member A555 and the movable member A540. This allows the front-to-rear thickness of the direction switching member A550 to be shortened.

The change member A560 is composed of a pair of left and right members, and includes a guide support member A561 that is supported displaceably (rotatably and displaceably in the direction in which the through hole A554 extends) in the through hole A554 of the direction switching member A550, a wing-shaped member A562 to which the guide support member A561 is fastened to the back side, an intermediate displacement member A563 that is rotatably supported by the wing-shaped member A562, a fixed member A564 that is fastened to the wing-shaped member A562 in such a position that the intermediate displacement member A563 is sandwiched between the wing-shaped member A562, a fixed support member A565 that is fastened to the overhang insertion portion A536 of the base member A530 and rotatably supports the intermediate displacement member A563, and a fixed member A566 that is fastened to the fixed support member A565 in such a position that the intermediate displacement member A563 is sandwiched between the fixed support member A565.

The wing-shaped member A562 is a columnar part that rotatably supports the intermediate displacement member A563, and includes a support fastening part A562a to which the fixing member A564 is fastened by screwing a fastening screw into a female thread formed at the tip, and a fastened part A562b to which the guide support member A561 is fastened.

The intermediate displacement member A563 is a plate-shaped member and includes a first through hole A563a through which the support fastening portion A562a is inserted, a second through hole A563b through which the fixed support member A565 is inserted and which is rotatably supported by the fixed support member A565, and an insertion protrusion A563c which is inserted into the through hole A556 of the direction switching member A550 and supported so as to be displaceable (capable of rotational displacement and displacement in the direction in which the through hole A556 extends).

The fixed support member A565 has a symmetrical shape with a pair of straight leg parts formed from the outer periphery of the arc-shaped part, and includes a columnar fixing part A565a that protrudes from the lower end of the leg towards the rear side in a columnar shape and is fastened and fixed to the protruding insertion part A536 of the base member A530, and a columnar support part A565b that protrudes towards the rear side at the upper left and right ends of the arc-shaped part and rotatably supports the second through hole A563b of the intermediate displacement member A563.

The columnar support portion A565b has a female thread formed at its tip, and a fastening screw inserted into the insertion hole A566a of the fixed member A566 is screwed into the female thread, thereby fastening the fixed member A566 to the fixed support member A565 in a manner that prevents the intermediate displacement member A563 from falling off the fixed support member A565.

In this embodiment, in addition to the through hole A566a, the fastening screw of the fixing member A566 is inserted through a through hole A566b, through which the fastening screw is inserted to fasten the fixing member A566 to the fixed support member A565 without sandwiching any other member therebetween.

Therefore, the screwing position of the fastening screw can be changed flexibly. For example, the fastening screw may be inserted and screwed into all of the insertion holes A566a, A566b. In this case, the strength of the columnar support part A565b can be improved by the strength of the fastening screw, making it easier to avoid the columnar support part A565b being damaged and the intermediate displacement member A563 falling off.

Furthermore, for example, a fastening screw may be inserted and screwed into either the insertion hole A566a or the insertion hole A566b. In this case, the number of fastening screws required can be reduced, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the product.

The covering member A570 comprises a translucent region A571 extending in the longitudinal direction at the center in the translucent direction, a plated region A572 in which plating is applied on both sides in the translucent region A571 in the translucent direction, a pair of claw-shaped portions A573 extending from the outer end in the translucent direction to the rear side on the rear side of the plated region A572 in the translucent direction and formed by bending the extended end, and a plurality of fastened column-shaped portions A574 fastened to the fixed support member A565.

The translucent area A571 and the plated area A572 make it possible to maintain a high level of illumination effect even when the shape of the light-emitting substrate A542 is restricted to a shape that does not interfere with the auxiliary long hole A545. In other words, the illumination effect is achieved in the translucent area A571 near the center in the short direction, and in the other plated areas A572, the illumination effect is achieved by reflection from the plating, thereby avoiding a decrease in the illumination effect.

The claw-shaped portion A573 is configured to support and guide both short sides of the decorative member A543 of the movable member A540. This makes it possible to suppress misalignment of the movable member A540 in the front-to-rear direction, making it easier to prevent the movable member A540 from falling forward or backward relative to the base member A530, particularly in the extended state (see FIG. 9).

The fastened columnar portion A574 is positioned at a position corresponding to the central side of the pair of legs of the fixed support member A565 and the central portion of the arc-shaped portion, and is fastened to the fixed support member A565 by screwing in fastening screws that are inserted into the fixed support member A565 at each position.

Figures 33(a), 33(b), 34(a) and 34(b) are rear views of the rotational motion unit A500b. Figures 33(a), 33(b), 34(a) and 34(b) show in chronological order the relative movement of the moving member A540 of the rotational motion unit A500b with respect to the base member A530. Note that the collar member AC1 is omitted from Figures 33(a), 33(b), 34(a) and 34(b).

Figures 33(a), 33(b), 34(a) and 34(b) show the relative movement from the rotational motion unit A500b (see Figure 33(a)) in the performance standby state (see Figure 7) of the second motion unit A500 to the rotational motion unit A500b (see Figure 34(b)) in the extended state (see Figure 9).

The guide slots A532 are a pair of slots that extend parallel to one another, but are not formed in a straight line. The upper guide slot A532 is formed in the center of the short side of the base member A530, while the lower guide slot A532 is positioned slightly offset from the center of the short side to avoid the rotating shaft rod AJ2.

In this way, even if the guide long holes A532 are slightly shifted, the moving member A540 is supported by a pair of guide long holes A532, so the moving member A540 can be moved smoothly in the direction in which the guide long holes A532 extend. Also, by shifting the position of the guide long holes A532 in this way, the rotating shaft rod AJ2 can be disposed in the center position in the short direction of the base member A530.

The functional slot A533 includes a first parallel portion A533a extending parallel to the extension direction of the guide slot A532, an inclined portion A533b formed so that one end is connected to the first parallel portion A533a and extends linearly in a direction inclined relative to the first parallel portion A533a, and a second parallel portion A533c formed so that the other end is connected to the inclined portion A533b and extends parallel to the extension direction of the first parallel portion A533a.

Here, FIG. 33(a) illustrates a state in which the rear columnar portion A553 of the direction switching member A550 is disposed at the end side of the first parallel portion A533a, FIG. 33(b) illustrates a state in which the rear columnar portion A553 of the direction switching member A550 is disposed at the intersection of the first parallel portion A533a and the inclined portion A533b, FIG. 34(a) illustrates a state in which the rear columnar portion A553 of the direction switching member A550 is disposed at the intersection of the inclined portion A533b and the second parallel portion A533c, and FIG. 34(b) illustrates a state in which the rear columnar portion A553 of the direction switching member A550 is disposed at the end side of the second parallel portion A533c.

The length of the first parallel portion A533a is sufficiently long. As a result, even if the moving member A540 starts to move relative to the base member A530 from the state shown in FIG. 33(a), the direction switching member A550 is unlikely to move in the short direction of the moving member A540 for a while (until the state shown in FIG. 33(b) is reached).

During the operation of the second operating unit A500, the relative movement of the movable member A540 with respect to the base member A530 is performed simultaneously with the rotation of the rotational operating unit A500b around the rotation axis rod AJ2, but from the state shown in FIG. 33(a) to the state shown in FIG. 33(b), the rotational operating unit A500b can be rotated while maintaining its short appearance in the short side width.

The inclined portion A533b extends from the position where the first parallel portion A533a is formed toward the outside in the short side direction of the base member A530. Therefore, when the moving member A540 moves relative to the base member A530 from a state in which the rear columnar portion A553 of the direction switching member A550 is arranged on the first parallel portion A533a and the rear columnar portion A553 enters the inclined portion A533b, the direction switching member A550 moves toward the outside in the short side direction of the moving member A540.

The pair of rear columnar portions A553 of the direction switching member A550 are inserted into a pair of auxiliary long holes A545 (see FIG. 32), and the pair are guided in parallel. Therefore, the relative movement of the direction switching member A550 with respect to the moving member A540 is a parallel movement in the short direction of the moving member A540.

The speed of this movement is proportional to the speed at which the moving member A540 moves relative to the base member A530 because the inclined portion A533b is formed in a straight line. This makes it easier to perform a motion presentation in which the moving member A540 and the direction switching member A550 are linked together.

The second parallel part A533c is not as long as the first parallel part A533a, and is formed to the minimum necessary length. The purpose of forming the second parallel part A533c is to improve the presentation effect of the rotational motion unit A500b.

In other words, when the second operating unit A500 is driven to the extended state and the drive motor AMT2 (see FIG. 29) is stopped, the connecting mechanism A527 is pushed back slightly by the biasing force applied to the damper member A513d by the biasing spring A513c, and even if the moving member A540 moves in the opposite direction (return direction) relative to the base member A530, the presence of the second parallel portion A533c makes it possible to prevent the position of the direction switching member A550 in the short direction of the moving member A540 from changing.

This makes it easier to maintain the appearance of the second operating unit A500 in the extended state (the short-side length of the rotation operating unit A500b) even if a push-back action occurs due to the biasing force of the biasing spring A513c (see FIG. 29), which can occur when adopting control that stops the drive of the drive motor AMT2 when the second operating unit A500 is in the extended state.

Here, we will explain the differences between the rotational motion unit A500b of the second motion unit A500 and the rotational motion unit A400b of the first motion unit A400. First, as mentioned above, in the rotational motion unit A500b, the guide elongated holes A532 are not arranged in a straight line.

In the rotational operation unit A500b of the second operation unit A500, the functional long holes A533 are not aligned in the short direction of the base member A530, but are shifted in the longitudinal direction. This allows a portion of the functional long holes A533 formed on the opposite side in the short direction to fit into the gap between the functional long holes A533 aligned in the longitudinal direction of the base member A530, thereby shortening the short-side length of the base member A530.

The rear columnar portion A553 of the direction switching member A550 is configured to be vertically shifted in accordance with the vertical shift of the functional long hole A533. This allows the timing of the left and right direction switching members A550 to move in opposing directions (the short side direction of the moving member A540) to be synchronized.

In the rotational motion unit A400b, the functional long hole A444 is formed in the moving member A440, but in the rotational motion unit A500b, the functional long hole A533 is formed in the base member A530.

For this reason, in the first operating unit A400, as the rotational operating unit A400b rotates and the moving member A440 moves relative to the base plate member A430, the functional long hole A444 also moves relative to the base plate member A430 (see Figures 19 and 20), but in the second operating unit A500, even if the rotational operating unit A500b rotates and the moving member A540 moves relative to the base member A530, the arrangement of the functional long hole A533 does not move relative to the base member A530.

Conversely, in the first operating unit A400, the auxiliary elongated hole A433 (see FIG. 17) is formed in the base plate member A430, while in the second operating unit A500, the auxiliary elongated hole A545 is formed in the moving member A540 (see FIG. 32), so the correspondence is reversed.

Because of this relationship, the functional slot A533 formed in the rotational motion unit A500b of the second motion unit A500 is inverted in the up-down relationship with the functional slot A444 formed in the rotational motion unit A400b of the first motion unit A400.

In this way, by reversing the vertical relationship of the functional long holes A444, A533 and the auxiliary long holes A433, A545, the rotational motion unit A500b can also realize an operating mode similar to that of the rotational motion unit A400b, in which the length of the rotational motion unit A500b in the short direction increases as it extends in the longitudinal direction.

In the second operating unit A500, the arrangement of the direction switching member A550 in the longitudinal direction of the rotational operating unit A500b corresponds to the arrangement of the auxiliary long hole A545 of the moving member A540. Therefore, as the moving member A540 moves relative to the base member A530 in the longitudinal direction of the rotational operating unit A500b, the direction switching member A550 moves in the longitudinal direction of the rotational operating unit A500b by an amount similar to the amount of movement of the moving member A540, and at the same time, moves in the lateral direction of the moving member A540.

In other words, the movement of the direction switching member A550 is a relative movement with respect to the movable member A540 in the short direction of the movable member A540 (a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the guide long hole A532), and is a relative movement with respect to the base member A530 along the formation direction of the functional long hole A533.

The change member A560 is supported by the columnar support portion A565b of the fixed support member A565, the second through hole A563b of which is fixed to the base member A530, while the insertion protrusion A563c is supported by the through hole A556 of the displaceable direction switching member A550, and the guide support member A561 is supported by the displaceable through hole A554. This allows the change member A560 to rotate in response to the amount of displacement in the short direction of the moving member A540, with the base member A530 as the fulcrum, and causes a displacement different from the displacement of the moving member A540 and the displacement of the direction switching member A550.

In addition, as the second operating unit A500 moves from the performance standby state to the extended state, the rotation operating unit A500b changes so that the distance between the rotation axis rod AJ2 and the columnar protrusion A546 gradually increases, and accordingly, the angle between the line passing through the rotation axis rod AJ2 and the columnar protrusion A546 and the line extending in the longitudinal direction of the rotation operating unit A500b (the direction of movement of the moving member A540) gradually decreases, as described above in the explanation of the first operating unit A400 with reference to Figures 19 and 20, so a detailed explanation will be omitted here.

Next, the third operating unit A600 will be described with reference to Figures 35 to 42. Figure 35 is a front perspective view of the third operating unit A600, and Figure 36 is a rear perspective view of the third operating unit A600.

The third operating unit A600 includes a support unit A600a held in the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5) and an opening/closing operating unit A600b supported on the support unit A600a so as to be movable up and down.

Figure 37 is an exploded front perspective view of the third operating unit A600, and Figure 38 is an exploded rear perspective view of the third operating unit A600. In Figures 37 and 38, the support unit A600a is shown disassembled, and the opening/closing operating unit A600b is shown in a non-disassembled state.

The support unit A600a includes a fixed support unit A610 that is fastened to the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5), and a drive transmission unit A620 that has a drive motor AMT3 that is fixedly positioned on the fixed support unit A610 and is configured to transmit the drive force of the drive motor AMT3 to the opening/closing operation unit A600b.

The fixed support unit A610 comprises a horizontal member A611 fastened to the lower part of the bottom wall portion A211 of the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5) when viewed from the front, a decorative member A613 fastened to the upper right side of the horizontal member A611, a right side member A615 fastened to the horizontal member A611 below the decorative member A613, and a left side member A617 fastened to the left side of the horizontal member A611 with a space between it and the left side of the horizontal member A611 to allow the drive transmission unit A620 to move.

The horizontal member A611 comprises a plate-shaped main body A611a, a pair of support formation parts A611b formed by bending the upper and lower ends of the plate-shaped main body A611a toward the front side, and a lift support rod A611c formed from a metallic cylindrical member that is inserted vertically through and fixed to the support formation parts A611b.

The lifting support rod A611c is supported by the support formation part A611b while being inserted into the rear side of the opening/closing operation unit A600b, thereby guiding the lifting direction of the opening/closing operation unit A600b and functioning to maintain the front-to-rear positioning of the opening/closing operation unit A600b relative to the plate-shaped main body A611a.

The decorative member A613 comprises a main body A613a formed in a box shape with an open back side, and a protruding portion A613b formed by protruding to the left from the left end of the front side surface of the main body A613a. The protruding portion A613b functions to prevent the opening/closing operation unit A600b from falling forward when the third operation unit A600 is in a standby state for performance, as will be described in detail below.

The right side member A615, together with the left side member A617, supports the light guide plate unit A700 (see FIG. 5) and is a member to which the light guide plate unit A700 is fastened. That is, the opening/closing operation unit A600b is disposed behind the light guide plate unit A700 when the third operation unit A600 is in a standby state for performance, and is configured to be displaced upward toward the center of the light guide plate unit A700 by changing its state to the protruding state.

The left side member A617 is made up of a plate-shaped main body A617a, a support portion A617b formed in a cylindrical shape protruding from the back side of the plate-shaped main body A617a, a fan-shaped through hole A617c drilled along an arc centered on the support portion A617b, an upwardly biased torsion spring A617d wound around a metal rod arranged on the plate-shaped main body A617a in an arrangement coaxial with the support portion A617b, one end of which is fixed and the other end of which is arranged in a position facing the fan-shaped through hole A617c, and a box-shaped member formed on the lower side of the plate-shaped main body A617a with the back side open. The box-shaped portion A617e includes a cylindrical support portion A617f protruding from the rear side of the box-shaped portion A617e, an insertion hole A617g drilled in the box-shaped portion A617e large enough to insert the drive gear AMG3 of the drive motor AMT3, a covering portion A617h extending from the lower edge of the insertion hole A617g to the rear side with an arc-shaped cross section and partially covering the insertion hole A617g at the extended end, and a detection sensor A617i fastened to the rear side of the box-shaped portion A617e with the detection gap facing the support portion A617f.

The covered portion A617h functions as a stopper that prevents the drive gear AMG3 from coming off the drive shaft of the drive motor AMT3 and falling off to the rear side. This makes it possible to prevent the drive gear AMG3 from falling off the drive motor AMT3.

The detection sensor A617i is a device that detects the position of the drive transmission unit A620, making it possible to determine whether the third operating unit A600 is in a performance standby state or an extended state.

The drive transmission unit A620 includes a rotational movement member A621 that is supported by the support portion A617b so as to be rotatable between the horizontal member A611 and the left side member A617 and is connected to the opening/closing movement unit A600b, and a transmission member A625 that is rotatably supported by the support portion A617f so as to be able to transmit the driving force of the drive motor AMT3 to the rotational movement member A621.

The rotating member A621 includes a plate-shaped main body A621a, an insertion hole A621b drilled at the end of the plate-shaped main body A621a so that the support part A617b of the left side member A617 can be inserted therethrough, a transmission long hole A621c drilled as a long hole with a straight line in the longitudinal direction passing through the insertion hole A621b, a spring receiving protrusion A621d protruding from the upper end close to the insertion hole A621b toward the front side and receiving the other end of the torsion spring A617d, and an insertion protrusion A621e protruding in a cylindrical shape toward the front side at the end opposite the end where the insertion hole A621b of the plate-shaped main body A621a is disposed and inserted into the opening/closing unit A600b.

The rotating member A621 is rotatably supported on the left side member A617 by inserting the support portion A617b into the insertion hole A621b. The retaining screw screwed into the tip of the support portion A617b is configured to be removable through the through hole A611d of the horizontal member A611. That is, in this embodiment, an assembly procedure can be adopted in which the left side member A617 is fastened to the horizontal member A611, and then the screw is screwed into the tip of the support portion A617b.

The transmission member A625 includes a main gear portion A625a that meshes with the drive gear AMG3, a protruding portion A625b that protrudes like a flange from the entire circumference on the back side of the main gear portion A625a, an insertion protrusion A625c that protrudes in a cylindrical shape from the outer peripheral end of the protruding portion A625b to the back side, and an extension portion A625d that is bent from the outer peripheral end of the protruding portion A625b and extends in a direction away from the rotation axis.

The insertion protrusion A625c is inserted into the transmission long hole A621c of the rotating member A621 via the collar member AC1. This allows the rotation of the transmission member A625 and the rotation of the rotating member A621 to be linked.

The extension A625d is disposed at a position that allows it to cross the detection gap of the detection sensor A617i. In other words, the corresponding control device can determine the position of the transmission member A625 depending on whether the extension A625d is disposed in the detection gap of the detection sensor A617i.

Figure 39 is an exploded front oblique view of the opening/closing operation unit A600b, and Figure 40 is an exploded rear oblique view of the opening/closing operation unit A600b. The opening/closing operation unit A600b includes a plate-shaped member A630 made of a resin material, a space forming member A640 fastened to the front side of the plate-shaped member A630 so as to form a space between the plate-shaped member A630, a pair of moving members A650 supported movably in the space between the plate-shaped member A630 and the space forming member A640, a drive motor AMT4 fastened to the plate-shaped member A630, a drive transmission unit A660 configured to transmit the driving force of the drive motor AMT4 to the moving member A650, a rear cover member A670 fastened to the plate-shaped member A630 so as to sandwich the drive transmission unit A660 between the plate-shaped member A630, and a guide unit A680 fastened to the rear cover member A670 so as to sandwich the lift support rod A611c between the rear cover member A670.

The plate-shaped member A630 comprises a plate-shaped main body A631, a protruding support part A632 that protrudes cylindrically from the rear side of the plate-shaped main body A631, a pair of arc-shaped holes A633 that are drilled in an arc shape centered on the protruding support part A632, a protruding support part A634 that protrudes parallel to the protruding support part A632, and a frame-shaped part A635 that protrudes toward the rear side in a frame shape along the outer edge of the plate-shaped main body A631 to form a space between the rear cover member A670.

The space forming member A640 includes a main body member A641 forming a framework, a light-transmitting member A642 fastened to the front side of the main body member A641, a non-transmitting plating member A643 that is hollowed out to surround the light-transmitting member A642 and fastened to the main body member A641 with plating applied to the front side, a light-emitting substrate A644 that is formed so as to be able to irradiate light over the entire area of the light-transmitting member A642 and fastened to the main body member A641, and a detection sensor A645 that is disposed on the back side of the main body member A641 to detect the position of the moving member A650.

The main body member A641 has a pair of guide grooves A641a on the back side that are long in the left-right direction, and a stopper portion A641b that is formed to protrude near the end of the guide groove portion A641a. The guide groove portion A641a is a pair of grooves that are arranged in parallel vertically, and is a linear, long groove that runs from the upper left to the lower right, and is configured to be able to guide the movement of the moving member A650. The stopper portion A641b is a protrusion that prevents the moving member A650 from falling off the space forming member A640, and is configured to be able to engage with the moving member A650 that is arranged at the end position of the moving range.

The flat cable A644a extending from the light emitting substrate A644 enables power to be supplied to the moving member A650. In this embodiment, the flat cable A644a is arranged to extend along the longitudinal direction of the guide groove portion A641a. This makes it easier to avoid excessive load being applied to the flat cable A644a when the moving member A650 moves, and improves the durability of the flat cable A644a.

The movable member A650 comprises a main body member A651 that is made up of a pair of members of the same shape arranged in rotational symmetry to form a framework, and a decorative member A655 that is formed in a different shape and fastened to the corresponding main body member A651.

By configuring it in this way, the shape of the parts where the driving force is transmitted can be standardized, simplifying the transmission mechanism and allowing the use of a resin mold, while by arranging decorative member A655 on the side visible to the player, it is possible to prevent the simplified shape from affecting the presentation.

The main body member A651 includes a long main body portion A652 that is arranged with its long dimension aligned with the long dimension of the guide groove portion A641a and extends from the leading side to the front side when moving outward in the left-right direction, forming an L-shape when viewed from above, and a pair of roller members A653 that are rotatable and sized to be placed inside the guide groove portion A641a.

The long body portion A652 includes a stoppered portion A652a that faces and can come into contact with the stopper portion A641b when it moves outward in the left-right direction, a detected portion A652b that protrudes in a plate-like shape in the short direction from approximately the center in the longitudinal direction, and a rectangular recessed portion A652c that extends in the short direction and is recessed from the back side.

The detected portion A652b is disposed in a shape that allows it to cross the detection groove of the detection sensor A645. By disposing the detected portion A652b in the detection groove of the detection sensor A645, the corresponding control device can be made to recognize that the moving member A650 has been placed at the end of its movement.

In this embodiment, the detection sensor A645 is disposed only on the underside of the lower body member A651, so it is sufficient for the detection part A652b to be disposed on the lower body member A651, and the detection part A652b is not necessary on the upper body member A651. However, due to the need to share the resin mold, the detection part A652b is also formed on the upper body member A651.

The roller member A653 functions to reduce the operating resistance of the moving member A650 against the guide groove portion A641a. In other words, compared to when the moving member A650 slides against the guide groove portion A641a, the frictional force can be reduced by the rolling of the roller member A653, so that the moving member A650 can move smoothly.

The decorative member A655 is a member that is fastened to the front side of the end opposite the end where the stoppered portion A652a of the main body member A651 is disposed, and includes a translucent member A656 formed from a light-transmitting resin material, a frame-shaped member A657 formed in a frame shape surrounding the translucent member, and a light-emitting substrate A658 equipped with light-emitting means such as an LED that irradiates light toward the translucent member A656 and the frame-shaped member A657.

By fastening the decorative member A655 to the main body member A651, a U-shape that is open on one side in the left or right direction when viewed from above can be formed. A flat cable A644a is arranged inside this U-shape, and one end of the flat cable A644a is connected to the light-emitting substrate A658. By configuring it in this way, it is possible to prevent the flat cable A644a from protruding outside the main body member A651 or decorative member A655 and being visible to the player.

When the movable members A650 are in a closed state (see FIG. 7) and are arranged close to each other, the decorative member A655 is arranged to cover the front side of the translucent member A642, and when the movable members A650 are in an open state (see B5) and are separated from each other, the decorative member A655 is arranged to retreat from the front side of the translucent member A642 so that the translucent member A642 and the decorative member A655 can be seen at the same time.

In other words, it is possible to switch between a state in which only the decorative member A655 is visible to produce a light-emitting effect, and a state in which the translucent member A642 is placed between the decorative members A655 and both are visible at the same time to produce a light-emitting effect, depending on the position of the movable member A650.

The drive transmission unit A660 includes a drive gear A661 that is fixed to the drive shaft of the drive motor AMT4 so as not to rotate relative to the drive shaft, a rotating plate member A662 that is rotatably supported on the protruding support portion A632 of the plate-shaped member A630, and a transmission gear A663 that is rotatably supported on the protruding support portion A634 of the plate-shaped member A630 and that links the drive gear A661 and the rotating plate member A662.

The rotating plate member A662 includes a through hole A662a through which the protruding support portion A632 can be inserted, a pair of fan-shaped plate portions A662b formed in a fan shape centered on the through hole A662a, an arc-shaped gear portion A662c having gear teeth that mesh with the transmission gear A663 formed on the arc-shaped portion of one of the fan-shaped plate portions A662b, and a pair of protruding portions A662d protruding in a cylindrical shape on the front side of the fan-shaped plate portion A662b at positions that are rotationally symmetrical about the through hole A662a (positions shifted by 180 degrees in this embodiment).

The rotating plate member A662 is not a circular disk-shaped member, but is formed in a shape that resembles a circle with a part cut out, so that the area where friction occurs between the rotating plate member A662 and the plate-shaped main body A631 can be reduced. This reduces the resistance that occurs when the rotating plate member A662 rotates, and therefore reduces the driving force required for the drive motor AMT4.

The protrusion A662d passes through the arc-shaped hole A633 of the plate-shaped member A630 and is inserted into the recessed portion A652c of the moving member A650. In other words, by changing the position of the protrusion A662d, the position of the recessed portion A652c changes accordingly, causing the moving member A650 to move.

The rear cover member A670 includes a plate-shaped main body A671 that has the same external shape as the frame portion A635 of the plate-shaped member A630 and is fastened and fixed to the plate-shaped member A630, a protruding portion A672 that protrudes in a plate shape from the right end of the plate-shaped main body A671, a pair of upper and lower protruding support portions A673 that protrude from the rear side of the plate-shaped main body A671 and support the rotation shaft of the rotating member of the guide unit A680, and a plurality of arc-shaped through holes A674 that are drilled in the plate-shaped main body A671 in relation to the rotation trajectory of the rotating plate member A662.

The extension A672 is a part that is positioned behind the extension A613b (see FIG. 37) in the performance standby state, and functions as a part that returns the opening/closing operation unit A600b to its original position (leaning backward) by receiving a rearward load from the extension A613b when the opening/closing operation unit A600b returns from the extension state to the performance standby state in a tilted forward state.

The guide unit A680 includes a box-shaped main body A681 formed in a box shape with an open front side, a pair of upper and lower roller members A682 arranged inside the box-shaped main body A681 and rotatable on a rotating shaft extending in the left-right direction, a pair of pulley-shaped members A683 arranged on the left and right sides inside the box-shaped main body A681 and rotatable on a rotating shaft extending in the front-rear direction, and a long through hole A684 drilled in a left-right long shape.

The roller member A682 is configured to protrude from the through hole A681a of the box-shaped main body A681 to the rear side, so that when the rear surface of the box-shaped main body A681 is placed opposite the plate-shaped main body A611a of the fixed support unit A610 (see FIG. 37), the contact with the plate-shaped main body A611a can be achieved by the roller member A682 rolling rather than by the rubbing of the box-shaped main body A681. This makes it easier to reduce the resistance received from the fixed support unit A610 when the opening/closing operation unit A600b is raised and lowered.

A lifting support rod A611c (see FIG. 37) is disposed between the pulley-like members A683 and passes through the recessed portion A681b of the box-shaped main body A681. As a result, the guide unit A680 is guided by the lifting support rod A611c and moves up and down, so that the operating direction of the opening/closing unit A600b can be stabilized.

The long through hole A684 is a long hole through which the insertion protrusion A621e (see FIG. 37) of the rotating member A621 is inserted. That is, the driving force of the drive motor AMT3 (see FIG. 37) is transmitted to the opening/closing unit A600b via the long through hole A684.

Figures 41 and 42 are rear views of the opening and closing operation unit A600b of the third operation unit A600. Figure 41 illustrates the opening and closing operation unit A600b in the performance standby state of the third operation unit A600, and Figure 42 illustrates the opening and closing operation unit A600b in the extended state of the third operation unit A600.

In addition, in Figures 41 and 42, for ease of understanding, the rear cover member A670 and the guide unit A680 are omitted from the illustration, the arrangement of the arc-shaped through holes A674 of the rear cover member A670 is shown by imaginary lines, and the arrangement of the protruding portion A662d of the rotating plate member A662 is shown by imaginary lines.

As shown in Figures 41 and 42, the operating mode of the opening/closing operation unit A600b is such that, as the arrangement of the protrusions A662d changes along an arc centered on the protrusion support portion A632 with the rotation of the rotating plate member A662, the pair of moving members A650 move parallel in opposite directions above and below the protrusion support portion A632 along the formation direction (directions parallel to each other) of the corresponding guide groove portions A641a (see Figure 40).

As described above, the main body member A651 of the moving member A650 is composed of a pair of members of the same shape arranged in rotational symmetry, and the protrusion portion A662d is also arranged in a symmetrical position around the protrusion support portion A632, which is the rotation axis of the main body member A651, so the effect of the protrusion portion A662d on the moving member A650 is commonly exerted on the pair of members.

That is, for example, if the rotating plate member A662 rotates at high speed, the pair of moving members A650 move in parallel at a common speed, and even if the rotating plate member A662 suddenly reverses (changes the direction of rotation), the pair of moving members A650 can be reversed simultaneously.

The positional relationship between the sectorial plate portion A662b of the rotating plate member A662 and the arc-shaped through hole A674 of the rear cover member A670 will be described. The area of overlap between the sectorial plate portion A662b and the arc-shaped through hole A674 in the front-to-rear direction changes as the rotating plate member A662 rotates. Air resistance occurs due to the air sandwiched between the sectorial plate portion A662b and the rear cover member A670, but this air resistance is reduced in the areas where the arc-shaped through holes A674 are formed in the rear cover member A670.

In FIG. 42, the angular width of the arrangement range (see FIG. 41) of the sectorial plate portion A662b of the rotating plate member A662 in the performance standby state of the third operating unit A600 is illustrated in the first area AE21, the angular width of the arrangement range of the sectorial plate portion A662b after the rotating plate member A662 is rotated clockwise in rear view from the state shown in FIG. 41 is illustrated in the second area AE22, the angular width of the arrangement range of the sectorial plate portion A662b after the rotating plate member A662 is rotated clockwise in rear view from the state in which it is arranged on the sectorial plate portion A662b in the second area AE22 is illustrated in the third area AE23, and the angular width of the arrangement range of the sectorial plate portion A662b of the rotating plate member A662 in the extended state of the third operating unit A600 is illustrated in the fourth area AE24.

As shown in Figure 41, in this embodiment, regardless of the position of the rotating plate member A662, one of the sectorial plate portions A662b is positioned opposite at least one arc-shaped through hole A674. Therefore, the state shown in Figure 41 (where the sectorial plate portion A662b is positioned in the first area AE21) is illustrated as the state in which the overlapping area between the sectorial plate portion A662b and the arc-shaped through hole A674 is the smallest, i.e., the state in which the air resistance applied to the sectorial plate portion A662b is the largest.

When placed in the first area AE21, the edge of the sectorial plate portion A662b on the clockwise side as viewed from the rear is positioned so as not to overlap with the arc-shaped through hole A674. Therefore, when the rotating plate member A662 starts to rotate clockwise as viewed from the rear, in addition to the arc-shaped through holes A674 (arc-shaped through holes A674 arranged on the left and right) that originally overlapped with the sectorial plate portion A662b, it also begins to overlap with other arc-shaped through holes A674 (arc-shaped through holes A674 arranged above and below), and this state continues until the sectorial plate portion A662b is placed in the second area AE22.

The overlapping area between the other arc-shaped through holes A674 and the sectorial plate portion A662b increases as the rotation angle of the rotating plate member A662 increases, so that the air resistance can be gradually reduced from the start of rotation of the rotating plate member A662, and as the rotation proceeds, the air resistance applied to the rotating plate member A662 can be further reduced. This allows the rotation of the rotating plate member A662 and the movement of the moving member A650 to be carried out smoothly.

When the sectorial plate portion A662b is positioned in the second region AE22, the edge of the sectorial plate portion A662b on the counterclockwise side as viewed from behind is positioned so as to overlap the edge of the arc-shaped through hole A674 on the left and right sides on the counterclockwise side as viewed from behind. In other words, when the rotating plate member A662 rotates clockwise as viewed from behind, the edge of the sectorial plate portion A662b on the counterclockwise side as viewed from behind enters the interior of the arc-shaped through hole A674 as viewed from behind.

Therefore, as the rotating plate member A662 continues to rotate clockwise when viewed from the rear, the overlapping area between the arc-shaped through holes A674 arranged on the left and right and the sectorial plate portion A662b gradually decreases, while the overlapping area between the other arc-shaped through holes A674 (arc-shaped through holes A674 arranged above and below) and the sectorial plate portion A662b gradually increases. These changes occur at the same angle, so ultimately the overlapping area between the arc-shaped through holes A674 and the sectorial plate portion A662b remains constant.

This state continues until the sectorial plate portion A662b is positioned in the third region AE23. In other words, the air resistance acting on the rotating plate member A662 can be maintained constant from the state in which the sectorial plate portion A662b is positioned in the second region AE22 to the state in which it is positioned in the third region AE23.

From the state where the sectorial plate portion A662b is positioned in the third region AE23 to the state where the sectorial plate portion A662b is positioned in the fourth region AE24, the area where the sectorial plate portion A662b overlaps with the arc-shaped through holes A674 positioned on the left and right gradually decreases. As the rotation of the rotating plate member A662 progresses, the air resistance applied to the rotating plate member A662 increases, and the rotating plate member A662 and the moving member A650 can be decelerated smoothly.

The state in which the sectorial plate portion A662b is positioned in the fourth region AE24 is such that the edge of the sectorial plate portion A662b on the counterclockwise side as viewed from the rear exactly overlaps the edge of the arc-shaped through-hole A674 on the left and right sides as viewed from the clockwise side as viewed from the rear.

Therefore, even when the rotating plate member A662 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the rear from the state shown in FIG. 42 (when the third operating unit A600 is operated from the extended state to the standby state), a change in air resistance similar to that described above can be produced.

Therefore, regardless of whether the rotating plate member A662 rotates clockwise when viewed from behind from the state shown in FIG. 41 or counterclockwise when viewed from behind from the state shown in FIG. 42, the above-mentioned change in air resistance can be caused in both directions.

The movable member A650, which is operated by the transmission of driving force via the rotating plate member A662, is configured as a pair above and below, and the direction of the load applied from the movable member A650 to the rotating plate member A662 is the same regardless of the operating direction of the rotating plate member A662.

In other words, when the rotating plate member A662 rotates clockwise when viewed from the rear from the state shown in FIG. 41, a load is generated from the upper moving member A650 to the left and a load is generated from the lower moving member A650 to the right, whereas when the rotating plate member A662 rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the rear from the state shown in FIG. 42, a load is generated from the upper moving member A650 to the right and a load is generated from the lower moving member A650 to the left.

In other words, the load applied to the rotating plate member A662 is simply reversed in direction, and does not change due to the difference in the direction of rotation. Therefore, regardless of whether the rotating plate member A662 rotates clockwise when viewed from the rear from the state shown in FIG. 41 or counterclockwise when viewed from the rear from the state shown in FIG. 42, the operating resistance generated in both directions can be made the same, and the operating speed can be made common.

Next, the light guide plate unit A700 will be described with reference to Figures 43 to 48. Figure 43 is an exploded front perspective view of the light guide plate unit A700, and Figure 44 is an exploded rear perspective view of the light guide plate unit A700.

As shown in Figures 43 and 44, the light guide plate unit A700 includes a covering light guide plate unit A700a that is held by the rear case A210 (see Figure 5) and is formed to a size that covers most of the front opening of the rear case A210, and an auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b that is fastened and fixed to the left side of the covering light guide plate unit A700a.

The covered light guide plate unit A700a comprises a plate-shaped light guide plate A701, a left light emitting substrate A702 having a plurality of light emitting means such as LEDs that irradiate light toward the light guide plate A701 and disposed on the left side of the light guide plate A701, an upper light emitting substrate A703 having a plurality of light emitting means such as LEDs that irradiate light toward the light guide plate A701 and disposed above the light guide plate A701, and a set of front and rear frame members A710 that fix the light guide plate A701, left light emitting substrate A702, and upper light emitting substrate A703 to prevent misalignment.

The light guide plate A701 is made of a light-transmitting resin material and has a rectangular flat plate shape with a notch A701a in the lower right corner. A groove is formed on the back surface of the light guide plate A701 along the outline of the shape of an illustration, including a specific character or logo, and when light is incident on the light guide plate A701 from the left light-emitting substrate A702 or the upper light-emitting substrate A703, the light is refracted in the groove, allowing the player to see a line of light that follows the outline of a specific character, etc.

The left light emitting substrate A702 and the upper light emitting substrate A703 are arranged so that the optical axes of the multiple LEDs are incident at right angles on the end face of the light guide plate A701. By configuring the direction of incidence on the light guide plate A701 in two directions, the above-mentioned line-shaped light can be generated in at least two types: when only light from the left light emitting substrate A702 is incident, and when only light from the upper light emitting substrate A703 is incident.

The frame member A710 is formed from a rectangular frame with the cutout A701a of the light guide plate A701 severed, and includes a set of left and right fixing parts A711 fastened to the front end of the outer wall part A212 of the rear case A210 (see FIG. 5), a pair of lower fixing parts A712 fastened to the right side member A615 and the left side member A617 of the third operating unit A600 (see FIG. 5), and abutting support parts A713 that abut against the support member A421 (see FIG. 13) of the first operating unit A400 in the front-rear direction.

The abutment support portion A713 is disposed between the vertically arranged belts A423a (see FIG. 15). Since the connecting mechanism A427 is disposed on the upper belt A423a, by disposing the abutment support portion A713 in a position closer to the lower belt A423a, the rigidity of the support member A421 can be used to support the abutment support portion A713 of the frame member A710 without impeding the movement of the connecting mechanism A427.

Figure 45 is an exploded front perspective view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b, and Figure 46 is an exploded rear perspective view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b. The auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b includes a plate-shaped light emitting substrate A720 with LEDs on the front and back surfaces, a front plate member A730 formed from a light-transmitting resin material in a plate shape and disposed on the front side of the light emitting substrate A720 so as to be able to receive light emitted from the LEDs of the light emitting substrate A720, a rear plate member A740 formed from a light-transmitting resin material in a plate shape and disposed on the rear side of the light emitting substrate A720 so as to be able to receive light emitted from the LEDs of the light emitting substrate A720, and a front cover member A750 formed from a light-transmitting resin material and disposed so as to sandwich the front plate member A730 between the light emitting substrate A720.

The light emitting substrate A720 comprises a vertically long plate-shaped main body A721, a number of bulging plate sections A722 formed so as to bulge in an arc-like shape to the right from the plate-shaped main body A721, a number of recessed sections A723 recessed in the left side of the plate-shaped main body A721 at positions corresponding to the bulging plate sections A722, a number of front light emitting sections A724 such as highly directional LEDs arranged vertically on the front side of the plate-shaped main body A721, with the optical axis directed to the left, and a number of back light emitting sections A725 such as low-directional LEDs arranged vertically at positions on the back side of the plate-shaped main body A721 corresponding to the front light emitting sections A724 (positions moved parallel to the arrow F-B). The light emitting sections A725 are light emitting means such as low-directional LEDs, with the optical axis directed to the left.

By forming the bulging plate portions A722 at multiple positions in the vertical direction, it is possible to ensure a large support area (area of surface contact between the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740 and the light-emitting substrate A720. This makes it possible to stabilize the posture of the light-emitting substrate A720 in the assembled state.

Light from the front light-emitting unit A724 is received by the front side plate member A730. The optical axes of the light from the multiple front light-emitting units A724 are each oriented to the left and parallel to each other, so that the front side plate member A730 can be illuminated uniformly over a wide range.

Light from the rear light emitting units A725 is received by the rear plate member A740. The optical axes of the light from the multiple rear light emitting units A725 are all oriented to the left and are parallel to each other, so that the rear plate member A740 can be illuminated uniformly over a wide range.

As described above, the front light-emitting portion A724 and the rear light-emitting portion A725 are arranged at corresponding positions in the front-to-rear direction, so that the range of the front side plate member A730 illuminated by the front light-emitting portion A724 and the range of the rear side plate member A740 illuminated by the rear light-emitting portion A725 can be made to correspond to each other.

As a result, when both the front light-emitting portion A724 and the rear light-emitting portion A725 are illuminated, their lights are combined to make the area illuminated by the front light-emitting portion A724 or the rear light-emitting portion A725 on the front side plate member A730 and the rear side plate member A740 more brightly visible.

On the other hand, even when only one side of the front light-emitting portion A724 or the rear light-emitting portion A725 is illuminated, the bright areas of the front plate member A730 or the rear plate member A740 do not shift position, making it difficult for the presentation to feel unnatural.

The area illuminated by the front light-emitting element A724 or the rear light-emitting element A725 is the same, so even if, for example, a state is transitioned from one in which only the front light-emitting element A724 is illuminating to one in which only the rear light-emitting element A725 is illuminating, it is possible to avoid a change in the planar light brightness pattern received by the player (the pattern of which areas are bright and which areas are dark when viewed from the front). This can reduce fatigue among players.

The front plate member A730 is provided with a plate-shaped main body A731 with a front side formed as a smooth surface, a linear groove portion A732 formed on the rear side of the plate-shaped main body A731 along the contour of the shape of an illustration including a specific character or logo, a plurality of fastening portions A733 that are fastened to the frame-shaped member A710 (see FIG. 43) by screwing into female threads formed at the tips of the cylindrically protruding portions A733 on the rear side of the plate-shaped main body A731, a circular through-hole A734 for fastening to the front cover member A750, and an alignment long hole A735 for aligning with the front cover member A750.

When light from the front light emitting portion A724 is received by the front side plate member A730, the light is refracted by the linear groove portion A732, causing the outline of the shape of the above illustration to be visible as a bright line.

The rear plate member A740 is made of a plate-shaped main body A741 formed of a light-transmitting resin material and having the same shape as the front-view outer shape of the front plate member A730, a light-opaque (or low-transmittance) white sheet A742 formed of the same shape as the front-view outer shape of the plate-shaped main body A741 and disposed on the rear side of the plate-shaped main body A741, and a light-transmitting (or low-transmittance) white sheet A742 formed of the same shape as the front-view outer shape of the plate-shaped main body A741 and disposed on the front side of the plate-shaped main body A741. The thin resin plate A743 has a first through hole A741a, A742a, and A743a formed at the same position in the upper left corner so as to penetrate the plate-shaped main body A741, the sheet A742, and the thin resin plate A743 in the front-to-rear direction, and a second through hole A741b, A742b, and A743b formed at the same position in the lower part so as to penetrate the plate-shaped main body A741, the sheet A742, and the thin resin plate A743 in the front-to-rear direction.

The front side of the plate-shaped body A741 is formed as a smooth surface, and the rear side has numerous embossments. As a result, when light that is received by the plate-shaped body A741 and passes through to the rear side is reflected by the sheet A742, the light is diffused by the numerous embossments and emitted from the surface. This makes it possible to efficiently brighten the rear side of the plate-shaped body A741.

An illustration that is the basis for the outline of the linear groove portion A732 is drawn on the thin resin plate A743, and in this embodiment, it is painted in a color that corresponds to the illustration. Therefore, when light from the rear light emitting portion A725 is received by the rear side plate member A740, the illustration drawn on the thin resin plate A743 is brightly visible through surface illumination due to the texture on the rear side of the plate-shaped main body A741.

The front cover member A750 includes a plate-shaped main body A751 with numerous hemispherical protrusions formed on the back side, an extended edge portion A752 extending in a plate-like manner from the upper and right edges of the plate-shaped main body A751 to the back side, a fastening portion A753 consisting of a protrusion used to align the light-emitting substrate A720 at the left end of the plate-shaped main body A751 and a female screw portion used for fastening, a plurality of cylindrical fastening portions A754 protruding in a cylindrical shape from the right end of the plate-shaped main body A751 to the back side, a protrusion portion A755 with a smaller diameter and shorter protrusion length than the cylindrical fastening portion A754, and a light-transmitting decorative sticker A756 decorated on the front side and attached to the front side of the plate-shaped main body A751.

During assembly, the protrusion A755 is inserted into the alignment slot A735 of the front plate member A730, and the cylindrical fastening portion A754 is inserted into the through-hole of the front plate member A730, thereby aligning the front plate member A730 with the front cover member A750.

Next, the light emitting substrate A720 is aligned with the fastening portion A753 so as to overlap the front plate member A730, and the rear plate member A740 is positioned so as to overlap the light emitting substrate A720. At this time, the cylindrical fastening portion A754 is inserted into the first through holes A741a, A742a, A743a of the rear plate member A740, and the fastening portion A733 at the lower right of the front plate member A730 is inserted into the second through holes A741b, A742b, A743b of the rear plate member A740, thereby aligning the rear plate member A740 with the front plate member A730.

When the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b is fastened to the covering light guide plate unit A700a (see FIG. 43) with the front side plate member A730, the light emitting substrate A720, and the rear side plate member A740 aligned with the front cover member A750, a pressing force (fastening force) is applied to the fastening portion A733 of the front side plate member A730 and the cylindrical fastening portion A754 of the front cover member A750.

In this embodiment, the fastening portion A733 and the cylindrical fastening portion A754 are disposed outside the light-emitting substrate A720, so that even if the pressing force (fastening force) becomes unintentionally excessive during assembly, it is easy to avoid the light-emitting substrate A720 cracking or breaking.

The cylindrical fastening portion A754 located at the upper right of the front cover member A750 allows the alignment of the front plate member A730, the rear plate member A740, and the front cover member A750, and the pressing (pressing) of the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740 against the light emitting substrate A720 to be performed in one place. This reduces the number of assembly steps.

Figure 47 is a rear view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b, Figure 48(a) is a cross-sectional view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b taken along line XLVIIIa-XLVIIIa in Figure 47, and Figure 48(b) is a cross-sectional view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b taken along line XLVIIIb-XLVIIIb in Figure 47. Figure 48(a) shows a cross section passing through the center of the cylindrical fastening portion A754.

When assembling the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b, the front side plate member A730 is aligned and attached to the front cover member A750, and then when the light emitting substrate A720 is attached to the front cover member A750, the height (front-to-back position) of the end face of the fastening portion where the female screw of the fastening portion A753 is formed matches the height (front-to-back position) of the rear side surface of the front side plate member A730 with which the bulging plate portion A722 abuts, thereby stabilizing the posture of the light emitting substrate A720.

Furthermore, when the rear plate member A740 is attached to the rear of the light-emitting substrate A720, the front side surface of the rear plate member A740 comes into contact with the bulging plate portion A722 over a wide area, stabilizing the posture of the rear plate member A740 and reducing localized loads.

As shown in Figures 47 and 48(a), the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740 are formed so that they overlap with the light-emitting substrate A720 in the same shape, so that the pressing force from the fastening screw screwed into the cylindrical fastening portion A754 is transmitted in a balanced manner to the light-emitting substrate A720 via the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740. This prevents the pressing force from acting as a force that shears the light-emitting substrate A720, thereby preventing cracking or chipping of the light-emitting substrate A720.

By applying a pressing force from the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740 to the edge of the light-emitting substrate A720, the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740 are pressed against the front and rear surfaces of the light-emitting substrate A720.

As a result, by accurately aligning the front and rear positions of the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740 relative to the plate-shaped main body A721 of the light-emitting substrate A720, the front and rear positions of the front plate member A730 relative to the front light-emitting portion A724 and the rear plate member A740 relative to the rear light-emitting portion A725 can be easily aligned, making it easier to align the light-receiving positions of the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740.

The cylindrical fastening portion A754 is disposed at a position (between) that does not overlap with the optical axis of the front light emitting portion A724 and the rear light emitting portion A725. This prevents the cylindrical fastening portion A754 from blocking the optical axis of the light from the front light emitting portion A724 that is received by the front side plate member A730, improving the effect of the light emission effect using the front side plate member A730.

Figure 48(b) is a cross section passing through the center of the third rear light emitting unit A725 from the bottom. As shown in Figures 47 and 48(b), the fastening unit A733 is disposed at a position overlapping with the optical axis of the rear light emitting unit A725.

Even when the fastening portion A733 is arranged in this manner, the fastening portion A733 does not penetrate the front plate member A730 and does not block the light of the front light emitting portion A724. In addition, the light received by the rear plate member A740 has a slightly lower directivity in order to make the rear plate member A740 surface-emitting (LEDs with low directivity are likely to be selected), so even if the fastening portion A733 is arranged on the optical axis, the light is not completely blocked, and the impact on the light emission performance can be reduced. In other words, the freedom of arrangement of the fastening portion A733 of the front plate member A730 can be improved without reducing the performance effect of the light emission performance using the rear plate member A740.

When the rear side plate member A740 is fastened to the front cover member A750, the front side surface of the plate-shaped main body A741 is fastened so as to sandwich the left edge of the thin resin plate A743 between the rear side surface of the plate-shaped main body A721, thereby preventing the thin resin plate A743 from floating up from the plate-shaped main body A741.

In this case, the load applied to the thin resin plate A743 is not a point load like a fastening screw, but a line (surface) load along the left edge of the thin resin plate A743 between the plate-shaped main body A721 of the light-emitting substrate A720, so the pressing force per unit area applied to the thin resin plate A743 can be reduced. This makes it easier to avoid cracking or chipping of the thin resin plate A743.

As shown in Figures 48(a) and 48(b), the travel path AL1 of the irradiated light from the front light-emitting unit A724, which is selected from LEDs with high directivity, extends in the left-right direction after being received by the front side plate member A730 until it reaches the linear groove portion A732 in a manner that causes total reflection at the front and rear surfaces of the front side plate member A730, and when it reaches the linear groove portion A732, it is refracted and redirected toward the front side.

Therefore, when light is being emitted from the front light emitting portion A724 when viewing the front side plate member A730 from the front side, the light directed from the linear groove portion A732 to the front side reaches the player's eyes, so that the outline of the shape of the illustration, including a specific character or logo, which is the original shape of the linear groove portion A732, can be seen to be glowing.

The light from the rear light emitting portion A725 is less directional than the light from the front light emitting portion A724, so the light from the rear light emitting portion A725 is not totally reflected within the rear plate member A740, and functions to uniformly illuminate the rear plate member A740.

As shown in FIG. 48, the end of the front plate member A730 on the side of the front light-emitting portion A724 and the end of the rear plate member A740 on the side of the rear light-emitting portion A725 are positioned closer to the front light-emitting portion A724 and the rear light-emitting portion A725 than the end of the light-emitting substrate A720 on the side of the irradiation direction (right side) of the front light-emitting portion A724 and the rear light-emitting portion A725.

This allows the plate-shaped main body A721 of the light-emitting substrate A720 to be used as a shielding plate, making it possible to prevent light irradiated from the front light-emitting portion A724 (rear light-emitting portion A725) from leaking before being received by the front plate member A730 (rear plate member A740). This makes it easier to avoid, for example, situations in which light irradiated from the front light-emitting portion A724 is received by the rear plate member A740, or in which light irradiated from the rear light-emitting portion A725 is received by the front plate member A730, making it easier to avoid poor light-emitting performance.

When light is received from the front side, the plate-shaped main body A751 diffuses the light and emits it from the surface due to the numerous hemispherical protrusions A751a formed on the back side. This improves the effect of the light presentation and reduces the visibility of the back side of the front cover member A750, so it can be used to hide the light-emitting substrate A720.

The front light emitting part A724 of the light emitting substrate A720 is disposed on the rear side of the plate-shaped main body A751, but the light emitted from the front light emitting part A724 is incident on the front plate member A730 in a direction perpendicular to the direction toward the plate-shaped main body A751 and is totally reflected within the front plate member A730. As a result, the plate-shaped main body A751 is not easily illuminated by the light emitted from the front light emitting part A724, and is perceived as dark, making it difficult to use as a performance area.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the received light can be diffused by the numerous hemispherical protrusions A751a formed on the back side of the plate-shaped main body A751, allowing the player to view the plate-shaped main body A751 in a bright state.

Furthermore, by attaching the decorative sticker A756, which covers the entire front side of the plate-shaped body A751, to the front side of the plate-shaped body A751, the effect of the numerous protrusions A751a formed on the back side of the plate-shaped body A751 being conspicuous by light is reduced, and the visibility of the decoration on the brightly lit front side of the decorative sticker A756 can be improved.

Figures 49(a) to 49(f) are schematic front views of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b, showing the visual appearance of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b. For ease of explanation, the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b is illustrated with a rectangular outer shape, and triangular illustrations AIL1 and AIL2 are illustrated inside the rectangular outer shape. These triangular illustrations AIL1 and AIL2 correspond to an example of the outline of the shape of an illustration including a specific character or logo, which is formed by the thin resin plate A743 and the linear groove portion A732 (see Figure 46).

Figures 49(a) to 49(f) show an example of the difference in appearance of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b depending on whether the front light emitting portion A724 (see Figure 45) is turned on or off, and whether the rear light emitting portion A725 (see Figure 46) is turned on or off.

Figure 49 (a) shows a case where the front light-emitting part A724 (see Figure 45) is turned off and the rear light-emitting part A725 (see Figure 46) is turned off. In this case, the illustrations AIL1 and AIL2, including specific characters, logos, etc., formed on the thin resin plate A743, are visible.

Figure 49 (b) shows a case where the front light emitting part A724 (see Figure 45) is turned off and the rear light emitting part A725 (see Figure 46) is turned on. In this case, the illustrations AIL1 and AIL2 including specific characters, logos, etc. formed on the thin resin plate A743 are illuminated and visible.

Figure 49 (c) shows a case where the front light emitting element A724 (see Figure 45) is turned on and the rear light emitting element A725 (see Figure 46) is turned off. In this case, the outline of the shape of the illustrations AIL1, AIL2 including specific characters, logos, etc. formed in the linear groove portion A732 (see Figure 46) is illuminated and is visible as a line of light. In this case, the shape of the illustrations AIL1, AIL2 including specific characters, logos, etc. formed in the thin resin plate A743 is blocked by the line of light, reducing visibility.

Figure 49(d) illustrates a case where the front light-emitting portion A724 (see Figure 45) is turned on and the rear light-emitting portion A725 (see Figure 46) is turned on. In this case, the brightness of the front side of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b can be improved compared to the state illustrated in Figure 49(c).

Figure 49 (e) shows a case where the front light emitting portion A724 (see Figure 45) above the upper and lower halves of the plate-shaped body A721 is turned off, the front light emitting portion A724 below the upper and lower halves of the plate-shaped body A721 is turned on, the rear light emitting portion A725 (see Figure 46) above the upper and lower halves of the plate-shaped body A721 is turned on, and the rear light emitting portion A725 (see Figure 46) below the upper and lower halves of the plate-shaped body A721 is turned off.

In this case, in the upper half of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b, the illustration AIL1 including a specific character, logo, etc. formed on the thin resin plate A743 is illuminated and visible, and in the lower half of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b, the outline of the shape of the illustration AIL2 including a specific character, logo, etc. formed in the linear groove portion A732 (see Figure 46) is illuminated and visible as a line of light.

Figure 49 (f) illustrates a case in which the front light-emitting portion A724 (see Figure 45) above the upper and lower halves of the plate-shaped body A721 is turned on, the front light-emitting portion A724 below the upper and lower halves of the plate-shaped body A721 is turned off, and the rear light-emitting portion A725 (see Figure 46) is turned off.

In this case, in the upper half of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b, the outline of the shape of the illustration AIL1 including a specific character, logo, etc. formed in the linear groove portion A732 (see Figure 46) is illuminated and is visible as a line of light, and in the lower half of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b, the illustration AIL2 including a specific character, logo, etc. formed on the thin resin plate A743 is visible.

As shown in Figures 49(a) to 49(f), in this embodiment, the visual appearance of the front side of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A700b can be changed in response to the variations in the combination of turning on and off the front light emitting part A724 (see Figure 45) and turning on and off the rear light emitting part A725 (see Figure 46).

Figure 50 is an exploded front perspective view of the game board A13, and Figure 51 is an exploded rear perspective view of the game board A13. As shown in Figures 50 and 51, the game board A13 is configured such that a center frame A86 is fastened and fixed from the front side to the window portion A60a of the base plate A60, and game balls can flow down the left and right sides of the center frame A86.

The game board A13 is provided with a downstream branching member A801 formed from a light-transmitting resin material with a protruding portion that branches the downstream flow of game balls and disposed on the upper left side of the center frame A86, a guide member A802 formed from a light-transmitting resin material in a shape that constitutes two guide flow paths arranged side by side to the left and right as flow paths for guiding the downstream flow of game balls and disposed on the right front side of the center frame A86, a downstream guide member A803 fixed to the base plate A60 below the guide member A802 and formed in a shape that constitutes two guide flow paths arranged side by side to the left and right as flow paths for guiding the downstream flow of game balls and an auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 disposed on the rear side of a light-transmitting decorative member A808 disposed inside the center frame A86 and configured to be able to irradiate light to the decorative member A808.

The downstream branching member A801 is disposed in front of the inner area of the window portion A60a when the center frame A86 is disposed on the base plate A60. In this case, the light traveling from the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 toward the downstream branching member A801 does not pass through the base plate A60, but passes through the center frame A86, which is thinner than the plate thickness of the base plate A60, to reach the downstream branching member A801, so that attenuation of the light reaching the downstream branching member A801 can be suppressed.

The guide member A802 includes a plate-shaped main body A802a formed in a shape that covers the upper right region A60b of the window portion A60a of the base plate A60 from the front side, a pair of extension plates A802b that extend from the plate-shaped main body A802a to the front side, and a number of deceleration protrusions A802c that protrude from the plate-shaped main body A802a or the extension plates A802b to decelerate the game ball, and is fastened and fixed to the base plate A60 at the top and bottom positions of the upper right region A60b.

The auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 is disposed on the back side of the guide member A802, sandwiching the protruding plate portion A86a of the center frame A86, which is contained in the upper right region A60b and has a plate thickness thinner than that of the base plate A60. In this case, the light traveling from the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 to the guide member A802 does not pass through the base plate A60, but passes through the protruding plate portion A86a of the center frame A86, which is thinner than the plate thickness of the base plate A60, and reaches the guide member A802, so attenuation of the light reaching the guide member A802 can be suppressed.

For the left flow path, the deceleration protrusion A802c protrudes from both of a pair of opposing extension plates A802b, allowing the game ball flowing down to sway left and right. For the right flow path, the deceleration protrusion A802c protrudes from the right extension plate A802b and protrudes forward from the plate-shaped main body A802a, allowing the game ball flowing down to sway left and right and forward and backward.

In this way, the game ball flowing down the two flow paths formed by the guide member A802 is decelerated by the deceleration protrusion A802c, but the way it flows down differs depending on which flow path it flows down. This allows the player to immediately know which flow path the game ball is flowing down by looking at the way the game ball flows down.

In addition, by configuring it in this way, there is no need to form a deceleration protrusion on the outer edge member 73 (see Figure 2), so the outer edge member 73 can be configured as a common part. This allows for cost reduction of the product.

In this embodiment, the guide member A802 forms two flow paths that are wider from side to side than a single flow path, which can easily cause problems in terms of strength. In contrast, in this embodiment, the extension plate A802b that forms the flow path is positioned in the center of the plate-shaped main body A802a, and also serves as a reinforcing material for the guide member A802. This makes it easier to avoid insufficient strength even if the guide member A802 is formed as a thin member.

The downstream guide member A803 comprises a plate-shaped main body A803a and an extension plate A803b extending from the rear surface of the plate-shaped main body A803a, and their front-to-back relationship is reversed to that of the guide member A802.

Unlike the two flow paths formed by the guide member A802, the two guide flow paths formed by the downstream guide member A803 have different flow path shapes on the left and right. That is, the flow path on the left side is a flow path that slopes downward and to the left, while the flow path on the right side is formed as a path that meanders from left to right. This allows the flow pattern of the game ball to be greatly changed depending on which flow path it flows down.

Figure 52 is an exploded front perspective view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810, and Figure 53 is an exploded rear perspective view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810. The auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 includes a set of plate-shaped front light emitting substrates A820 with LEDs arranged on the front surface, a set of plate-shaped rear light emitting substrates A830 with LEDs arranged on the rear surface, a front side plate member A840 formed in a plate shape from a light-transmitting resin material and arranged on the front side of the front light emitting substrate A820 so as to be able to receive light emitted from the LEDs of the front light emitting substrate A820, a rear side plate member A850 formed in a plate shape from a light-transmitting resin material and arranged on the rear side of the rear light emitting substrate A830 so as to be able to receive light emitted from the LEDs of the rear light emitting substrate A830, and a base member A860 formed in a white resin material with low light transmittance and arranged to sandwich the rear side plate member A850 between the rear light emitting substrate A830.

The front light emitting substrate A820 includes an upper substrate A821 disposed on the upper side and a right substrate A825 disposed on the right side. The upper substrate A821 includes a plate-shaped main body A822, a plurality of edge light emitting units A823, each of which is a light emitting means such as a plurality of LEDs arranged in the lower right corner on the front side of the plate-shaped main body A822 and has an optical axis directed to the right, and a plurality of surface light emitting units A824, each of which is a light emitting means such as a plurality of LEDs arranged to the left of the edge light emitting unit A823 and has an optical axis directed to the front side.

Light from the edge light emitters A823 is received by the front plate member A840. The optical axes of the light from the multiple edge light emitters A823 are each oriented to the right and parallel to the front plane of the front plate member A840, so that the front plate member A840 can be illuminated over a wide range.

Furthermore, the edge light emitter A823 is composed of multiple LEDs, and the optical axis of each LED does not face directly to the right, but is configured to face in a radial direction such that the spacing between the optical axes becomes wider toward the right. This allows the light from the edge light emitter A823 to be guided over a wide area of the front side plate member A840.

The light from the surface light emitting unit A824 is received by the decorative member A808 (see FIG. 50) that is arranged on the front side. The optical axes of the light from the multiple surface light emitting units A824 are all facing the front side and are parallel to each other, so that the decorative member A808 can be illuminated uniformly over a wide range.

The right side substrate A825 comprises a plate-shaped main body A826, a plurality of edge light emitting units A827 such as LEDs arranged in the upper left corner on the front side of the plate-shaped main body A826, with their optical axes directed upward, and a plurality of surface light emitting units A828 such as LEDs arranged below the edge light emitting units A827, with their optical axes directed toward the front side.

Light from the edge light emitters A827 is received by the front plate member A840. The optical axes of the light from the multiple edge light emitters A827 are each oriented upward and parallel to the front plane of the front plate member A840, so that the front plate member A840 can be illuminated over a wide range.

Furthermore, the edge light emitter A827 is composed of multiple LEDs, and the optical axis of each LED does not face straight up, but is configured to face in a radial direction such that the spacing between the optical axes becomes wider the further upward. This allows the light from the edge light emitter A827 to be guided over a wide area of the front side plate member A840.

Light from the edge light emitting portion A823 of the upper substrate A821 is received from the left end of the front plate member A840, while light from the edge light emitting portion A827 is received from the lower end of the front plate member A840. This makes it easier for light to reach the entire front plate member A840, even if the front plate member A840 has a narrowed shape with a narrowed portion A844 at the center when viewed from the front.

The light from the surface light emitting unit A828 is received by the decorative member A808 (see FIG. 50) that is arranged on the front side. The optical axes of the light from the multiple surface light emitting units A828 are all facing the front side and are parallel to each other, so that the decorative member A808 can be illuminated uniformly over a wide range.

The rear light emitting substrate A830 includes an upper substrate A831 disposed on the upper side and a right substrate A835 disposed on the right side. The upper substrate A831 includes a plate-shaped main body A832 and a plurality of edge light emitting units A833, such as a plurality of LEDs, arranged in the lower right corner on the rear side of the plate-shaped main body A832, with their optical axes directed to the right.

The light from the edge light emitters A833 is received by the rear plate member A850. The optical axes of the light from the multiple edge light emitters A833 are each oriented to the right and parallel to the front plane of the rear plate member A850, so that the rear plate member A850 can be illuminated uniformly over a wide range.

Furthermore, the edge light emitter A833 is composed of multiple LEDs, and the optical axis of each LED does not face directly to the right, but is configured to face in a radial direction such that the spacing between the optical axes becomes wider toward the right. This allows the light from the edge light emitter A833 to be guided over a wide area of the rear side plate member A850.

The right-side substrate A835 includes a plate-shaped main body A836 and a plurality of edge light-emitting units A837, such as a plurality of LEDs, arranged in the upper left corner on the front side of the plate-shaped main body A836, with their optical axes directed upward.

The light from the edge light emitters A837 is received by the rear plate member A850. The optical axes of the light from the multiple edge light emitters A837 are each oriented upward and parallel to the front plane of the rear plate member A850, so that the rear plate member A850 can be illuminated uniformly over a wide range.

Furthermore, the edge light emitter A837 is composed of multiple LEDs, and the optical axis of each LED does not face straight up, but is configured to face in a radial direction such that the spacing between the optical axes becomes wider the further upward. This allows the light from the edge light emitter A837 to be guided over a wide area of the rear side plate member A850.

Light from the edge light emitting portion A833 of the upper substrate A831 is received from the left end of the rear plate member A850, while light from the edge light emitting portion A837 is received from the bottom end of the rear plate member A850. This makes it easier for light to reach the entire rear plate member A850, even if the rear plate member A850 has a narrow shape toward the center when viewed from the front.

The edge light emitting parts A823, A827 of the front light emitting substrate A820 and the edge light emitting parts A833, A837 of the rear light emitting substrate A830 are arranged at corresponding positions in the front-to-rear direction (positions moved parallel to the arrows F-B), so that the range of the front side plate member A840 illuminated by the edge light emitting parts A823, A827 can correspond to the range of the rear side plate member A850 illuminated by the edge light emitting parts A833, A837.

As a result, when both the edge light emitting portions A823, A827 of the front light emitting substrate A820 and the edge light emitting portions A833, A837 of the rear light emitting substrate A830 are illuminated, the combined light makes it possible to make the area illuminated by the edge light emitting portions A823, A827 or the edge light emitting portions A833, A837 on the front side plate member A840 and the rear side plate member A850 more brightly visible.

On the other hand, even when only one side of the edge light emitting sections A823, A827 of the front light emitting substrate A820 or the edge light emitting sections A833, A837 of the rear light emitting substrate A830 is illuminated, the bright areas of the front plate member A840 or the rear plate member A850 do not shift in position, making it difficult for the presentation to feel unnatural.

The area illuminated by the edge light emitting parts A823, A827 of the front light emitting board A820 or the edge light emitting parts A833, A837 of the rear light emitting board A830 is the same, so even if a state is transitioned from one in which only the edge light emitting parts A823, A827 of the front light emitting board A820 are illuminated to one in which only the edge light emitting parts A833, A837 of the rear light emitting board A830 are illuminated, it is possible to avoid a change in the planar light brightness pattern received by the player (the pattern of which positions are bright and which positions are dark when viewed from the front). This can reduce fatigue among players.

The front plate member A840 comprises a plate-shaped main body A841 whose front side surface is formed as a smooth surface, a linear groove portion A842 formed on the rear side surface of the plate-shaped main body A841 along the contour of the shape of an illustration including a specific character or logo, a circular through-hole A843 drilled for fastening and fixing to the base member A860, and a constricted portion A844 formed so that the middle portion of the plate-shaped main body A841 is constricted.

When light from the edge light emitting portions A823 and A827 of the front light emitting substrate A820 is received by the front side plate member A840, the light is refracted in the linear groove portion A842, causing the outline of the shape of the above illustration to be visible as a bright line.

The shape of the plate-shaped main body A841 having the constricted portion A844 is a result of matching the outer shape of the illustration that is the basis for the linear groove portion A842. In other words, the linear glowing shape is visible throughout the entire plate-shaped main body A841, so that no unnecessary areas are created in the plate-shaped main body A841 in terms of presentation.

The rear plate member A850 includes a plate-shaped main body A851 formed of a light-transmitting resin material and having the same shape as the front-view outer shape of the front plate member A840, a light-transmitting thin resin plate A855 formed in the same shape as the front-view outer shape of the plate-shaped main body A851 and disposed on the front side of the plate-shaped main body A851, first through holes A851a, A855a formed at the same position in the upper left corner so as to penetrate the plate-shaped main body A851 and the thin resin plate A855 in the front-to-rear direction, and second through holes A851b, A855b formed at the same position in the lower part so as to penetrate the plate-shaped main body A851 and the thin resin plate A855 in the front-to-rear direction.

The plate-shaped main body A851 has a constricted portion A852 formed in a position corresponding to the constricted portion A844 of the front side plate member A840, and has a smooth front side surface and numerous embossments formed on the rear side surface. As a result, when light received by the plate-shaped main body A851 that escapes to the rear side is reflected by the white base member A860, the light is diffused by the numerous embossments and emitted from the surface. This makes it possible to efficiently brighten the rear side of the plate-shaped main body A851.

The plate-shaped main body A851 has a constricted portion A852, and after passing through the constricted portion A852, the light received from one side of the constricted portion A852 tends to travel within a range limited by the width of the constricted portion A852. Therefore, when the constricted portion A852 is formed wider on both sides than the width of the constricted portion A852, as in the plate-shaped main body A851 of this embodiment, it is difficult to spread the light received from one side of the constricted portion A852 over the entire area of the plate-shaped main body A851.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the plate-shaped body A851 is configured so that light from the edge light emitter A833 is received above the constricted portion A852, and light from the edge light emitter A837 is received below the constricted portion A852. This makes it possible to receive light over the entire area of the plate-shaped body A851 while employing the constricted portion A852, compared to when light is received only from the upper or lower side of the constricted portion A852. This makes it possible to efficiently brighten the entire area of the plate-shaped body A851.

An illustration that is the basis for the outline of the linear groove portion A842 is drawn on the thin resin plate A855, and in this embodiment, it is painted in a color that corresponds to the illustration. Therefore, when light from the edge light emitting portions A833, A837 of the rear light emitting substrate A830 is received by the rear plate member A850, the illustration drawn on the thin resin plate A855 is brightly visible through surface emission due to the texture on the rear side of the plate-shaped main body A851.

The base member A860 is a member formed from a white resin material, and includes a plate-shaped main body A861 formed in a generally L-shape when viewed from the front, an alignment protrusion A862 for aligning the rear plate member A850 supported by the plate-shaped main body A861, a fastening portion A863 to which the rear plate member A850 is fastened, a substrate fastening portion A864 to which the rear light emitting substrate A830 is aligned and fastened, a base portion A865 formed in a base shape on the front side of the plate-shaped main body A861, a cylindrical fastening portion A866 protruding in a cylindrical shape from the front of the plate-shaped main body A861 at a height matching the front side surface of the base portion A865 and having a female screw formed at its tip, and a plate-sandwich fastening portion A867 protruding in a cylindrical shape from the front of the plate-shaped main body A861 and having a female screw formed at its tip, and which is longer in the protruding direction by the thickness of the front light emitting substrate A820 than the protruding length of the cylindrical fastening portion A866.

The auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 is assembled by fastening and fixing the rear plate member A850, rear light emitting substrate A830, front light emitting substrate A820, and front plate member A840 to the base member A860 in that order.

First, the fastening of the rear plate member A850 to the base member A860 will be described. The fastening of the rear plate member A850 to the base member A860 is performed by inserting a fastening screw that is inserted into the plate-shaped main body A851 into the fastening portion A863 while the corresponding alignment protrusion A862 is inserted into the first through hole A851a and the second through hole A851b.

At this time, the fastening screw is inserted into the plate-shaped main body A851 but not into the thin resin plate A855. Therefore, with the plate-shaped main body A851 fastened and fixed to the base member A860, the corresponding alignment protrusions A862 are inserted into the first through holes A855a and the second through holes A855b, making it easy to align the thin resin plate A855 with the base member A860 and the plate-shaped main body A851.

Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the thin resin plate A855 from cracking due to the pressing force applied during fastening. It is also possible to replace the thin resin plate A855 while maintaining the fastening of the plate-shaped main body A851.

Next, the fastening and fixing of the rear light emitting substrate A830 to the base member A860 will be described. The rear light emitting substrate A830 is fastened and fixed to the base member A860 by fastening the rear light emitting substrate A830 to the substrate fastening portion A864.

The board fastening portions A864 are each inserted into the through holes A853 of the rear plate member A850, and also function to align the rear plate member A850 with the base member A860.

When the rear light emitting substrate A830 is fastened to the base member A860, the rear side of the plate-shaped body A832 of the upper substrate A831 is fastened so that the left edge of the thin resin plate A855 is sandwiched between the rear side of the plate-shaped body A851 and the front side of the plate-shaped body A851, and the rear side of the plate-shaped body A836 of the right substrate A835 is fastened so that the lower right edge of the thin resin plate A855 is sandwiched between the front side of the plate-shaped body A851, thereby preventing the thin resin plate A855 from floating up from the plate-shaped body A851.

In this case, the load applied to the thin resin plate A855 is not a point load like a fastening screw, but a line (surface) load along the left edge, so the pressing force per unit area applied to the thin resin plate A855 can be reduced. This makes it easier to avoid cracking or chipping of the thin resin plate A855.

As described above, when the rear light emitting substrate A830 is fastened and fixed, the rear side surface of the plate-shaped main body A832 is configured to abut the front side surface of the rear plate member A850, so that the optical axes of the edge light emitting parts A833, A837 of the rear light emitting substrate A830 and the rear plate member A850 can be easily aligned in the front-rear direction (the direction in which the front side surface of the rear plate member A850 faces). This allows for good light reception at the rear plate member A850.

Next, the fastening of the front light emitting substrate A820 to the base member A860 will be described. The front light emitting substrate A820 is fastened to the base member A860 by fastening the front light emitting substrate A820 to the cylindrical fastening portion A866 with the lower left side of the rear side surface of the front light emitting substrate A820 in surface contact with the base portion A865.

The front light emitting substrate A820 and the rear light emitting substrate A830 are arranged parallel to each other with a gap between them, so that no pressing force is generated between the front light emitting substrate A820 and the rear light emitting substrate A830 and rear side plate member A850.

Next, the fastening of the front plate member A840 to the base member A860 will be described. The fastening of the front plate member A840 to the base member A860 is performed by fastening the front plate member A840 to the plate-sandwich fastening portion A867.

The clamping fastening part A867 is positioned outside and near the front light emitting substrate A820, so that the pressing force generated when fastening to the clamping fastening part A867 is prevented from being applied to the front light emitting substrate A820 as a point load. This makes it possible to prevent cracking or chipping of the front light emitting substrate A820.

The front plate member A840 has a through hole A845 formed therein to ensure the positioning of LEDs such as the edge light emitter A823 arranged on the front light emitting substrate A820, and the rear side surface of the plate-shaped main body A841 excluding this through hole A845 is fastened and fixed to the base member A860 so as to apply a surface pressure against the plate-shaped main bodies A822 and A826 of the front light emitting substrate A820. This makes it possible to increase the support area of the front plate member A840 by utilizing the plate-shaped main bodies A822 and A826 of the front light emitting substrate A820.

When the front plate member A840 is fastened to the base member A860, the rear side surface of the plate-shaped main body A841 of the front plate member A840 is configured to abut the front side surface of the front light-emitting substrate A820 at a surface, so that the optical axes of the edge light-emitting parts A823, A827 of the front light-emitting substrate A820 and the front plate member A840 can be easily aligned in the front-rear direction (the direction in which the front side surface of the front plate member A840 faces). This allows for good light reception to the rear plate member A850.

As described above, the front light-emitting substrate A820, the rear light-emitting substrate A830, the front plate member A840, and the rear plate member A850 are aligned with and fastened to each component formed on the base member A860. This makes it easy to align the front light-emitting substrate A820, the rear light-emitting substrate A830, the front plate member A840, and the rear plate member A850 in a direction parallel to the front side surface of the base member A860.

Even if the substrates are configured with a pair of front light emitting substrate A820 and rear light emitting substrate A830 arranged in front and rear, the front light emitting substrate A820, rear light emitting substrate A830, front plate member A840 and rear plate member A850, which correspond to the light receiving member, are fastened and fixed in contact with each other in the front-rear direction, so that the front light emitting substrate A820, rear light emitting substrate A830, front plate member A840 and rear plate member A850 can be easily aligned in the direction intersecting with the front side surface of the base member A860.

Figure 54 is a front view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810, and Figure 55 is a cross-sectional view of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 taken along the line LV-LV in Figure 54. In Figure 54, the outline of the decorative member A808 and the outline of the upper right region A60b (see Figure 50) are shown by imaginary lines, and the portion of the outline of the front light emitting substrate A820 that overlaps with the front side plate member A840 is shown by hidden lines, and Figure 55 shows a cross section passing through the center of the cylindrical fastening portion A866 (see Figure 52) located on the central side of the base member A860.

As shown in FIG. 54, the front light-emitting substrate A820 is disposed so as to fit within the outline of the decorative member A808 when viewed from the front, and the front side plate member A840, which receives light from the edge light-emitting portions A823 and A827 of the front light-emitting substrate A820, is disposed so as to extend beyond the decorative member A808 when viewed from the front.

This makes it possible to reduce the front-to-back thickness of the entire auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 while concealing the front light emitting board A820 with the decorative member A808. In other words, when arranging a light emitting board on the back side of the front plate member A840 of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 to perform light emission of the front plate member A840, it is necessary to arrange the light emitting board at an appropriate distance to make the front plate member A840 emit light, which increases the front-to-back width of the unit and reduces the space available behind it for arranging moving props.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the front light emitting substrate A820 is positioned not behind the front plate member A840, but offset left/right or front/rear from the front plate member A840, thereby shortening the front/rear width of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810, and therefore providing sufficient space behind the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 to place moving objects.

In this embodiment, by using the guide member A802 (see FIG. 50), a play area is also formed in front of the upper right region A60b of the window portion A60a. The right end of the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 extends into the upper right region A60b. In other words, it is positioned further inward than the thickness of the base plate A60 in the front-to-rear direction.

This allows the front-to-rear thickness of the game board A13 (see FIG. 50) to be reduced compared to when the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 is arranged behind the base plate A60. Furthermore, since the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 is arranged behind the base plate A60, and light entering the game area is less likely to be attenuated compared to light that reaches the game area by passing through the thickness of the base plate A60, the game area in front of the upper right area A60b can be brightly illuminated.

The front plate member A840 is formed in a shape that overlaps with the edge of the front light emitting substrate A820. That is, when the front plate member A840 is fastened to the base member A860 from the front side of the front light emitting substrate A820, the pressing force applied from the front plate member A840 to the front light emitting substrate A820 is divided along the edge of the front light emitting substrate A820, so that the load per unit area can be reduced.

This allows the front light emitting substrate A820 and the front plate member A840 to come into surface contact while avoiding excessive load being applied between them, making it easy to align the optical axes of the edge light emitting parts A823 and A827 of the front light emitting substrate A820 with the front plate member A840.

As shown in FIG. 55, the travel path AL2 of the irradiated light from the edge light emitters A823, A827, which are selected from LEDs with high directivity, extends in the left-right direction after being received by the front side plate member A840 until it reaches the linear groove portion A842 in a manner that causes total reflection at the front and rear surfaces of the front side plate member A840, and when it reaches the linear groove portion A842, it is refracted and redirected toward the front side.

Therefore, when light is being emitted from the edge light emitting units A823, A827 when viewing the front side plate member A840 from the front side, the light directed from the linear groove unit A842 to the front side reaches the player's eyes, so that the outline of the shape of the illustration, including a specific character or logo, which is the original shape of the linear groove unit A842, can be seen as glowing.

The LEDs constituting the edge light-emitting units A833 and A837 (see FIG. 53) are less directional than the LEDs constituting the edge light-emitting units A823 and A827. This allows the entire area of the rear side plate member A850 to be illuminated uniformly.

That is, the light from the edge light emitters A833, A837 (see FIG. 53) does not undergo total reflection within the rear plate member A850, and functions to uniformly illuminate the rear plate member A850.

Let's go back to Figure 2. As shown in Figure 2, the downstream guide member A803 is disposed on the lower right side of the center frame A86 when viewed from the front. The downstream guide member A803 constitutes a flow path through which the game ball guided by the guide member A802 is guided regardless of whether it passes through the through gate 67.

Figure 56 is an exploded front perspective view of the downstream guide member A803, and Figure 57 is an exploded rear perspective view of the downstream guide member A803. Note that Figures 56 and 57 only show a portion of the base plate A60 to which the downstream guide member A803 is fixed, and other portions of the base plate A60 are omitted.

The downstream guide member A803 includes a front member A803z having a plate-shaped main body A803a and an extension plate A803b extending from the rear surface of the plate-shaped main body A803a, a rear member A804 made of a light-transmitting resin material that is fastened to the base plate A60 while being fastened to the front member A803z so as to form a path between the front member A803z and the front member A803z through which game balls can flow, and a decorative plate member A805 that is attached to the front surface of the plate-shaped main body A803a of the front member A803z. In the assembled state (see FIG. 2), game balls guided by the guide member A802 are configured to be able to flow down the area between the plate-shaped main body A803a and the rear member A804.

The extension plate A803b includes a left extension plate A803c that is formed from a plate portion extending in the vertical direction and an inclined plate portion extending in the lower left direction, extending from the left edge of the plate-shaped main body A803a, a middle left extension plate A803d that is formed from a shape corresponding to the left extension plate A803c and is arranged opposite the left extension plate A803c to form a left flow path ATL1 in the area between the left extension plate A803c, a middle right extension plate A803e that has a portion that branches off from a midpoint of the middle left extension plate A803d and extends to the right, and is formed to extend downward while bending left and right, and a right extension plate A803f that is arranged opposite the middle right extension plate A803e to form a right flow path ATL2 in the area between the middle right extension plate A803e.

The game ball flowing down the left flow path ATL1 passes through the ball detection sensor ASE1, which is disposed between the left extension plate A803c and the middle left extension plate A803d and is held by the sensor support portion A804a of the rear member A804 in the assembled state, on its way down to the left, which is the direction in which the left extension plate A803c and the middle left extension plate A803d extend, and is discharged toward the rear of the base plate A60 through the opening A804b of the rear member A804. Therefore, the game ball that flows into the left flow path ATL1 is not guided to the second winning port 640 or the specific winning port 65a (see FIG. 2).

The direction in which the left flow path ATL1 extends (to the lower left) is away from the right flow path ATL2, so when both the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2 are visible, it is easy to avoid confusing a game ball flowing through the left flow path ATL1 with a game ball flowing through the right flow path ATL2.

There are various possible modes of control when a gaming ball is detected by the detection sensor ASE1, but in this embodiment, when the detection sensor ASE1 detects the passage of a gaming ball, it is controlled so that one prize ball is paid out.

The number of prize balls is just an example, and is not limited to one, but may be two or more. On the other hand, by limiting the number of prize balls to one as in this embodiment, it is possible to reduce the loss of balls when a game ball hit from the right flows through the left flow path ATL1.

In addition, when the number of prize balls is two or more, the number of balls that the player has will increase due to the prize balls paid out to the player, even after subtracting the shot balls. This can reduce the disappointment felt when balls flow into the left flow path ATL1.

The game ball that flows into the right-side flow path ATL2 flows down along the inclined surface A803e1 that extends in a downward right direction on the upstream side of the center right extension plate A803e. In this case, the ball flows down away from the left-side flow path ATL1 that is provided adjacent to the right-side flow path ATL2, so when both the left-side flow path ATL1 and the right-side flow path ATL2 are visible, it is easy to avoid confusing the game ball flowing in the left-side flow path ATL1 with the game ball flowing in the right-side flow path ATL2.

The ball rolling on the inclined surface A803e1 flows to the right near the upper edge of the plate-shaped body A803a, so the visibility of the ball when viewed from above the downstream guide member A803 can be improved compared to a ball flowing down the left flow path ATL1, which allows the ball to flow in a manner similar to free fall. In other words, the period during which the ball is visible when viewed from above the downstream guide member A803 can be extended.

The game ball flowing down the right flow path ATL2 rolls on the extension plate A803f1 that extends leftward from the inside of the right extension plate A803f, and flows down along the curved surface A803e2 of the middle right extension plate A803e that is curved in an arc shape to accommodate the rolling ball.

The ball rolling on the extension plate A803f1 flows down in a direction approaching the left flow path ATL1, but the curved surface A803e2 is positioned with a gap between it and the left flow path ATL1, and the ball flowing down along the curved surface A803e2 flows down in a direction away from the left flow path ATL1, making it easier to avoid confusing the game ball flowing down the left flow path ATL1 with the game ball flowing down the right flow path ATL2.

In addition, while the ball flows down the left flow path ATL1 while inclining to the left in the direction of gravity, the ball flows down the right flow path ATL2 while meandering left and right. This makes it easier to avoid mistaking the game ball flowing down the left flow path ATL1 for the game ball flowing down the right flow path ATL2 when both the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2 are visible.

In addition, the period during which a game ball flowing through the left flow path ATL1 and a game ball flowing through the right flow path ATL2 stay in the internal flow path of the downstream guide member A803 can be made different. For example, if balls flow into the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2 at the same time, the ball flowing down the left flow path ATL1 is quickly swept downward, while the ball flowing down the right flow path ATL2 meanders left and right, so that the period during which the balls flowing down the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2 are at the same height can be shortened (the height positions of the balls can be made different). This makes it easier to avoid confusing the game ball flowing through the left flow path ATL1 with the game ball flowing through the right flow path ATL2.

The game balls that pass through the right-side flow path ATL2 flow downward along the front side of the base plate A60 and are guided toward the second winning opening 640 or the specific winning opening 65a (see FIG. 2). Therefore, among the balls that flow down the downstream guide member A803, only those that flow down the right-side flow path ATL2 can enter the second winning opening 640 or the specific winning opening 65a.

As described above, the right-side flow path ATL2 is formed as a flow path that meanders left and right, so the vertical speed of the ball can be reduced compared to when the ball falls freely. This reduces the vertical speed of the ball when it reaches the second winning opening 640 or the specific winning opening 65a, making it easier to prevent the occurrence of a situation in which the opening and closing plate of the electric device 640a or the opening and closing plate of the variable winning device 65 are damaged by a collision with the ball.

The decorative plate member A805 is made of a resin material and includes a transparent sheet A805a that transmits light to the same degree regardless of the viewing direction, and a viewing pattern changing sheet A806 that is configured so that the light transmittance changes depending on the viewing direction.

The visual appearance changing sheet A806 is formed to a size that includes the left flow path ATL1 when viewed from the front, and the transparent sheet A805a is formed to a size that includes the right flow path ATL2 when viewed from the front, and the decorative plate member A805 composed of the visual appearance changing sheet A806 and the transparent sheet A805a is formed to a shape that occupies an area slightly smaller than the outer edge of the plate-shaped main body A803a.

Figure 58 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the viewing behavior changing sheet A806. The viewing behavior changing sheet A806 can also be called a viewing angle control sheet, and is structured by laminating a transparent resin film A806c to the front and back of a louver film in which transparent silicone rubber A806a and black silicone rubber A806b are alternately arranged, and it is possible to design the angular range (viewing angle) of transmitted light by varying the arrangement interval and posture of the black silicone rubber A806b during manufacturing.

The visual appearance changing sheet A806 is a sheet that is attached to the front side of the plate-shaped main body A803a as shown in FIG. 56, and is required to be very thin since it is placed in the limited area of the gap between the glass unit 16. In this embodiment, too, a finely designed sheet is used in which the transparent resin film A806c is a film made of polycarbonate and has a thickness of about 0.2 mm, and the black silicone rubber A806b is arranged at an interval (pitch) of about 0.1 mm.

Figures 59(a) and 59(b) are schematic diagrams showing the change in appearance of the downstream guide member A803 depending on the viewing direction. Figure 59(a) shows the appearance when viewed in the direction of arrow AEL1 in Figure 58, and Figure 59(b) shows the appearance when viewed in the direction of arrow AEL2 in Figure 58. Note that in Figure 59, although changes in the external shape may occur depending on the viewing direction, for convenience, the same shape is shown ignoring the change in external shape. Also, in Figure 59, the inner surfaces of the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2, which are visible through the viewing appearance changing sheet A806, are shown in solid lines.

In this embodiment, the spacing and orientation of the black silicone rubber A806b (see Figure 58) are designed so that the viewing angle at which the rear side of the visual appearance changing sheet A806 can be seen through the visual appearance changing sheet A806 is approximately 30 degrees.

That is, as shown in FIG. 59(a), when the viewing manner-changing sheet A806 is viewed in the direction of the arrow AEL1 (see FIG. 58) (when viewed directly in front of the downstream guide member A803), the viewing manner-changing sheet A806 can be seen through and the left flow path ATL1 located at the back.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 59(b), when the visual appearance-changing sheet A806 is viewed in the direction of the arrow AEL2 (see FIG. 58) at an angle larger than the viewing angle (when viewed from a position shifted to the side from directly in front of the downstream guide member A803, for example, when viewed diagonally from directly in front of the third pattern display device 81 (see FIG. 2)), the visual appearance-changing sheet A806 cannot be transmitted and the front side of the visual appearance-changing sheet A806 is viewed (if the surface is decorated with figures, illustrations, etc., the decoration is viewed), making it difficult to view the ball flowing down the left flow path ATL1.

In this way, in this embodiment, it is easier for the player to see the game ball flowing down the left flow path ATL1 when viewing the downstream guide member A803 in the direction of arrow AEL1 than when viewing the downstream guide member A803 in the direction of arrow AEL2.

By utilizing the function of the visual appearance changing sheet A806 as described above, it is possible to make the player see only the ball that is most profitable for the player among the balls passing through the downstream guide member A803. This will be described in more detail.

A player playing on a pachinko machine 10 basically plays while viewing the display area of the third pattern display device 81 (see FIG. 2) and the effects that are created by the movable parts (e.g., operating units A400-A600) that operate in front of it, so they rarely stare at a specific area of the play area, and often glance sideways at the downstream guide member A803 while viewing the third pattern display device 81 from the front (e.g., looking in the direction of arrow AEL2 in FIG. 58).

For example, even during time-saving or special bonus play when playing with the right hand to shoot the ball toward the second winning port 640 or the specific winning port 65a (see Figure 2), the player will want to focus on the presentation in the display area of the third pattern display device 81 (see Figure 2), so once the player has confirmed that the game ball is indeed flowing downward by glancing sideways at the downstream guide member A803, they will usually take their eyes off the downstream guide member A803 and focus on the display area of the third pattern display device 81.

In this embodiment, in the downstream guide member A803, which is only visible for such a short time, game balls that flow into the left flow path ATL1 do not flow to the second winning port 640 or the specific winning port 65a (see Figure 2) side, but are discharged from the game area. This type of configuration is adopted to keep the prize ball performance per unit time of the pachinko machine 10 within the standard (for adjusting the game time and prize balls), but for players, balls that flow into the left flow path ATL1 are not very desirable balls.

Being exposed to such undesirable ball movements can dampen the player's interest and can easily result in a lack of motivation to play the pachinko machine 10 again, which can be undesirable.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the viewing pattern changing sheet A806 allows the player to see only the game ball flowing in the right-side flow path ATL2, but not the game ball flowing in the left-side flow path ATL1, when the player looks sideways at the downstream guide member A803 (for example, in the direction of the arrow AEL2).

In other words, by making only the ball flowing down the right-side flow path ATL2 visible when looking sideways at the downstream guide member A803, the downstream guide member A803 has multiple flow paths for the game ball to flow down, the left-side flow path ATL1 and the right-side flow path ATL2, but the player can only see the game ball flowing down the right-side flow path ATL2. This makes it seem to the player that all of the balls fired are being guided to the second winning hole 640 or the specific winning hole 65a (guided without waste), which increases the player's interest and therefore increases the player's desire to play again.

In this way, in this embodiment, by utilizing the viewing mode changing sheet A806, a player playing while viewing the display performance unfolding in the display area of the third pattern display device 81 can be configured to avoid seeing unfavorable balls (balls that are not guided to the second winning port 640 or the specific winning port 65a) flowing down the left flow path ATL1, and can be configured to only see favorable balls (balls that are guided to the second winning port 640 or the specific winning port 65a) flowing down the right flow path ATL2.

On the other hand, some players may wish to see disadvantageous balls flowing down the left flow path ATL1 as well. In this case, by moving their head from in front of the third pattern display device 81 and looking in the direction from the front of the downstream guide member A803 (in the direction of arrow AEL1 in FIG. 58), it is possible to see the balls flowing down the left flow path ATL1. This makes it possible to avoid the accumulation of dissatisfaction among players who wish to see disadvantageous balls flowing down the left flow path ATL1, and to prevent such players from losing their willingness to play again.

The second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 60. In the first embodiment, the rotational motion unit 400b of the first motion unit A400 is configured to extend in the longitudinal direction (the direction connecting the rotational shaft AJ1 and the rotation tip) with the tilting motion. However, in the first motion unit A2400 of the second embodiment, the rotational motion unit 400b is configured to extend and contract in the longitudinal direction with the tilting motion. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

Figure 60 is a rear view of the first operating unit A2400 in the second embodiment. Figure 60 illustrates the first operating unit A2400 in a performance standby state. Note that in the first operating unit A2400 in the second embodiment, the rotation operating unit 400b is the same as in the first embodiment, while the support unit A2400a is different from the support unit A400a in the first embodiment, particularly in the guide long hole A2414. Note that in the explanation of Figure 60, Figures 19 and 20 will be referred to as appropriate.

Instead of the long guide hole A414 described above in the first embodiment, the support unit A2400a has a long guide hole A2414 through which the columnar protrusion A448 of the rotational motion unit A400b is guided.

The guide elongated hole A2414 includes a first arc portion A2414a extending from the right end to the left in an arc shape, a second arc portion A2414b formed to the left of the first arc portion A2414a in an arc shape with a shorter radius than the first arc portion A2414a, a third arc portion A2414c formed to the left of the second arc portion A2414b in an arc shape with a longer radius than the first arc portion A2414a, a first straight portion A2414d formed in a straight hole shape connecting the left end of the first arc portion A2414a and the right end of the second arc portion A2414b, and a second straight portion A2414e formed in a straight hole shape connecting the left end of the second arc portion A2414b and the right end of the third arc portion A2414c.

The first arc portion A2414a is formed in an arc shape centered on the rotating shaft rod AJ1 of a second radius AR2 whose radius is the second length AD2 (see FIG. 19(b)), the second arc portion A2414b is formed in an arc shape centered on the rotating shaft rod AJ1 of a first radius AR1 whose radius is the first length AD1 (see FIG. 19(a)), and the first straight portion A2414d is formed in an inclined straight line.

Therefore, when the drive motor AMT1 is driven from the performance standby state of the first operating unit A2400 and the rotation operating unit A400b starts tilting, the longitudinal length of the rotation operating unit A400b does not change and only the rotation operation continues while the columnar protrusion portion A448 moves along the first arc portion A2414a.

Furthermore, while the columnar protrusion A448 moves along the first straight section A2414d, the rotational movement continues while the longitudinal length of the rotational movement unit A400b changes in the direction of shrinking, so the driving resistance increases.

Furthermore, while the columnar protrusion A448 moves along the second arc portion A2414b, the longitudinal length of the rotational motion unit A400b does not change and the rotational motion continues, so the driving resistance decreases accordingly.

In this way, the guide elongated hole A2414 is configured to increase the drive resistance when the columnar protrusion A448 enters the first straight section A2414d, so that it is easy to perform operation control to suddenly stop the rotation operation unit A400b in the posture when the columnar protrusion A448 enters the first straight section A2414d.

When the columnar protrusion A448 moves in the order of the first arc portion A2414a, the first straight portion A2414d, and the second arc portion A2414b, only the length of the rotational motion unit A400b in the longitudinal direction changes (see Figures 19(a) and 19(b)), and there is no change in the length of the rotational motion unit A400b in the width direction.

The second straight section A2414e is formed as an inclined straight line extending on the straight line AVL2 passing through the center of the rotating shaft rod AJ1. Therefore, when the columnar protrusion A448 moves along the second straight section A2414e, the rotation of the rotational motion unit A400b is stopped, and only a displacement extending in the longitudinal direction occurs.

When the length between the columnar protrusion A448 and the rotating shaft rod AJ1 becomes longer than the second length AD2 while the columnar protrusion A448 moves leftward along the second straight section A2414e, in addition to the displacement extending in the longitudinal direction of the rotating motion unit A400b, a displacement extending in the lateral direction of the rotating motion unit A400b occurs (displacement of the direction switching member A450 and the decorative member A460 outward to the left and right, see Figure 20).

Therefore, while the columnar protrusion A448 moves along the second straight section A2414e, the resistance applied to the drive motor AMT1 transitions from a state in which resistance is caused by the displacement extending in the longitudinal direction of the rotational motion unit A400b to a state in which resistance is also caused by the displacement extending in the lateral direction of the rotational motion unit A400b in addition to that resistance.

This makes it possible to increase the resistance to the displacement of the rotary motion unit A400b, and therefore to change the speed of displacement occurring in the rotary motion unit A400b when the driving force from the drive motor AMT1 is constant. In other words, the speed of displacement can be slowed down when the length between the columnar protrusion A448 and the rotary shaft rod AJ1 is longer than the second length AD2, compared to when the length between the columnar protrusion A448 and the rotary shaft rod AJ1 is shorter than the second length AD2, so that the player can be impressed by the displacement of the rotary motion unit A400b in the short direction.

The third arc portion A2414c is formed in an arc shape centered on the rotation shaft rod AJ1 with a fourth radius AR4, whose radius is the fourth length AD4 (see FIG. 20(b)), and is positioned lower toward the tilted tip of the rotation motion unit A400b.

As a result, after the columnar protrusion portion A448 enters the third arc portion A2414c from the second straight portion A2414e, a rotational movement (tilting movement) can be generated in a state in which the rotational movement unit A400b is displaced to its maximum in both the longitudinal and lateral directions (see FIG. 20(b)), thereby increasing the impact of the rotational movement of the rotational movement unit A400b.

The position of the left end of the third arc portion A2414c is the same as the left end of the long guide hole A414 in the first embodiment. When the drive motor AMT1 is driven in the direction opposite to the direction in which the rotational motion unit A400b is tilted from a state in which the columnar protrusion A448 is disposed at the left end of the third arc portion A2414c, the columnar protrusion A448 is guided to the right through the long guide hole A2414, causing the rotational motion unit A400b to rotate in the direction of rising up, similar to the first motion unit A400 in the first embodiment.

The third embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 61 to 63. In the first embodiment, the rotational motion unit 400b of the first motion unit A400 moves from an upright state to a tilted state, but the first motion unit A3400 of the third embodiment is configured to move from a horizontally extending state to a tilted state. The same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

Figures 61 to 63 are schematic rear views of the first operating unit A3400 in the third embodiment. In Figure 61, the first performance standby state of the first operating unit A3400 is illustrated typically, in Figure 62, the extended state of the first operating unit A3400 is illustrated typically, and in Figure 63, the second performance standby state of the first operating unit A3400 is illustrated typically. In addition, in Figures 61 to 63, in order to make it easier to understand the positional relationship, the external position of the rear case A210 (see Figure 7) (part of the illustration is omitted at the lower side) and the external position of the third pattern display device 81 (see Figure 2) are illustrated with imaginary lines.

The first operating unit A3400 includes a support member A3400a that is fastened to the rear case A210 on the inside of the rear case A210, and a rotation operating unit A3400b that is supported so as to be rotatable around a rotation shaft AJ3 that is fixed to the support member A3400a.

The support member A3400a has a guide slot A3414 for guiding the displacement of the rotational motion unit A3400b. The guide slot A3414 has an arc portion A3414a formed in an arc shape centered on the rotational shaft rod AJ3, a straight portion A3414b extending linearly from the lower end of the arc portion A3414a with the tip side closer to the rotational shaft rod AJ3, and a recessed portion A3414c recessed downward from the lower end of the straight portion A3414b.

In order to avoid overlapping of the support member A3400a and the rotational motion unit A3400b, which would make the diagram difficult to see, the outline of the support member A3400a is shown by imaginary lines, and the inside of the outline is not shown except for the guide elongated hole A3414.

The rotational motion unit A3400b includes a base end member A3430 rotatably supported on the rotation shaft AJ3, and a tip end member A3440 disposed on the rotation tip side of the base end member A3430 and configured to be displaceable in the radial direction of a circle centered on the rotation shaft AJ1 relative to the base end member A3430.

The tip side member A3440 includes a movable body A3441 and a guided protrusion A3442 that protrudes in the front-rear direction from the side of the movable body A3441 closer to the rotation shaft rod AJ3 and is inserted into the guide long hole A3414.

The transmission of the driving force in the third embodiment is configured in the same way as in the first embodiment, in which the driving force is applied to the columnar protrusion A448 (see Figures 15 and 16) in the left-right direction as the guide long hole A427e of the connecting member A427a guided by the belt A423a moves in the left-right direction, displacing the rotational motion unit A400b.

That is, in the first operating unit A3400 in the third embodiment, the belt A423a, the connecting member A427a, and the long guide hole A427e (not shown) are configured to change their orientation by 90 degrees to move in the vertical direction, and as they move in the vertical direction, a driving force is applied in the vertical direction to the guided protrusion A3442 inserted into the long guide hole A427e, displacing the rotation operating unit A3400b.

The following describes the rotational movement of the first operating unit A3400 from the first performance standby state. When a driving force is generated to move the guided protrusion A3442 downward from the first performance standby state (see FIG. 61), the rotational movement unit A3400b starts a rotational movement centered on the rotation shaft rod AJ3.

Here, while the guided protrusion A3442 is guided by the arc portion A3414a of the guide slot A3414, no relative movement of the tip side member A3440 with respect to the base side member A3430 (longitudinal displacement of the rotational motion unit A3400b) occurs (see FIG. 62).

When a driving force is generated to move the guided protrusion A3442 further downward from the state shown in FIG. 62, the guided protrusion A3442 enters the straight portion A3414b of the guide slot A3414, so that the further the rotation progresses, the closer the guided protrusion A3442 gets to the rotating shaft rod AJ3.

As a result, in addition to the rotational motion of the rotational motion unit A3400b around the rotational axis AJ3, the tip side member A3440 starts to move relative to the base side member A3430, increasing the drive resistance.

When the tilt of the rotational motion unit A3400b progresses to the end, as shown in FIG. 63, the guided protrusion A3442 enters the recessed portion A3414c of the guide long hole A3414, and the tip side member A3440 moves relative to the base side member A3430 in a direction in which the distance between the guided protrusion A3442 and the rotation shaft rod AJ3 becomes longer compared to when it is located at the lower end side of the straight portion A3414b.

That is, when the rotational motion unit A3400b tilts from the first performance standby state, the tip side member A3440 of the rotational motion unit A3400b transitions from a state in which it does not move relative to the base side member A3430 to a state in which it moves relatively toward the base side member A3430, and then transitions from a state in which it moves relatively toward the base side member A3430 to a state in which it moves relatively away from the base side member A3430. In this way, the variation in the relative movement of the tip side member A3440 with respect to the base side member A3430 when the rotational motion unit A3400b tilts can be increased.

In the state shown in FIG. 63, the movement of the guided protrusion A3442 in the rotational direction around the rotation shaft rod AJ3 is prevented by the recessed portion A3414c. Therefore, even if the tilting operation of the rotational operation unit A3400b is performed at high speed, the occurrence of a return movement in the rotational direction (a rotational operation in the opposite direction due to a reaction) can be prevented by the guided protrusion A3442 being stopped by the recessed portion A3414c.

In addition, by generating an upward driving force from the state shown in FIG. 63, the rotational motion unit A3400b can be rotated (raised) in such a manner that the guided protrusion A3442 is guided in the opposite direction.

As described above, in the third embodiment, the direction of tilting of the rotational motion unit A3400b is set to a direction that rotates under its own weight, so the driving force required at the start of the tilting motion can be reduced.

In addition, it is possible to change the appearance of the rotational motion unit A3400b by shrinking in the longitudinal direction during the tilting motion. This allows the rotational motion unit A3400b to deform in a more compact direction during the tilting motion, and by reducing the centrifugal force that occurs during this motion, it is possible to stabilize the stopping position along the way and the stopping at the end.

In addition, since the guide long hole A3414 for regulating the displacement of the tip side member A3440 is arranged near the rotating shaft rod AJ3, the support member A3400a for forming the guide long hole A3414 can be made smaller. In addition, since it is not necessary to arrange the configuration of the first operating unit A3400 up to the area on the rotation tip side of the rotation operating unit A3400b in the rear case A210 (the area to the right of the third pattern display device 81 in Figure 61), the degree of freedom in arranging the operating units in the rear case A210 can be improved.

The fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 64. In the first embodiment, a fixed downstream guide member A803 changes the visibility of the ball flowing down the play area, but in the ball guide unit A4900 of the fourth embodiment, the part that changes the visibility of the ball is configured to be displaceable. Note that the same parts as in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figures 64(a) and 64(b) are cross-sectional views of the ball guiding unit A4900 in the fourth embodiment. Figure 64(a) shows the electric device 640a in a closed state, and Figure 64(b) shows the electric device 640a in an open state.

Figure 64 shows a cross-sectional view in a plane that passes through the middle of the electric prop 640a and is perpendicular to the left-right direction. To facilitate understanding, the base plate A60 and glass unit 16 are shown with imaginary lines, and only the opening and closing plate of the electric prop 640a is shown, with other drive mechanisms omitted.

As shown in FIG. 64, the ball guide unit A4900 is a unit that forms a ball flow path between the glass unit 16 and the base plate A60, and includes a flow path forming member A4910 made of a light-transmitting resin material and fastened to the base plate A60, a light-guiding displacement member A4920 made of a light-transmitting resin material and configured to be movable up and down along the front surface of the flow path forming member, a covering member A4930 made of a light-transmitting resin material and fastened to the base plate A60, arranged to sandwich the light-guiding displacement member A4920 from the opposite side to the flow path forming member A4910, and a solenoid A4940 for driving the light-guiding displacement member A4920.

The flow path forming member A4910 comprises a rear side plate portion A4911 formed along the surface of the base plate A60, a front side plate portion A4912 arranged parallel to the front side of the rear side plate portion A4911 with a distance slightly longer than the diameter of the sphere, and a thick main body portion A4913 connecting the lower ends of the rear side plate portion A4911 and the front side plate portion A4912.

A through hole A4911a is formed in the rear side plate A4911 to allow the electric prop 640a to pass through, and the through hole A4911a allows the electric prop 640a to move back and forth in parallel between a closed state (see FIG. 64(a)) in which it is positioned close to the front side plate A4912, and an open state (see FIG. 64(b)) in which it is retracted to the rear.

The light-guiding displacement member A4920 includes a guided plate portion A4921 that is disposed opposite the front side surface of the front side plate portion A4912 of the flow path forming member A4910 and whose displacement is guided by the front side surface, and an extension portion A4922 that extends rearward from the lower end portion of the guided plate portion A4921.

The guided plate portion A4921 has a number of linear grooves A4921a cut into the back surface of the upper portion. The linear grooves A4921a function to refract light incident from the end of the guided plate portion A4921 and emit it toward the front surface (having the same function as the linear grooves A732 (see FIG. 48) described above in the first embodiment).

The covering member A4930 includes a front guide plate portion A4931 that is disposed opposite the front side surface of the guided plate portion A4921 and is configured to guide the displacement of the guided plate portion A4921 together with the front side plate portion A4912 of the flow path forming member A4910, an extension portion A4932 that extends rearward from the lower end of the front guide plate portion A4931 and has its rear end fastened and fixed to the base plate A60, and a light emitting substrate A4933 that is fixedly disposed on the upper surface side of the front end of the extension portion A4932 and has light emitting means A4933a such as an LED that irradiates light upward.

The light emitting means A4933a is arranged and designed so that its optical axis is aligned with the extension direction (vertical direction) of the guided plate portion A4921 of the light guiding displacement member A4920, and is configured so that light is guided upward from the lower end of the guided plate portion A4921 along the inside of the guided plate portion A4921. In other words, the light irradiated from the light emitting means A4933a is configured to reach the linear groove portion A4921a.

In this embodiment, when light is emitted from the light-emitting means A4933a, the light is refracted by the linear groove portion A4921a and travels toward the front side, so that the linear groove portion A4921a emits light brightly and visibility through the linear groove portion A4921a decreases.

Therefore, when viewed in a direction that overlaps with the linear groove portion A4921a, the visibility of the ball flowing down behind it decreases. It is easier to see the ball rolling on the electric prop 640a when viewed in a direction ADL1 that looks diagonally down the linear groove portion A4921a than when viewed in the front-to-back direction.

On the other hand, if you try to view a ball rolling below the electric prop 640a (corresponding to the ball in the position shown in FIG. 64(b)) from diagonally above in the direction ADL2 without changing your eye position from the position in the direction ADL1 in which the ball rolling on the top surface of the electric prop 640a in FIG. 64(a) is viewed from diagonally above, the linear groove portion A4921a will be in line with your line of sight, reducing the visibility of the ball.

Therefore, players who want to see the ball with good visibility will have to change their eye position every time the electric device 640a is opened or closed. This reduces the burden on the player since the ball can be released by hitting it with the right hand, but the burden on the player increases due to the frequent changing of eye position.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the operation timing of the electric role 640a and the drive timing of the solenoid A4940 are controlled to be synchronized. That is, when the electric role 640a is in the open state, the solenoid A4940 is driven and the light guide displacement member A4920 is displaced downward, eliminating the state in which the linear groove portion A4921a blocks the line of sight to the ball rolling below the electric role 640a.

As a result, the player can simply change the direction of his or her line of sight between directions ADL1 and ADL2 without changing the position of his or her eyes, and the visibility of the ball will not be impaired even if the rolling position of the ball changes in response to the opening and closing of the electric device 640a, thereby reducing the burden on the player when playing the game.

When the ball guiding unit A4900 is viewed from the front to back in the state shown in FIG. 64(a), if there is a ball rolling below the electric device 640a, the line of sight to the ball is not blocked by the linear groove portion A4921a. Therefore, if there is a ball flowing directly below the electric device 640a immediately after the electric device 640a is switched from the open state to the closed state (for example, if there is an over-winning ball), the ball can be seen by the player without any problem by viewing it from the front to back.

Compared to the state shown in FIG. 64(a), the distance between the light emitting means A4933a and the guided plate portion A4921 is shorter in the state shown in FIG. 64(b). Therefore, when light from the light emitting means A4933a is irradiated toward the guided plate portion A4921, there is less light leakage in the state shown in FIG. 64(b) compared to the state shown in FIG. 64(a), so even if the amount of light irradiated from the light emitting means A4933a is the same, the state shown in FIG. 64(b) can illuminate the linear groove portion A4921a more brightly than the state shown in FIG. 64(a).

On the other hand, compared to the state shown in FIG. 64(b), the state shown in FIG. 64(a) allows the position of the linear groove portion A4921a to be closer to the player (upper side), so the range of the covering member A4930 illuminated by the light refracted by the linear groove portion A4921a can be closer to the player (upper side).

The front side of the front guide plate portion A4931 of the covering member A4930 is decorated with figures, illustrations, etc., and the illuminated area of this decoration can be moved closer to the player (upper side), thereby improving the presentation effect provided by the front guide plate portion A4931.

The fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 65. In the first embodiment, the columnar protrusion A448 of the first operating unit A400 is formed to protrude from the back side of the moving member A440 and cannot move relative to the plate-shaped main body A442. However, in the first operating unit A5400 of the fifth embodiment, a columnar protrusion member A5448 is configured to be movable relative to the moving member A5440. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figures 65(a) and 65(b) are rear views of the rotational motion unit A5400b in the fifth embodiment. Figure 65(a) illustrates the state of the rotational motion unit A5400b in a state corresponding to the performance standby state (see Figure 7), and Figure 65(b) illustrates the state of the rotational motion unit A5400b in a state corresponding to the extended state (see Figure 7).

The following describes the configuration of the rotational motion unit A5400b, focusing on the differences from the rotational motion unit A400b described in the first embodiment. In the rotational motion unit A5400b in this embodiment, a columnar protrusion member A5448 is disposed so as to be movable relative to the moving member A5440 as a member corresponding to the columnar protrusion portion A448 in the first embodiment.

That is, the columnar protruding member A5448 has its protruding tip portion (rear end portion) inserted rearward into the long guide hole A5442a drilled in the plate-shaped main body A5442 of the movable member A5440 and protrudes outward, while its protruding base end portion (front side portion) is formed in a shape larger than the long guide hole A5442a, thereby functioning as a retainer, so that the columnar protruding member A5448 is configured to be movable relative to the plate-shaped main body A5442 along the long guide hole A5442a.

The columnar protrusion member A5448 is biased toward the right end of the guide slot A5442a (the end where the columnar protrusion member A5448 is positioned in FIG. 65(b)) by a biasing member (not shown) such as a spring that generates a biasing force in one direction.

The guide slot A5442a is formed as a curved slot that extends along an arc centered on the rotating shaft rod AJ1 when in the performance standby state. This makes it possible to prevent the columnar protrusion member A5448 from coming out of the arc portion A414a (see FIG. 24) of the guide slot A414 even if the position of the columnar protrusion member A5448 changes inside the guide slot A5442a.

This makes it easier to avoid an increase in the motion resistance between the columnar protruding member A5448 and the arc portion A414a when the rotational motion unit A5400b tilts from the performance standby state.

In the rotational motion unit A5400b, the base plate member A5430 has an extension guide portion A5438 extending from one short side (left side in FIG. 65(a)) of the longitudinal tip portion (upper end portion in FIG. 65(a)).

The extension guide portion A5438 is extended to a position where it can come into contact with the columnar protrusion member A5448, regardless of where the columnar protrusion member A5448 is positioned in the guide long hole A5442a, and the load generated when they come into contact allows the columnar protrusion member A5448 to move along the guide long hole A5442a.

That is, as shown in FIG. 65(b), when the movable member A5440 moves toward the rotation shaft rod AJ1 relative to the base plate member A5430 from a state in which the columnar protrusion member A5448 is disposed at one end of the guide long hole A5442a (left end of the paper in FIG. 65(b)), the columnar protrusion member A5448 comes into contact with the upper surface of the extended guide portion A5438 during the movement, and receives a load, so that it moves toward the other end of the guide long hole A5442a (right end of the paper in FIG. 65(a)). Then, finally, the columnar protrusion member A5448 is disposed on a straight line passing through the rotation shaft rod AJ1 as the movement direction of the movable member A5440.

The above-mentioned configuration enables good transmission of driving force to the rotational motion unit A5400b when the first motion unit A5400 tilts from the standby state for performance.

Here, in transmitting the driving force from the extended state, as described above in the first embodiment, the component of the load applied to the columnar protrusion A448 that is parallel to the relative movement direction of the moving member A440 with respect to the base plate member A430 (the linear direction passing through the rotation shaft rod AJ1) does not pass through the rotation shaft rod AJ1, but generates a force in the rotation direction centered on the rotation shaft rod AJ1, thereby enabling the rotational motion unit A400b to move smoothly from the extended state.

In the first embodiment, in order to produce this effect, the position of the columnar protrusion A448 is purposely shifted from the center of the short side of the moving member A440. On the other hand, if the rotational motion unit A400b is made to stand with the columnar protrusion A448 in a shifted position and the standing state is supported and maintained by the columnar protrusion A448, it is difficult to achieve balance when the longitudinal direction of the rotational motion unit A400b faces vertically, and it tends to be in a slightly tilted position (see FIG. 24).

In contrast, according to this embodiment, the columnar protruding member A5448 is configured to be movable relative to the movable member A5440, so that when the rotational motion unit A5400b is raised (see FIG. 65(a)), it is easy to achieve balance in a position in which the longitudinal direction of the rotational motion unit A400b faces vertically.

In this embodiment, the posture of the rotational motion unit A5400b in the standing state can be designed as desired depending on the design of the length of the guide long hole A5442a. In this way, in this embodiment, it is possible to improve the design freedom of the posture in the performance standby state while maintaining the effect of improving the transmission of driving force from the extended state.

The sixth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 66. In the first embodiment, the visibility changing sheet A806 changes the appearance of the ball flow path (play area) when the viewing angle changes left and right. However, the flow path front component A6900 of the sixth embodiment is configured so that the appearance of the ball flow path (play area) changes when the viewing angle changes up and down. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 66 is a cross-sectional view of the flow path front component A6900 in the sixth embodiment. In Figure 66, the flow path front component A6900 is viewed in cross section in a plane formed by the vertical side and the front-rear side at a location where a ball can pass. Note that the front and rear sides of the base plate A60 arranged opposite the flow path front component A6900 are shown by imaginary lines.

The flow path front component A6900 includes a cover member A6910 made of a non-transparent resin material and arranged opposite the front side of the base plate A60, a decorative plate A6920 that is a plate-shaped member made of a light-transparent resin material and attached (or fastened) to the front side of the cover member A6910, and is decorated on the front side, and a fastening part A6930 that fastens and fixes the cover member A6910 to the base plate A60.

The screen member A6910 comprises a pair of plate-shaped bodies A6911 (one side of which is shown in FIG. 66) that extend in a plate-like manner in the up-down direction, and a number of louver sections A6913 that extend in the left-right direction between the pair of plate-shaped bodies A6911 and form rectangular elongated holes A6912 that extend in the left-right direction together with the pair of plate-shaped bodies A6911.

The horizontal length of the rectangular long hole A6912 and the louver portion A6913 is longer than the diameter of the ball, and is formed with a length that corresponds to the horizontal width of the play area at the placement location. In addition, the vertical spacing of the louver portion A6913 is designed to be smaller than the diameter of the ball.

There are various exemplary manufacturing methods for the screen member A6910. For example, it may be a method in which a plurality of louver portions A6913 are fixed to the plate-shaped main body A6911, or a method in which a rectangular long hole A6912 is formed by drilling holes or the like in a plate having a thickness corresponding to the front-to-rear length of the plate-shaped main body A6911, and the plurality of louver portions A6913 are formed as the remaining portion.

The louver portion A6913 is slightly wider in the front-to-back direction, and decorative illustrations are applied to the top and bottom sides. When viewing the flow path front component A6900 in the direction of arrow AEL61, the line of sight is blocked by the louver portion A6913, making it difficult to see the ball AB61 flowing down its back side. In this case, a reduction in the presentation effect is avoided by allowing the player to view the illustrations applied to the upper side of the louver portion A6913.

On the other hand, when viewing the flow path front component A6900 in the direction of arrow AEL62 (viewing in the direction along the front-to-rear direction), the line of sight does not overlap with the upper or lower side surfaces of the louver portion A6913, and the sphere AB61 can be viewed through the parts other than those hidden by the upper and lower thicknesses of the louver portion A6913, i.e., through the rectangular elongated hole A6912.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 66, the louver portion A6913 is shaped so that its vertical thickness is shorter than its front-to-back width, so that the visibility of the sphere AB61 flowing downstream behind the front component A6900 can be improved when the front component A6900 is viewed in the direction of the arrow AEL62 compared to when the front component A6900 is viewed in the direction of the arrow AEL61.

Next, the seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 67 to 77. First, the schematic configuration of the board box W100 will be described with reference to Figs. 67 to 71. Note that parts that are the same as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 67 is a rear view of the pachinko machine W10 in the seventh embodiment, Figure 68 is a front perspective view of the board box W100, Figure 69 is a rear perspective view of the board box W100, Figure 70 is a front view of the board box W100, Figure 71 (a) is a rear view of the board box W100, Figure 71 (b) is a side view of the board box W100 as viewed in the direction of the arrow LXXIb in Figure 71 (a), showing the state in which the protective cover W500 has been removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W300. Figure 72 (a) is a partial front perspective view of the board box W100, Figure 72 (b) is a partial rear perspective view of the board box W100, and Figures 72 (a) and 72 (b) show the state in which the protective cover W500 and the sealing seal WSL have been removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W300.

In addition, the arrows F-B, L-R, and U-D in Figures 67 to 71 indicate the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions of the board box B100, respectively. This also applies to the following figures, so their explanations are omitted.

The pachinko machine W10 in the seventh embodiment has the same configuration as the pachinko machine 10 in the first embodiment, except for the circuit board box W100. Therefore, a description of the rest will be omitted.

As shown in Figures 67 to 71, the board box W100 includes a box cover W200, a box base W300 whose opening is covered by the box cover W200, a sealing unit W400 that connects the box cover W200 and the box base W300 together so that they cannot be opened (connected by a crimping structure), and a protective cover W500 and a sealing seal WSL that are disposed on the end of the box cover W200 and the box base W300 connected by the sealing unit W400 on the opposite side from the sealing unit W400, and houses a main control board (not shown). The board box W100 may also house a sub-control board, boards for light-emitting or sound-emitting effects, various switches, connectors, a game board, gadgets, or a drive motor for driving the gadgets.

A rotation axis W410 is formed in the sealing unit W400. The rotation axis W410 is an axis for rotatably supporting the board box W100 on the rear side of the inner frame 12 (see FIG. 1), and is formed as an axis parallel to the up-down direction (direction of arrows U-D) of the board box W100 (box cover W200) and perpendicular to the left-right direction (direction of arrows L-R) of the board box W100 (box cover W200).

The rotation shaft W410 is disposed on the right side (arrow R direction side) of the board box W100 (box cover W200) when viewed from the rear (arrow F direction). The rotation shaft W410 may be disposed on the left side (arrow L direction side) of the board box W100 (box cover W200), or the rotation shaft W410 may be disposed on the upper side (arrow U direction side), lower side (arrow D direction side), front side (arrow F direction side), or rear side (arrow B direction side) of the board box W100 (box cover W200).

The box cover W200 mainly comprises a rear wall W201 formed in a plate shape of a generally horizontally elongated rectangle when viewed from the front, plate-shaped walls (upper wall, lower wall, left wall W202 and right wall connecting the upper wall and lower wall) erected from the four sides of the rear wall W201 toward the box base W300 (arrow F direction), and a cover-side engaged portion W210 protruding to the left from the left wall W202. The box cover W200 is formed in a box shape with the box base W300 side open by each wall. The box cover W200 is made of a light-transmitting resin material and is molded using a resin molding die.

The protective cover W500 is attached to the cover-side engaged part W210 together with the base-side engaged part W310 described later. The cover-side engaged part W210 mainly comprises a base part W211 protruding from the left wall part W202 toward the opposite side to the sealing unit W400 (arrow L direction side), a side wall part W212 formed at the protruding tip of the base part W211, a flat part W220 protruding from the side wall part W212 toward the opposite side to the sealing unit W400, an upper protruding part W213a, and a lower protruding part W213b, and a cover part W214 protruding from the back of the base part W211 and the flat part W220 toward the opposite side to the box base W300 (arrow B direction side).

The base portion W211 is a portion for connecting the left wall portion W202 and the side wall portion W212, and is formed in a plate shape. The side wall portion W212 is a portion for restricting the displacement of the protective cover W500 toward the sealing unit W400 (the direction of the arrow R), and is formed in a plate shape.

An upper protrusion W213a, a lower protrusion W213b, and a flat surface W220 are disposed on the side wall W212. The upper protrusion W213a is disposed above the flat surface W220 (in the direction of the arrow U), and the lower protrusion W213b is disposed on the opposite side of the flat surface W220 from the upper protrusion W213a (in the direction of the arrow D).

The back surface of the lower protrusion W213b is disposed closer to the box base W300 (in the direction of arrow F) than the back surface of the side wall W212 and the erected portion W540 of the protective cover W500 described below.

The flat portion W220 is a portion to which the sealing seal WSL is attached, and is formed in a plate shape. The flat portion W220 mainly comprises a protrusion W221 and a pair of upright portions W222 that protrude toward the opposite side (arrow B direction) from the box base W300, a pair of end wall portions W223 arranged at both ends of the flat portion W220 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction), recesses W224a, W224b recessed into the back surface of the flat portion W220, a pair of fastening holes W225 drilled through the flat portion W220 in the plate thickness direction (arrow F-B direction), and a notch portion W226 (see FIG. 76) cut out at the end of the flat portion W220 on the opposite side (arrow L direction) from the sealing unit W400.

The protrusion W221 is a protrusion for restricting the displacement of the protective cover W500 in the direction opposite the sealing unit W400 (the direction of the arrow L). The protrusion W221 is formed with an inclined portion W221a that inclines toward the opposite side of the box base W300 (the direction of the arrow B) as it moves from the side opposite the sealing unit W400 toward the sealing unit W400 side (the direction of the arrow R).

The erected portion W222 and both end wall portions W223 are intended to prevent a wire that is improperly inserted through the gap formed between the side wall portion W212 and the protective cover W500 from releasing the adhesion between the flat portion W220 and the sealing seal WSL.

The pair of standing portions W222 are formed extending in the up-down direction (the direction of the arrows U-D) at a predetermined distance from the side wall portion W212. Both ends of the pair of standing portions W222 in the up-down direction are joined to a pair of end wall portions W223, and no gap is formed between the pair of standing portions W222 and the pair of end wall portions W223.

The pair of end wall portions W223 are formed in a plate shape and are disposed at both ends of the flat portion W220 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction) with the plate thickness directions of the pair of end wall portions W223 facing each other. The ends of the pair of end wall portions W223 on the box base W300 side (arrow F direction side) and the ends on the opposite side to the box base W300 (arrow B direction side) are formed to protrude toward the box base W300 side and the opposite side to the box base W300 from the front and back sides of the flat portion W220, respectively. In addition, the ends of the pair of end wall portions W223 on the opposite side to the sealing unit W400 (arrow L direction side) are formed to protrude toward the opposite side to the sealing unit W400 from the ends of the flat portion W220 on the opposite side to the sealing unit W400. The front faces of the pair of end wall portions W223 are disposed on approximately the same plane as the protruding surfaces of the erected portions W222.

The recesses W224a and W224b are portions for forming a space between the affixing surface of the sealing seal WSL and the flat surface portion W220. By forming the recesses W224a and W224b separately from each other, the area in which the flat surface portion W220 and the sealing seal WSL are affixed can be increased.

The recesses W224a, W224b may be formed so as to be connected to each other. This makes it easier to ensure the formability of the box cover W200 and reduces manufacturing costs. The recesses W224a, W224b may be formed so as to penetrate the plate thickness direction (arrow F-B direction) of the planar portion W220. This makes it easier to ensure the formability of the box cover W200.

The dimension of the recess W224a in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) is formed to be approximately the same as or slightly larger than the dimension of the connecting piece W531a of the protective cover W500 in the left-right direction, which will be described later, and the dimension of the recess W224a in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction) is formed to be approximately three times the dimension of the connecting piece W531a in the up-down direction. The dimension of the recess W224b in the up-down direction is formed to be approximately the same as or slightly larger than the dimension of the connecting piece W531b of the protective cover W500 in the up-down direction, and the dimension of the recess W224b in the left-right direction is formed to be approximately three times the dimension of the connecting piece W531b in the left-right direction.

The pair of fastening holes W225 are holes into which screws (not shown) are inserted to fasten the box cover W200 and the box base W300. The box cover W200 and the box base W300 are fastened by inserting the screws through the pair of fastening holes W225 and fastening them to the box base W300.

The notch portion W226, together with the notch portion W325 of the box base W300 described below, is a portion for forming a space on the attachment surface side (arrow R direction side) of the sealing seal WSL. The notch portion W226 is formed continuously from the upper end to the lower end of the flat portion W220. The notch portion W226 is also formed so as to incline toward the opposite side from the notch portion W325 (arrow B direction side) as it moves from the side wall portion W212 side (arrow R direction side) toward the opposite side from the sealing unit W400 (arrow L direction side).

The cover part W214 mainly comprises walls (upper wall part, lower wall part, right wall part connecting the right ends of the upper wall part and lower wall part) formed in a plate shape erected from the base part W211 and the flat part W220 toward the opposite side to the box base W300 (the direction of the arrow B), and a back wall part W214a connecting the erected tips of the upper wall part, lower wall part, and right wall part. The cover part W214 and the flat part W220 form a box shape that is open on the opposite side to the sealing unit W400 (the direction of the arrow L).

The upper and lower wall portions are formed to extend in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) and are disposed between the protrusion W221 and the pair of standing portions W222 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction). The rear wall portion W214a is formed in a plate shape. The end of the rear wall portion W214a on the opposite side to the sealing unit W400 (arrow L direction side) is disposed closer to the sealing unit W400 side (arrow R direction side) than the protrusion W221, and the protrusion W221 is visible when viewed from the rear (arrow F direction). This makes it possible to visually observe the engagement between the protrusion W221 and the engagement hole W533 of the protective cover W500 described below, and the engagement state between the box cover W200 and the protective cover W500 can be confirmed.

In addition, the rear wall portion W214a may be formed to protrude to a position where the end of the rear wall portion W214a on the side opposite the sealing unit W400 (the side in the direction of arrow L) overlaps the protrusion W221 when viewed from the rear. This makes it difficult to disengage the protrusion W221 from the engagement hole W533.

The box base W300 mainly comprises a front wall W301 formed in a generally horizontally elongated rectangular plate when viewed from the front, plate-shaped walls (upper wall, lower wall, left wall W302 and right wall connecting the upper and lower wall) erected from the four sides of the front wall W301 toward the box cover W200 (arrow B direction), and a base-side engaged portion W310 protruding from the left wall W302 toward the opposite side to the sealing unit W400 (arrow L direction). The box base W300 is formed in a box shape with an open back side by each wall. The box base W300 is made of a light-transmitting resin material and is molded using a resin molding die.

A protective cover W500 is attached to the base-side engaged portion W310 together with the cover-side engaged portion W210. The base-side engaged portion W310 mainly comprises an upper protruding portion W311 that protrudes from the left wall portion W302 toward the opposite side (the direction of the arrow L) from the sealing unit W400, a cover portion W312, and a flat portion W320.

The upper protrusion W311 is disposed at a position corresponding to the upper protrusion W213a of the cover-side engaged portion W210 when viewed from the front (as viewed in the direction of arrow B). The front surface of the upper protrusion W311 is disposed on approximately the same plane as the front surface of the front wall portion W301.

The cover portion W312 mainly comprises a front wall portion W312a formed in a plate shape, and wall portions (upper wall portion, lower wall portion, and left wall portion W312b connecting the ends of the upper wall portion and lower wall portion on the opposite side (arrow L direction) from the sealing unit W400) formed in a plate shape and extending from the three sides of the front wall portion W312a excluding the side on the sealing unit W400 side (arrow R direction) toward the box cover W200 side (arrow B direction). The upper wall portion, lower wall portion, and left wall portion W312b are formed in a plate shape, and the erected tips of the upper wall portion, lower wall portion, and left wall portion W312b are joined to the flat portion W320.

A pair of protrusions W312c protrude toward the box cover W200 (arrow B direction) at a specified distance in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction) on the back surface of the front wall portion W312a. The pair of protrusions W312c are protrusions for restricting displacement of the protective cover W500 toward the opposite side (arrow L direction) from the sealing unit W400. The pair of protrusions W312c are formed with an inclined portion W312d that inclines toward the box cover W200 (arrow B direction) as it moves from the opposite side (arrow L direction) from the sealing unit W400 toward the sealing unit W400 (arrow R direction).

A pair of through holes W312e are drilled through the left wall portion W312b in the plate thickness direction (arrow L-R direction) at positions corresponding to the pair of protrusions W312c in side view (arrow R direction). The inner shape of the pair of through holes W312e is formed larger than the outer shape of the pair of protrusions W312c, making the pair of protrusions W312c visible in side view.

The flat portion W320 is a portion to which the sealing seal WSL is affixed, and is formed in a plate shape. The flat portion W320 mainly comprises a pair of end wall portions W321 disposed at both ends of the flat portion W320 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction), a pair of fastening holes W322 drilled through the flat portion W320 in the plate thickness direction (arrow F-B direction), a pair of suppression portions W323 protruding from the flat portion W320 toward the opposite side to the box cover W200 (arrow F direction), and a protruding portion W324 protruding from the flat portion W320 toward the box cover W200 side (arrow B direction).

The pair of end wall portions W321 are formed in a plate shape and are disposed on the flat portion W320 with the plate thickness direction of the pair of end wall portions W321 aligned in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction). The ends of the pair of end wall portions W321 on the opposite side to the box cover W200 (arrow F direction side) are formed to protrude beyond the front surface of the flat portion W320. In addition, the ends of the pair of end wall portions W321 on the opposite side to the sealing unit W400 (arrow L direction side) are formed to protrude beyond the end of the flat portion W320 on the opposite side to the sealing unit W400.

The pair of fastening holes W322 are holes into which screws (not shown) are fastened that pass through a pair of fastening holes W225 drilled in the box cover W200, and the pair of fastening holes W322 are provided with internal threads on their inner peripheries. This fastens the box cover W200 and the box base W300 together.

The pair of suppression portions W323 are portions for preventing the protective cover W500 and the sealing seal WSL from coming into contact with each other. The protruding length of the pair of suppression portions W323 is longer than the thickness dimension of the sealing seal WSL. In the vertical direction (the direction of the arrows U-D), the pair of suppression portions W323 are disposed at positions corresponding to the pair of insertion holes W312e.

The protrusion W324 is disposed at the end of the flat portion W320 on the opposite side (arrow L direction) from the sealing unit W400, and a notch W325 is formed at the protruding tip of the protrusion W324 (see FIG. 76). The protrusion length of the protrusion W324 toward the box cover W200 side (arrow B direction) is formed to be the same as the protrusion length of the pair of end wall portions W223 from the front of the flat portion W220. This makes it possible to prevent gaps from being formed between the pair of end wall portions W321 and the pair of end wall portions W223 when the protrusion W324 and the flat portion W220 are in contact. This makes it possible to prevent unauthorized insertion of wire inside the box cover W200 and the box base W300.

The notch W325, together with the notch W226 of the box cover W200, is a portion for forming a space on the attachment surface side (arrow R direction side) of the sealing seal WSL. The notch W325 is formed continuously from the upper end to the lower end of the flat portion W320 (protruding portion W324) and is disposed opposite the notch W226 in the front-to-rear direction (arrow F-B direction). The notch W325 is also formed so as to incline toward the opposite side to the notch W226 (arrow F direction side) as it moves from the left wall portion W302 side (arrow R direction side) toward the opposite side to the sealing unit W400 (arrow L direction side).

The protective cover W500 is intended to shield the sealing seal WSL attached to the box cover W200 and the box base W300, and mainly comprises a rear wall W510 formed in a generally vertically elongated rectangular plate when viewed from the front, a front wall W520 formed in a generally vertically elongated rectangular plate when viewed from the front and facing the rear wall W510 at a predetermined distance toward the front side (arrow F direction), walls (upper wall W501, lower wall W502, and left wall W502) connecting three sides of the rear wall W510 and the front wall W520 excluding the right side (arrow R direction), engagement parts W530a, W530b connected to the rear wall W510 and the front wall W520 and formed in a plate, and an erect part W540 formed in an erect plate from the lower wall W501 downward (arrow D direction).

The protective cover W500 is formed into a box shape with each wall portion opening to the right side (the direction of the arrow R). The protective cover W500 is made of a light-transmitting resin material and is molded using a resin molding die.

The length of the rear wall portion W510 and the front wall portion W520 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) is longer than the length of the flat portion W220 and the flat portion W320. The distance between the opposing rear wall portion W510 and the front wall portion W520 is approximately the same as or slightly larger than the distance from the back of the end wall portions W223 of the box cover W200 to the front of the end wall portions W321 of the box base W300. The distance between the opposing upper wall portion and lower wall portion W501 of the protective cover W500 is greater than the distance between the surfaces opposite the opposing surfaces of the pair of end wall portions W223 (end wall portions W321).

This allows the cover-side engaged portion W210 and the base-side engaged portion W310 to be arranged inside the protective cover W500, and restricts displacement of the protective cover W500 in the front-to-rear direction (arrow F-B direction) when the protective cover W500 is attached to the box cover W200 and box base W300.

The rear wall W510 is formed intermittently in the up-down direction (arrows U-D direction), and in this embodiment, is not formed at one location. The rear wall W510 is the side that is not formed in the up-down direction, and mainly comprises a rib portion W511 that stands from an edge portion extending in the left-right direction (arrows L-R direction) toward the front wall W520 side (arrow F direction side), and a connecting portion W512 that connects the tips of the rib portions W511 together.

The back surface of the rear wall portion W510 is disposed slightly further forward (in the direction of arrow F) than the back surface of the side wall portion W212 of the box cover W200. This allows the back surface of the rear wall portion W510 to be disposed rearward (in the direction of arrow B) than the back surface of the side wall portion W212, preventing the formation of a step between the rear wall portion W510 and the side wall portion W212 in a state in which the rear wall portion W510 protrudes rearward beyond the side wall portion W212. As a result, it is possible to prevent unauthorized removal of the protective cover W500 from the box cover W200 and the box base W300 by using this step.

The rib portion W511 and the connecting portion W512 are portions for supporting the engaging portion W530a. The rib portion W511 is erected from an edge portion extending in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) of the rear wall portion W510, thereby preventing a wire that is improperly inserted through the gap between the rear wall portion W510 and the engaging portion W530b from releasing the adhesion between the flat portion W220 and the sealing seal WSL.

The erected length of the rib portion W511 is formed shorter than the protruding length of the end wall portions W223 toward the rear side (the direction of arrow B) from the flat portion W220 of the box cover W200. This prevents the rib portion W511 from contacting the sealing seal WSL and damaging the sealing seal WSL when the protective cover W500 is attached to the box cover W200 and the box base W300.

The connecting portion W512 is disposed to connect the rib portions W511 on the left side (the side indicated by the arrow L), and the length of the connecting portion W512 in the left-right direction (the direction indicated by the arrows L-R) is shorter than the length of the rear wall portion W510.

The front wall W520 is formed intermittently in the up-down direction (arrows U-D direction), and in this embodiment, is left unformed at two locations. Note that the position where the unformed portion is formed in the rear wall W510 in the up-down direction is different from the position where the unformed portion is formed in the front wall W520. The front wall W520 is the side that is left unformed in the up-down direction, and mainly comprises a rib portion W521 that stands from an edge portion extending in the left-right direction (arrows L-R direction) toward the rear wall W510 side (arrow B direction side), and a connecting portion W522 that connects the tips of the rib portion W521 together.

The front surface of the front wall portion W520 is disposed on approximately the same plane as or slightly toward the rear side (arrow B direction side) of the front surface of the upper overhang portion W311 of the box base W300. This allows the front surface of the front wall portion W520 to be disposed closer to the front side (arrow F direction side) than the front surface of the upper overhang portion W311, preventing the front wall portion W520 from protruding further forward than the upper overhang portion W311 and preventing a step from being formed between the front wall portion W520 and the upper overhang portion W311. As a result, it is possible to prevent unauthorized removal of the protective cover W500 from the box cover W200 and the box base W300 by using such a step.

The rib portion W521 and the connecting portion W522 are portions for supporting the engaging portion W530b. The rib portion W521 is erected from an edge portion extending in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) of the front wall portion W520, thereby preventing a wire that is improperly inserted through the gap between the front wall portion W520 and the engaging portion W530a from releasing the adhesion between the flat portion W320 and the sealing seal WSL.

The erected length of the rib portion W521 is formed shorter than the protruding length of both end wall portions W321 toward the front side (arrow F direction side) relative to the flat portion W320 of the box base W300. This prevents the rib portion W521 from contacting the sealing seal WSL and damaging the sealing seal WSL when the protective cover W500 is attached to the box cover W200 and the box base W300.

The connecting portion W522 is disposed to connect the rib portions W521 on the left side (the side indicated by the arrow L), and the length of the connecting portion W522 in the left-right direction (the direction indicated by the arrows L-R) is shorter than the length of the front wall portion W520.

The engagement parts W530a and W530b are parts for engaging the protective cover W500 with the box cover W200 and the box base W300. In this embodiment, one engagement part W530a is provided on the rear wall part W510 side of the protective cover W500, and a pair (two) engagement parts W530b are provided on the front wall part W520 side at a predetermined distance in the vertical direction (arrows U-D direction).

The engaging portion W530a is disposed between a pair of engaging portions W530b in the vertical direction (the direction of the arrows U-D). This makes it possible to disperse the engagement positions of the box cover W200 and the box base W300 with the protective cover W500 in the vertical direction, making it difficult to improperly remove the protective cover W500 from the box cover W200 and the box base W300.

It mainly comprises multiple (three in this embodiment) connecting pieces W531 formed at the ends of the engagement parts W530a, W530b on the left side (arrow L direction side), an inclined portion W532 formed at the ends of the engagement parts W530a, W530b on the opposite side (arrow R direction side) from the connecting pieces W531, and an engagement hole W533 drilled between the inclined portion W532 and the connecting pieces W531.

The engaging portions W530a, W530b are connected to the rear wall portion W510 (rib portion W511) or the front wall portion W520 (rib portion W521) via the connecting piece W531. As a result, the engaging portions W530a, W530b are disposed between the rear wall portion W510 and the front wall portion W520 rather than the rear wall portion W510 or the front wall portion W520. As a result, when the protective cover W500 is attached (engaged) to the box cover W200 and the box base W300, the distance between the engaging portion W530a (engaging portion W530b) and the sealing seal WSL can be made smaller than when the engaging portion W530a (engaging portion W530b) is disposed on approximately the same plane as the rear wall portion W510 (front wall portion W520).

The right end (arrow R direction side) of the engagement parts W530a, W530b is formed to protrude further to the right than the right end of the front wall part W520 and the rear wall part W510. Although the inclined part W532 and the engagement hole W533 formed in the engagement part W530a have different shapes from the inclined part W532 and the engagement hole W533 formed in the engagement part W530b, in this embodiment, they are described using the same reference numerals.

Of the connecting pieces W531, the connecting piece W531 that protrudes leftward from the end on the left side (arrow L direction) of the engaging parts W530a, W530b is defined as connecting piece W531a, and the pair of connecting pieces W531 that protrude in the vertical direction from both ends in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction) on the left side of the engaging parts W530a, W530b are defined as connecting piece W531b. The connecting piece W531a is supported by the connecting parts W512, W522 of the rear wall part W510 or the front wall part W520, and the pair of connecting pieces W531b are joined to the rib parts W511, W521 of the rear wall part W510 or the front wall part W520.

The connecting pieces W531a, W531b are formed into a substantially rectangular plate shape when viewed from the back. The thickness dimension of the connecting pieces W531a, W531b in the plate thickness direction (arrow F-B direction) is formed to be substantially the same as that of the engaging parts W530a, W530b, and the front and back faces of the connecting pieces W531a, W531b are disposed on substantially the same plane as the front and back faces of the engaging parts W530a, W530b, respectively. In other words, no step is formed between the connecting pieces W531a, W531b and the engaging parts W530a, W530b. This makes it possible to prevent stress concentration between the connecting pieces W531a, W531b and the engaging parts W530a, W530b, and ensures the strength of the connecting pieces W531a, W531b, compared to when a step is formed between the connecting pieces W531a, W531b and the engaging parts W530a, W530b.

A pair of surfaces (hereinafter defined as "side surfaces of connecting pieces W531a, W531b") connecting the surface of connecting pieces W531a, W531b facing the sealing seal WSL and the surface opposite the surface facing the sealing seal WSL are formed perpendicular to the surface of connecting pieces W531a, W531b facing the sealing seal WSL and the surface opposite the surface facing the sealing seal WSL. Note that the front and back surfaces of connecting pieces W531a, W531b are surfaces formed parallel to the sealing seal WSL when protective cover W500 is attached (engaged) to box cover W200 and box base W300, and the pair of side surfaces of connecting pieces W531a, W531b are surfaces formed perpendicular to the sealing seal WSL.

Here, the distance between the connecting piece W531b and the tip of the engaging portion W530b is formed to be greater than the distance between the connecting piece W531b and the tip of the engaging portion W530a. Also, as described above, the thickness dimension of the engaging portion W530b in the plate thickness direction (arrow F-B direction) is formed to be smaller than the thickness dimension of the engaging portion W530a. As a result, the engaging portion W530b is formed to be more easily elastically deformed than the engaging portion W530a.

The inclined portion W532 is a portion that facilitates elastic deformation of the engagement portions W530a and W530b, and is formed so as to incline toward the front side (arrow F direction) as it moves from the right side (arrow R direction) to the left side (arrow L direction).

The engagement hole W533 is a portion for surrounding the protrusion W221 of the box cover W200 or the protrusion W312c of the box base W300. The inner peripheral surface of the engagement hole W533 abuts against the right side (arrow R direction) surfaces of the protrusions W221, W312c, restricting displacement of the protective cover W500 to the left side (arrow L direction).

The erected portion W540 is a portion for preventing the protective cover W500 from being attached to the box cover W200 and the box base W300 with the front wall portion W520 and the rear wall portion W510 in the opposite position (the rear wall portion W510 facing the front side of the front wall portion W520).

The erected portion W540 protrudes from the lower wall portion W501 in the direction opposite to the upper wall portion (the direction of the arrow D), and the protruding length of the erected portion W540 is formed to be greater than the distance between the upper end wall portions W223, W321 arranged on the upper side (the direction of the arrow U) and the upper protruding portion W213a.

The erected portion W540 is disposed on the rear side (the side in the direction of arrow B) of the lower protrusion W213b. This prevents the erected portion W540 from coming into contact with the lower protrusion W213b when the protective cover W500 is displaced to the right (the side in the direction of arrow R), and the protective cover W500 is attached to the box cover W200 and the box base W300.

On the other hand, when the protective cover W500 is displaced to the right (arrow R direction) with the front wall W520 and the rear wall W510 in the opposite position (the rear wall W510 facing the front side of the front wall W520), the erected portion W540 and the upper protruding portion W311 come into contact with each other, restricting the displacement of the protective cover W500 to the right. This prevents the protective cover W500 from being displaced to the right and the engagement portion W530a from coming into contact with the left wall W312b of the box base W300, or the engagement portion W530b from coming into contact with the side wall W212 of the box cover W200. As a result, the engagement portions W530a and W530b can be prevented from being damaged. The erected portion W540 may not be formed.

The sealing seal WSL is formed in a sheet shape to prevent the box cover W200 and the box base W300 from being opened. The sealing seal WSL is folded into a roughly U-shape when viewed from above, and is attached across the flat portion W220, the flat portion W320, and the protruding portion W324. The sealing seal WSL mainly comprises an adhesive sheet with adhesive applied to its back side, and a display sheet with identification information printed on its front side, and is formed by attaching the front surface of the adhesive sheet to the back surface of the display sheet.

The dimension of the sealing seal WSL in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction) is slightly smaller than the distance between the pair of opposing end wall portions W223, W321. By attaching the sealing seal WSL to the flat portion W220, the flat portion W320 and the protruding portion W324, the cutout portions W226, W325 are shielded by the sealing seal WSL except for the pair of end wall portions W223, W321. This makes it difficult to see the cutout portions W226, W325, and makes it difficult for a tamperer to easily cut the sealing seal WSL using the cutout portions W226, W325.

The back surface of the adhesive sheet is the portion that is attached to the planar portion W220 of the box cover W200 and the planar portion W320 of the box base W300, and the adhesive force between the adhesive sheet and the planar portion W220 and the planar portion W320 is stronger than the adhesive force between the adhesive sheet and the display sheet. As a result, when attempting to peel off the sealing seal WSL from the planar portion W220 and the planar portion W320, the adhesion between the adhesive sheet and the display sheet is released, the display sheet is separated from the adhesive sheet, and the adhesion between the adhesive sheet and the planar portion W220 and the planar portion W320 is maintained. As a result, it is easier to prevent the box cover W200 and the box base W300 from being opened.

Identification information such as a number of numbers, the name of the pachinko machine W10 (model name), the manufacturer name, or circuit board information is written on the surface of the display sheet (not shown). The identification information is written in a position where it is affixed to the flat portion W220. This allows the identification information to be viewed by opening the inner frame 12 (see FIG. 1). As a result, compared to when the identification information is written in a position where it is affixed to the flat portion W320, it is not necessary to rotate the circuit board box W100 relative to the inner frame 12 to view the identification information.

In addition, the surface of the display sheet is coated with a pattern of special ink that becomes visible when irradiated with light of a specific wavelength, such as ultraviolet light.

The outer peripheral edge of the sealing seal WSL is formed in a sawtooth shape. This makes it easier to cause stress concentration in the sawtooth recesses when peeling the sealing seal WSL from the flat surface portions W220 and W320, making it easier to break the sealing seal WSL. As a result, it becomes easier to maintain at least a portion of the sealing seal WSL attached to the flat surface portions W220 and W320, making it easier to prevent the box cover W200 and box base W300 from being opened.

The sealing seal WSL may be equipped with an IC chip. By receiving the ID information stored in the IC chip with a scanner, it is possible to check whether the board box W100 has been illegally replaced. This also makes it more difficult for those attempting fraud to illegally obtain or counterfeit the sealing seal WSL.

Next, the attachment of the protective cover W500 to the box cover W200 and the box base W300 will be described with reference to Figures 73 and 74. Figures 73(a) and 73(b) are partial front views of the board box W100, and Figures 73(c) and 73(d) are partial rear views of the board box W100. Figure 74(a) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box W100 taken along line LXXIVa-LXXIVa in Figure 73(b), and Figure 74(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box W100 taken along line LXXIVb-LXXIVb in Figure 73(b).

73(a) and 73(c) show the state before the protective cover W500 is attached to the box cover W200 and the box base W300, and 73(b) and 73(d) show the state after the protective cover W500 is attached to the box cover W200 and the box base W300. In addition, in 73(a) and 73(b), the protrusion W312c is shown by a dashed line, and in 73(c) and 73(d), the recesses W224a, W224b are shown by a dashed line. In addition, the engagement between the pair of engagement portions W530b and the pair of protrusions Ws328 is the same on one side (upper side) and the other side (lower side), so a cross-sectional view of one side is shown and explained, and an explanation of the other side is omitted.

As shown in Figures 73(a) and 73(c), in the vertical direction (direction of arrows U-D), the protective cover W500 is displaced to the right (direction of arrow R) from a state in which the positions of the engagement holes W533 of the engagement parts W530a and W530b are aligned with the positions of the protrusions W221 of the box cover W200 and the protrusions W312c of the box base W300 (see Figure 72).

By displacing the protective cover W500 to the right (arrow R direction), the inclined portion W532 of the engaging portion W530a comes into contact with the inclined portion W221a of the protrusion W221, and the inclined portion W532 of the engaging portion W530b comes into contact with the inclined portion W312d of the protrusion W312c (see FIG. 72). By displacing the protective cover W500 to the right (arrow R direction) from a state in which the inclined portions W532 of the engaging portions W530a, W530b come into contact with the inclined portions W221a of the protrusion W221 and the inclined portion W312d of the protrusion W312c, the engaging portions W530a, W530b are elastically deformed toward the back side (arrow B direction).

By elastically deforming the engaging portions W530a and W530b toward the rear side (arrow B direction), the protective cover W500 can be easily rotated toward the rear side. This makes it possible to reduce the amount of elastic deformation of the engaging portions W530a and W530b compared to when the engaging portion W530a is elastically deformed toward the rear side (front side) and the engaging portion W530b is elastically deformed toward the front side (rear side). As a result, damage to the engaging portions W530a and W530b can be easily suppressed.

By displacing the protective cover W500 to the right (arrow R) from the state in which the engaging portions W530a and W530b are elastically deformed toward the rear side (arrow B direction), as shown in Figures 73(b), 73(d) and 74, the protrusion W221 is disposed inside the engaging hole W533 of the engaging portion W530a (the engaging portion W530a and the protrusion W221 are engaged), and a pair of protrusions W312c is disposed inside the engaging hole W533 of the pair of engaging portions W530b (the pair of engaging portions W530b and the pair of protrusions W312c are engaged). This releases the elastic deformation of the engaging portions W530a and W530b.

Hereinafter, the state in which the protrusion W312c is disposed inside the engagement hole W533 of the engagement part W530a and the protrusion W221 is disposed inside the engagement hole W533 of the engagement part W530b is defined as the restricted state. Note that since the manner of engagement between the pair of engagement parts W530b and the pair of protrusions W312c is the same on one side (upper side) and the other side (lower side), only the cross section on one side is illustrated and the cross section on the other side is omitted in the description.

The distance between the opposing rear wall W510 and front wall W520 is formed to be approximately the same as or slightly larger than the distance from the rear of both end wall W223 of the box cover W200 to the front of both end wall W321 of the box base W300, so that in the restricted state, the displacement of the protective cover W500 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction) is restricted. This prevents the engagement between the engagement portion W530a (engagement portion W530b) and the protrusion W221 (protrusion W312c) from being released.

In addition, in the restricted state, the surface of the protrusion W221 opposite the inclined portion W221a (the side in the direction of arrow R) abuts against the inner surface of the engagement hole W533 of the engagement portion W530a, and the surface of the protrusion W312c opposite the inclined portion W312d (the side in the direction of arrow R) abuts against the inner peripheral surface of the engagement hole W533 of the engagement portion W530b, thereby restricting displacement of the protective cover W500 to the left side (the side in the direction of arrow L). This prevents the sealing seal WSL affixed to the box cover W200 and the box base W300 from being exposed.

In addition, in the restricted state, the connecting pieces W531a and W531b are disposed in a position where they overlap the recesses W224a and W224b when viewed from the rear. In detail, the connecting piece W531a is disposed in a position that is approximately the center of the recess W224a in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction), and the connecting piece W531b is disposed in a position that is approximately the center of the recess W224b in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction).

In addition, in the restricted state, the right end (arrow R direction side) of the rear wall portion W510 and the right end of the front wall portion W520 abut against the side wall portion W212 of the box cover W200 and the left wall portion W302 of the box base W300. In addition, the right end of the engagement portion W530a abuts against the side wall portion W212. This restricts the displacement of the protective cover W500 to the right. Note that at least one of the right end of the rear wall portion W510, the right end of the engagement portion W530a, and the right end of the front wall portion W520 may abut against the side wall portion W212 of the box cover W200 or the left wall portion W302 of the box base W300.

Due to factors such as the machining accuracy (dimensional tolerance) of the protective cover W500, a gap may be formed between the right end of the rear wall W510 and the side wall W212 of the box cover W200, and this gap may be used to illegally insert a wire into the inside of the protective cover W500. This may result in the illegal release of the adhesion between the flat portion W220 and the sealing seal WSL.

In response to this, by providing a pair of erected portions W222 on the flat portion W220, even if a wire is improperly inserted inside the protective cover W500, the improperly inserted wire can be brought into contact with the pair of erected portions W222. This makes it possible to prevent the adhesion between the flat portion W220 and the sealing seal WSL from being improperly released.

In addition, since the front faces of the pair of end wall portions W223 are disposed on approximately the same plane as the protruding surface of the erect portion W222, when the front faces of the pair of end wall portions W223 (the protruding surfaces of the erect portion W222) are in contact with the inner surface of the rear wall portion W510, it is possible to prevent a gap from being formed between the protruding surface of the erect portion W222 (the front faces of the pair of end wall portions W223) and the inner surface of the rear wall portion W510. This makes it possible to prevent a wire from being illegally inserted through such a gap, which would cause the adhesion between the flat portion W220 and the sealing seal WSL to be released.

Next, with reference to Figures 75 to 77, the removal of the protective cover W500 from the box cover W200 and the box base W300 will be described. Figure 75(a) is a partial front view of the board box W100, and Figure 75(b) is a partial rear view of the board box W100. Figure 76 is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box W100 taken along line LXXVI-LXXVI in Figure 75(b). Figure 77(a) is a partial front view of the board box W100, and Figure 77(b) is a partial rear view of the board box W100.

Note that Figures 75(a) and 75(b) show the state in which the engagement portions W530a and W530b have been cut off from the protective cover W500. Figures 77(a) and 77(b) show the state in which the protective cover W500 has been removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W300, and the engagement portions W530a and W530b cut off from the protective cover W500 are shown by two-dot chain lines.

In addition, FIG. 76 illustrates one of the pair of connecting pieces W531b of the engaging portion W530a, and the cutting of one of the pair of connecting pieces W531b will be described, but the cutting manner of the other of the pair of connecting pieces W531b and connecting piece W531a is the same as that of one of the pair of connecting pieces W531b, so a description of the cutting of the other of the pair of connecting pieces W531b and connecting piece W531a will be omitted. In addition, the cutting of the connecting pieces W531a, W531b of the engaging portion W530b is the same as that of the engaging portion W530a, so a description of the cutting of the connecting pieces W531a, W531b of the engaging portion W530b will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 75, the connecting pieces W531a, W531b of the engaging portions W530a, W530b are cut by a cutting tool (not shown), thereby separating the engaging portions W530a, W530b from the protective cover W500 (the rear wall portion W510 and the front wall portion W520). Examples of cutting tools include nippers, scissors, a utility knife, or a knife.

For example, when the cutting tool is made up of nippers or scissors and the connecting pieces W531a, W531b are sandwiched between a pair of blades to cut the connecting pieces W531a, W531b, the pair of blades come into contact with a pair of side surfaces of the connecting pieces W531a, W531b, respectively, and the pair of blades are displaced toward the opposing sides of the pair of side surfaces to cut the connecting pieces W531a, W531b.

For example, when the cutting tool is composed of a cutter knife or a knife and a single blade is used to cut the connecting pieces W531a and W531b, the blade is brought into contact with one of a pair of sides of the connecting pieces W531a and W531b, and the blade is displaced toward the other side of the pair, thereby cutting the connecting pieces W531a and W531b.

As described above, in rear view, the connecting piece W531b of the protective cover W500 is disposed at a position overlapping the recess W224b (see FIG. 73). That is, as shown in FIG. 76, the recess W224b is recessed toward the opposite side (arrow F direction) of the sealing seal WSL, facing the connecting piece W531b of the engaging portion W530b via the sealing seal WSL. This allows a space to be formed between the sealing seal WSL and the recess W224b, and when the tip of a cutting tool (not shown) is inserted between the rear wall portion W510 and the engaging portion W530a to cut the connecting piece W531b, the tip of the cutting tool can be received in the recess W224b. As a result, the sealing seal WSL can be easily damaged by the tip of the cutting tool.

In other words, when the connecting piece W531b is cut, a trace (damage) can be formed on the sealing seal WSL. This makes it possible to confirm the condition of the sealing seal WSL (whether the sealing seal WSL is new or reused) based on the presence or absence of the trace on the sealing seal WSL. Furthermore, the formation of the trace on the sealing seal WSL can prevent the sealing seal WSL from being reused.

The connecting piece W531b is disposed at a position that is approximately the center of the recess W224b in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction). The connecting piece W531b is disposed at a position that overlaps with the recess W224b in rear view (see FIG. 73). Therefore, when the tip of a cutting tool (not shown) is disposed on the side of the connecting piece W531b to cut the connecting piece W531b, the tip of the cutting tool can be easily received into the recess W224b. As a result, the sealing seal WSL can be easily damaged by the cutting action of the connecting piece W531b, and the traces (damage) of the sealing seal WSL can be easily recognized by the worker (store clerk).

In addition, because the engagement portion W530a (connecting piece W531b) is connected to the rib portion W511, the opposing distance between the connecting piece W531b and the sealing seal WSL (flat surface portion W220) is smaller than the opposing distance between the rear wall portion W510 and the sealing seal WSL (flat surface portion W220). This allows the tip of the cutting tool to be brought closer to the sealing seal WSL, making it easier to receive into the recess W224b. As a result, it becomes easier to damage the sealing seal WSL.

As described above, the connecting piece W531a of the protective cover W500 is disposed in a position overlapping the recess W224a when viewed from the rear (see FIG. 73). As a result, when the tip of a cutting tool (not shown) is inserted between the rear wall portion W510 and the engaging portion W530a to cut the connecting piece W531a, similar to cutting the connecting piece W531b, the sealing seal WSL can be easily damaged by the tip of the cutting tool.

The connecting piece W531a protrudes from the engaging portions W530a, W530b to the left (arrow L direction), and the connecting piece W531b protrudes from the engaging portions W530a, W530b in the vertical direction. This makes it necessary to change the orientation of the cutting tool (not shown) when cutting the connecting piece W531a and when cutting the connecting piece W531b. As a result, the time it takes a fraudster to cut the connecting pieces W531a, W531b can be extended, which helps to discourage fraudulent behavior.

As shown in FIG. 77, when the engagement portions W530a and W530b are cut off from the protective cover W500, the restricted state is released and the protective cover W500 can be displaced to the left (in the direction of arrow L).

In this way, by making it easier for the sealing seal WSL to be damaged by the tip of a cutting tool (not shown) when cutting the connecting pieces W531a, W531b, even if, for example, the connecting pieces W531a, W531b are fraudulently cut (the engaging portions W530a, W530b are separated) and the protective cover W500 is removed, and the protective cover W500 is still attached with the engaging portions W530a, W530b joined with adhesive, the traces (damage) on the sealing seal WSL make it easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize that the connecting piece W531b has been cut, i.e., that there is a risk that a fraudulent person has performed fraudulent operations on the main control board (not shown).

Even if a fraudulent person possesses a protective cover W500 with the connecting pieces W531a, W531b still intact, and replaces the protective cover W500 with the connecting pieces W531a, W531b still intact with a new protective cover W500 with the connecting pieces W531a, W531b still intact, traces (damage) on the sealing seal WSL can easily make the worker (store clerk) aware that fraudulent operation may have occurred.

In addition, even if a fraudster fraudulently removes the sealing seal WSL from the flat portion W220 (flat portion W320) and performs fraudulent operations on the main control board (not shown), and then reattaches the removed sealing seal WSL to the flat portion W220 (flat portion W320), thereby making it difficult for the worker (store clerk) to recognize that the sealing seal WSL has been removed, the traces (damage) on the sealing seal WSL can make the worker (store clerk) more aware of the risk of fraudulent operations on the main control board by the fraudster.

Compared to the protective cover W500, it is difficult for a fraudulent person to obtain the sealing seal WSL fraudulently or to counterfeit the sealing seal WSL. Therefore, as in this embodiment, when the protective cover W500 is fraudulently removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W300, it is particularly effective to make the sealing seal WSL easily damaged (easily leave traces) so that the worker (store clerk) is easily made aware of the risk of fraudulent operation on the main control board (not shown).

In addition, since the board box W100 is disposed (axially supported) on the rear side (arrow B direction side) of the inner frame 12 (see FIG. 1), and the recesses W224a, W224b are formed in the box cover W200 that constitutes the rear side of the board box W100, when the inner frame 12 is opened and the rear side of the inner frame 12 is visible, the traces (damage) of the sealing seal WSL are visible. This makes it easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize the traces (damage) of the sealing seal WSL, compared to when, for example, the recesses W224a, W224b are recessed in the box base W300 (flat surface portion W320) that constitutes the front side (arrow F direction side) of the board box W100, and the damage to the sealing seal WSL is visible by rotating the board box W100 relative to the inner frame 12.

If there are no traces (damage) on the seal seal WSL, it can be determined that there is a high possibility that the seal seal WSL has not been tampered with. On the other hand, if there are traces (damage) on the seal seal WSL, it can be determined that there is a high possibility that the protective cover W500 was removed from the box cover W200 and box base W300, the seal seal WSL was peeled off, and then the seal seal WSL was reattached. Alternatively, it can be determined that there is a high possibility that tampering was attempted because the protective cover W500 was removed from the box cover W200 and box base W300, and traces (damage) were formed on the seal seal WSL at that time.

Next, the opening of the box cover W200 and the box base W300 will be described. With the protective cover W500 removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W300, the sealing seal WSL is released from the box cover W200 and the box base W300, or the sealing seal WSL is cut at the boundary between the box cover W200 (flat portion W220) and the box base W300 (protruding portion W324). This opens the box cover W200 and the box base W300.

Here, the flat surface portion W220 and the flat surface portion W320 are formed with the notches W226, W325, and the notches W226, W325 are arranged opposite each other in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction), so that when the box cover W200 and the box base W300 are combined, a substantially V-shaped space is formed on the affixed surface side (arrow R direction side) of the sealing seal WSL in a cross-sectional view. This makes it easy to place the tip of a cutting tool in the space formed by the notches W226, W325, and makes it easy to cut the sealing seal WSL (see FIG. 76). In addition, by combining the box cover W200 and the box base W300, a space can be easily formed on the affixed surface side of the sealing seal WSL, and the manufacturing cost of the box base W300 can be reduced compared to when a recess is formed in the protruding portion W324.

In addition, the notch W226 is formed to be inclined toward the opposite side (arrow B direction) of the notch W325 as it moves from the side wall W212 side (arrow R direction) toward the tip side (arrow L direction) of the flat surface W220, and the notch W325 is formed to be inclined toward the opposite side (arrow F direction) of the notch W226 as it moves from the left wall W302 side (arrow R direction) toward the tip side (arrow L direction) of the flat surface W320. As a result, a non-adhered area is formed between the flat surface W220 and the protruding portion W324 and the sealing seal WSL at the boundary between the flat surface W220 and the protruding portion W324 (see FIG. 76). As a result, the engagement between the box cover W200 and the box base W300 can be easily released by cutting the sealing seal WSL.

Next, referring to Figures 78(a) and 78(b), a board box W2100 according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that parts that are the same as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 78(a) is a partial rear view of the board box W2100 in the eighth embodiment, and Figure 78(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box W2100 taken along line LXXVIIIb-LXXVIIIb in Figure 78(a). Note that in Figure 78(a), both end wall portions W223 and both end protrusions W2223a of the box cover W2200 are shown by dashed lines, and Figure 78(b) shows the state in which the engagement portions W2530a, W2530b have been cut off from the protective cover W2500.

As shown in Figures 78(a) and 78(b), in the protective cover W2500 of the board box W2100 in the eighth embodiment, the connecting piece W2531b is connected to the rear wall portion W2510 and the front wall portion W2520.

The connecting piece W2531b includes a hanging portion W2531c extending in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction) from the edge of the rear wall portion W2510 and the front wall portion W2520 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction), and a parallel portion W2531d extending in the up-down direction from the tip of the hanging portion W2531c, and is formed in a generally L-shape in cross section. In addition, the distance between the opposing rear wall portion W2510 and the front wall portion W2520 is larger than that of the rear wall portion W510 and the front wall portion W520 in the seventh embodiment.

The pair of end wall portions W223 of the box cover W2200 have end protrusions W2223a that protrude from the end wall portions W223 toward the rear wall portion W510 (arrow B direction), and the pair of end wall portions W321 of the box base W2300 have end protrusions W2321a that protrude from the end wall portions W321 toward the front wall portion W520 (arrow F direction).

The protruding length of both end protrusions W2223a is approximately equal to or slightly smaller than the distance between the opposing end wall portions W223 and the rear wall portion W510. The length of both end protrusions W2223a in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) is approximately 1/3 of the length of both end wall portions W223, and one end of both end protrusions W2223a on the side wall portion W212 side (arrow R direction side) is disposed in contact with the side wall portion W212.

The protruding length of both end protrusions W2321a is approximately equal to or slightly smaller than the distance between the opposing end wall portions W321 and the front wall portion W520. The length of both end protrusions W2321a in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) is approximately 1/3 of the length of both end wall portions W321, and one end of both end protrusions W2321a on the cover portion W312 side (arrow R direction side) is disposed in contact with the left wall portion W312b (see FIG. 72).

As a result, in the restricted state, the protruding portions W2223a (protruding portions W2321a) at both ends and the rear wall portion W510 (front wall portion W520) come into contact with each other, restricting the displacement of the protective cover W2500 in the front-rear direction (direction of arrows F-B). As a result, the engagement between the engaging portion W530a (engaging portion W530b) and the protrusion W221 (protrusion W312c) is prevented from being released (see FIG. 74).

The protective cover W2500 can be removed from the box cover W2200 and the box base W2300 by cutting the connecting piece W531a and the hanging portion W2531c of the connecting piece W2531b with a cutting tool (not shown) and separating the engaging portions W2530a and W2530b from the protective cover W2500.

When the protective cover W2500 is displaced in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) away from the side wall W212 (left wall W312b) (arrow L direction) beyond both end protrusions W2223a (both end protrusions W2321a), both end protrusions W2223a (both end protrusions W2321a) and the rear wall W510 (front wall W520) are not in contact, and the restriction on displacement of the protective cover W2500 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction) is released.

Here, by forming the hanging portion W2531c on the connecting piece W2531b, the distance between the facing cut portion formed on the hanging portion W2531c and the sealing seal WSL in the front-to-back direction (arrow F-B direction) can be made smaller than when the hanging portion W2531c is not formed on the connecting piece W2531b. This makes it easier to bring the tip of a cutting tool (not shown) or the cut portion of the connecting piece W2531b into contact with the sealing seal WSL, making it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL.

In addition, the cut portion formed in the hanging portion W2531c can be made to face the sealing seal WSL, making it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL by the cut portion formed in the hanging portion W2531c when removing the protective cover W2500 from the box cover W2200 and the box base W2300. This makes it easier for workers (store clerks) to recognize that there is a risk of tampering with the main control board (not shown) by a tampering perpetrator.

Next, referring to FIG. 78(c), a protective cover W3500 according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that parts that are the same as those in the above-described embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 78(c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the protective cover W3500 in the ninth embodiment, and corresponds to the cross-sectional view taken along line LXXVIIIb-LXXVIIIb in Figure 78(a).

As shown in FIG. 78(c), in the protective cover W3500 of the ninth embodiment, the rear wall portion W3510 (front wall portion W3520) and the engagement portion W3530a (engagement portion W3530b) are formed on approximately the same plane, and the rear wall portion W3510 (front wall portion W3520) and the engagement portion W3530a (engagement portion W3530b) are connected via a connecting piece W3531b.

The connecting piece W3531b has engaging portions W3530a, W3530b in the up-down direction (direction of the arrows U-D), a pair of hanging portions W3531c extending from the edges of the rear wall portion W3510 and the front wall portion W3520 toward the opposing sides of the rear wall portion W3510 and the front wall portion W3520, and a parallel portion W3531d connecting the tips of the pair of hanging portions W3531c, and is formed in a roughly U-shape in cross section.

The protective cover W3500 can be removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W300 (see FIG. 78(b)) by cutting the parallel portion W3531d of the connecting piece W3531b with a cutting tool (not shown) and separating the engaging portions W3530a and W3530b from the protective cover W3500.

By forming the rear wall portion W3510 (front wall portion W3520) and the engagement portion W3530a (engagement portion W3530b) on approximately the same plane, it is possible to prevent a step from being formed between the rear wall portion W3510 (front wall portion W3520) and the engagement portion W3530a (engagement portion W3530b). This makes it difficult to catch fingers on the protective cover W3500, making it easier to prevent unauthorized removal of the protective cover W500 from the box cover W200 and the box base W300.

By forming a pair of hanging parts W3531c, the opposing distance between the connecting piece W3531b and the sealing seal WSL is smaller than the opposing distance between the rear wall part W3510 (front wall part W3520) and the sealing seal WSL (see FIG. 78 (b)). This allows the tip of the cutting tool to be brought closer to the sealing seal WSL, making it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL. As a result, it is easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize that there is a risk of tampering with the main control board (not shown) by a tampering perpetrator.

Next, referring to FIG. 79, a board box W4100 according to a tenth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that parts that are the same as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 79(a) is a partial rear view of the board box W4100 in the tenth embodiment, Figure 79(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box W4100 taken along line LXXIXb-LXXIXb in Figure 79(a), Figure 79(c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box W4100 taken along line LXXIXc-LXXIXc in Figure 79(a), and Figure 79(d) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box W4100 taken along line LXXIXd-LXXIXd in Figure 79(a).

As shown in FIG. 79, the protective cover W4500 of the board box W4100 in the tenth embodiment has a protrusion W4534. The protrusion W4534 is formed in a pyramidal shape at the protruding tip of the engagement parts W4530a, W4530b, protruding from the engagement parts W4530a, W4530b toward the opposing sides of the rear wall part W510 and the front wall part W520.

In addition, by forming the protrusions W4534 on the engagement portions W4530a and W4530b, the flat surface portion W4220 (flat surface portion W4320) is formed on the front side (rear side) by the amount of protrusion of the protrusions W4534. This makes it possible to prevent the protrusions W4534 from coming into contact with the sealing seal WSL when attaching the protective cover W4500 to the box cover W4200 and the box base W4300, thereby preventing damage to the sealing seal WSL.

In addition, since the protrusion W4534 is disposed at the protruding tip of the engagement portions W4530a and W4530b, in the restricted state, the protrusion W4534 is disposed closer to the side wall portion W212 (the cover portion W312) than the sealing seal WSL.

In order to illegally remove the protective cover W4500 from the box cover W4200 and the box base W4300, it is possible to disengage the engaging portion W4530a (engaging portion W4530b) from the protrusion W221 of the planar portion W4220 (protrusion W312c of the planar portion W4320) by elastically deforming the engaging portions W4530a and W4530b without cutting them.

In this embodiment, the protrusions W4534 are formed to protrude from the engagement portions W4530a, W4530b toward the opposing sides of the rear wall portion W510 and the front wall portion W520, making it easier to bring the protrusions W4534 and the sealing seal WSL into contact when removing the protective cover W4500 from the box cover W4200 and the box base W4300. In addition, because the protrusions W4534 are formed in a quadrangular pyramid shape, the sealing seal WSL can be easily damaged by the protrusions W4534 and the sealing seal WSL coming into contact with each other.

In addition, since the protrusion W4534 is disposed closer to the side wall portion W212 (to the cover portion W312) than the sealing seal WSL, when removing the protective cover W4500 from the box cover W4200 and the box base W4300, the protrusion W4534 can be brought into contact with the side surface connecting the affixed surface of the sealing seal WSL and the surface opposite the affixed surface.

This makes it easier to damage the seal seal WSL compared to when the protrusions W4534 come into contact with the surface of the seal seal WSL and the protective cover W4500 is removed from the box cover W4200 and box base W4300 while the protrusions W4534 slide along the surface of the seal seal WSL (without damaging the seal seal WSL).

A pair of protrusions W4534 are formed at both ends of the engagement parts W4530a, W4530b in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction). If the sealing seal WSL is damaged by the pair of protrusions W4534, the damage to the sealing seal WSL can be easily seen from the gap between the engagement part W4530a (engagement part W4530b) and the rear wall part W510 (front wall part W520).

This makes it easier for workers (store clerks) to recognize that a fraudulent individual may have performed tampering on the main control board (not shown).

In addition, by utilizing the protrusion W4534, the box cover W4200 and the box base W4300 can be easily opened (the sealing seal WSL can be cut). In more detail, by separating the engagement portion W4530a (engagement portion W4530b) from the protective cover W4500 and arranging the protrusion W4534 in the space formed by the cutout portions W226 and W325, the sealing seal WSL can be easily cut.

This eliminates the need to carry a cutting tool (not shown). In addition, the engagement portion W4530a (engagement portion W4530b) is formed small relative to the protective cover W4500, so interference with the pair of end wall portions W223 and the pair of end wall portions W321 can be suppressed, making it easy to cut the sealing seal WSL. As a result, the sealing seal WSL can be cut in an optimal manner.

Next, with reference to Fig. 80(a) to Fig. 80(c), the board box W5100 in the eleventh embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted. Also, in Fig. 80(a) to Fig. 80(c), the engagement hole W533 is shown by a dashed line. Also, in the description of Fig. 80(a) to Fig. 80(c), Fig. 73(c) will be referred to as appropriate.

Figures 80(a) to 80(c) are partial cross-sectional views of the board box W5100 in the eleventh embodiment, and correspond to the cross-sectional view taken along line LXXXa-LXXXa in Figure 73(b). Note that Figure 80(a) illustrates a state in which the engagement portion W5530b is elastically deformed in order to attach the protective cover W5500 to the box cover W200 and the box base W5300, Figure 80(b) illustrates a state in which the engagement portion W5530b is elastically deformed in order to illegally remove the protective cover W5500 from the box cover W200 and the box base W5300, and the engagement between the protrusion W312c and the engagement hole W533 is released, and Figure 80(c) illustrates a state in which the protective cover W5500 is displaced to the left (arrow L direction) from the state in Figure 80(b).

As shown in Figures 80(a) to 80(c), the box base W5300 of the board box W5100 in the 11th embodiment has a recess W5326, and the protective cover W5500 has a protrusion W5534.

In addition, by forming a protrusion W5534 on the engagement portion W5530b, the flat portion W5320 is formed on the rear side by the amount of protrusion of the protrusion W5534. This makes it possible to prevent the protrusion W5534 from coming into contact with the sealing seal WSL when attaching the protective cover W5500 to the box cover W200 and the box base W5300, thereby preventing damage to the sealing seal WSL.

The recess W5326 is a portion for forming a space between the affixed surface of the sealing seal WSL and the flat surface W5220, and is recessed into the front surface of the flat surface W5320. In the restricted state, the recess W5326 is formed in a position that overlaps with the protrusion W5534 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction), and the inner surface of the recess W5326 on the right side (arrow R direction) is disposed to the right of the protrusion W5534.

The length of the recess W5326 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) is greater than the left-right dimension of the protrusion W312c of the box base W5300, and even when the protective cover W5500 is displaced leftward to a position where the engagement hole W533 is to the left of the protrusion W312c (arrow L direction), the inner surface of the recess W5326 on the left side is disposed to the left of the protrusion W5534.

The protrusion W5534 is a protrusion for damaging the sealing seal WSL when the engaging portion W5530b is elastically deformed in order to illegally remove the protective cover W5500 from the box cover W200 and the box base W5300, and is formed to protrude toward the sealing seal WSL side (the direction of arrow B).

In other words, because the protrusions W5534 protrude toward the inside of the protective cover W5500, which is formed in a box shape, it is possible to prevent workers (store clerks) from coming into contact with the protrusions W5534 and being injured during the manufacturing or transporting operations of the board box W5100 or the protective cover W5500.

A pair of protrusions W5534 are formed on both ends of the engagement portion W5530b in the up-down direction (direction of arrows U-D). This makes it easier to visually check damage to the sealing seal WSL from the gap between the engagement portion W5530b and the front wall portion W520 (see Figure 73 (c)).

Next, referring to FIG. 80(b), a state in which the engagement portion W5530b is elastically deformed improperly toward the seal seal WSL side (arrow B direction side) will be described. As shown in FIG. 80(b), in a state in which the engagement portion W5530b is elastically deformed improperly toward the seal seal WSL side (arrow B direction side) larger than the protrusion dimension of the protrusion W312c in order to release the engagement between the protrusion W312c and the engagement hole W533, the tips of the pair of protrusions W5534 are disposed in the space formed by the recessed portion W5326, and the seal seal WSL is damaged by the pair of protrusions W5534. As a result, it is possible to easily make the worker (store clerk) aware that there is a possibility that a person committing fraud has performed fraudulent operations on the main control board (not shown).

Figure 80(c) shows a state in which the protective cover W5500 is displaced to the left (arrow L direction) from the state in Figure 80(b) while the engagement portion W5530b is maintained in an improperly elastically deformed state toward the sealing seal WSL side (arrow B direction), and the engagement hole W533 is positioned to the left of the protrusion W312c (a state in which the engagement hole W533 and protrusion W312c are disengaged).

As described above, the length of the recess W5326 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) is greater than the dimension of the protrusion W312c, so even when the protective cover W5500 is displaced leftward to a position where the engagement hole W533 is to the left of the protrusion W312c (arrow L direction), the tips of the pair of protrusions W5534 can be disposed in the space formed by the recess W5326. This makes it possible to increase the area in which the sealing seal WSL is damaged, making it easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize damage to the sealing seal WSL.

In this way, when the engagement portion W5530b is elastically deformed to release the engagement between the engagement hole W533 and the protrusion W312c without cutting the connecting pieces W531a and W531b of the engagement portion W5530b, it is possible to easily leave a mark (damage) on the sealing seal WSL.

Next, with reference to FIG. 80(d), the board box W6100 in the twelfth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted. Also, in FIG. 80(d), the engagement hole W533 is shown by a dashed line.

Figure 80(d) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box W6100 in the twelfth embodiment, and corresponds to the cross-sectional view taken along line LXXXa-LXXXa in Figure 73(b). Figure 80(d) illustrates a state in which the engagement portion W5530b has been elastically deformed to unauthorizedly remove the protective cover W5500 from the box cover W200 and the box base W6300, and the engagement between the protrusion W312c and the engagement hole W533 has been released.

As shown in FIG. 80(d), the box base W6300 of the board box W6100 in the twelfth embodiment has a recess W6326. The recess W6326 is formed with a shorter recess dimension in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) compared to the recess W5326 in the eleventh embodiment. Note that in this embodiment, the recess shape of the recess W6326 is formed to be substantially the same as the outer shape of the protrusion W5534 of the protective cover W5500. Furthermore, the recess W6326 is formed at a position that overlaps with the protrusion W5534 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction) in the restricted state.

As a result, when the engaging portion W5530b is improperly elastically deformed toward the sealing seal WSL side (arrow B direction), the tip of the protrusion W5534 is disposed in the space formed by the recess W6326, and the protrusion W5534 abuts against the inside of the recess W6326, restricting displacement of the protective cover W5500 toward the left side (arrow L direction). As a result, it is possible to prevent the protective cover W5500 from being improperly removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W6300.

In addition, when the engaging portion W5530b is improperly elastically deformed toward the sealing seal WSL (the direction of arrow B), the tips of the pair of protrusions W5534 are disposed in the space formed by the recess W6326, and the sealing seal WSL is damaged by the pair of protrusions W5534. As a result, it is possible to make the worker (store clerk) more easily aware that there is a possibility that a tampering has been performed on the main control board (not shown) by a tamperer.

Next, referring to FIG. 81, the board box W7100 according to the thirteenth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 81(a) is a partial rear view of the board box W7100 in the thirteenth embodiment, and Figure 81(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box W7100 taken along line LXXXIb-LXXXLb in Figure 81(a). Note that in Figure 81(a), a pair of fastening holes W7225 are shown by dashed lines.

As shown in Figure 81, in the planar portion W7220 and the planar portion W7320 of the board box W7100 in the thirteenth embodiment, a pair of fastening holes W7225 and a pair of fastening holes W7322 are formed at positions that overlap the connecting piece W531b of the protective cover W500 in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction). That is, the pair of fastening holes W7322 are drilled facing the connecting piece W531b of the engaging portion W530b via the sealing seal WSL, toward the opposite side of the sealing seal WSL (arrow F direction).

The fastening hole W7322 is formed in a circular shape when viewed from the rear, and the diameter of the fastening hole W7322 is formed to be larger than the dimension of the connecting piece W531b in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction).

This allows a space to be formed between the screws fastening the box cover W7200 and the box base W7300 and the sealing seal WSL, and when the tip of a cutting tool (not shown) is inserted between the rear wall portion W510 and the engagement portion W530a to cut the connecting piece W531b, the tip of the cutting tool can be received in the fastening hole W7322. As a result, it is easier to damage the sealing seal WSL with the tip of the cutting tool, making it easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize that there is a risk of tampering with the main control board (not shown) by a tampering perpetrator.

By using the fastening hole W7322 (allowing the tip of a cutting tool to be received in the fastening hole W7322), traces (damage) of the sealing seal WSL are formed at positions corresponding to the screws used to fasten the box cover W7200 and the box base W7300 together. Therefore, even if the screws used to fasten the box cover W7200 and the box base W7300 together are blocked by the sealing seal WSL, the positions of those screws can be ascertained based on the traces (damage) of the sealing seal WSL. This improves the workability of the work of releasing the fastening of the screws.

The pair of fastening holes W7225 can serve both to insert screws for fastening the box cover W7200 and the box base W7300 and to form a space for arranging the tip of a cutting tool (not shown). This makes it possible to prevent the formation of a recess W224b (see FIG. 72) in the flat surface portion W7220, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

Next, referring to FIG. 82(a), a protective cover W8500 according to a fourteenth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that parts that are the same as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 82 (a) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box W8100 in the 14th embodiment, and corresponds to the cross section at part LXXXIIa in Figure 76 (a).

As shown in FIG. 82(a), the connecting piece W8531b of the protective cover W8500 in the 14th embodiment is formed as a parallelogram in cross section. In this embodiment, a pair of side surfaces of the connecting piece W8531b are formed at an angle with respect to the sealing seal WSL (flat surface portion W220).

In detail, it is formed so as to incline to the right (arrow R direction) as it moves from the opposite side to the sealing seal WSL (arrow B direction) toward the sealing seal WSL side (arrow F direction). It may also be formed so as to incline to the left (arrow L direction) as it moves from the opposite side to the sealing seal WSL toward the sealing seal WSL side.

This makes it easier to rotate the tip of the cutting tool (not shown) to the right (arrow R direction) of the direction from the opposite side (arrow B direction) to the sealing seal WSL toward the sealing seal WSL side (arrow F direction) when cutting the connecting piece W8531b using a cutting tool (not shown). As a result, the tip of the cutting tool can be received in the recess W224b, making it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL with the tip of the cutting tool. This makes it easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize that there is a risk of tampering with the main control board (not shown) by a tampering perpetrator.

Next, referring to Figures 82(b) and 82(c), a protective cover W9500 according to a fifteenth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that parts that are the same as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 82(b) is a partial rear view of the board box W9100 in the fifteenth embodiment, and Figure 82(c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box W9100 taken along line LXXXIIc-LXXXIIc in Figure 82(b).

As shown in Figures 82(b) and 82(c), the connecting piece W9531b of the protective cover W9500 in the fifteenth embodiment includes a first part W9531b1 that extends in the front-rear direction (the direction of the arrows F-B) in a cross-sectional view and is formed into a vertically elongated rectangular shape, and a second part W9531b2 that is disposed at the end of the first part W9531b1 on the side of the engagement part W530a and the rib part W511 (connecting part W512), extends in the direction in which the rib part W511 (connecting part W512) extends, and is formed into a horizontally elongated rectangular shape in a cross-sectional view.

The first part W9531b1 is disposed approximately in the center in the direction in which the second part W9531b2 extends. The surfaces of the first part W9531b1 and the second part W9531b2 formed on the opposite side to the sealing seal WSL are disposed approximately on the same plane, and the opposing distance between the second part W9531b2 and the sealing seal WSL is smaller than the opposing distance between the first part W9531b1 and the sealing seal WSL.

As a result, when cutting the first part W9531b1 with a cutting tool (not shown), the tip of the cutting tool can be easily inserted into the space formed by the recess W224b, making it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL with the tip of the cutting tool. This makes it easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize that there is a risk of tampering with the main control board (not shown) by a tamperer.

Furthermore, in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction), the first part W9531b1 is formed smaller than the second part W9531b2. This makes it easier to cut the first part W9531b1 than the second part W9531b2.

In addition, in a cross-sectional view, the cross-sectional areas of the first part W9531b1 and the second part W9531b2 are formed to be approximately the same. As a result, when the protective cover W9500 is molded using a resin mold, the difference in the cross-sectional areas of the first part W9531b1 and the second part W9531b2 can be suppressed, and the moldability of the protective cover W9500 (connecting piece W9531b) can be ensured.

Next, referring to FIG. 83, the board box Wa100 according to the 16th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figures 83(a) and 83(c) are partial cross-sectional views of the board box Wa100 in the 16th embodiment, and correspond to the cross section taken along line LXXIVb-LXXIVb in Figure 73(b). Figure 83(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wa100 taken along line LXXXIIIc-LXXXIIIc in Figure 83(a). Note that Figure 83(c) illustrates a state in which the protective cover Wa500 has been displaced to the left (in the direction of arrow L) from the state in Figure 83(a). Figure 73 will also be referred to as appropriate in the explanation of Figure 83.

As shown in Figures 83(a) and 83(b), the protective cover Wa500 of the board box Wa100 in the 16th embodiment has a cutting portion Wa550 that protrudes from the inner surface of the left wall portion W502 of the protective cover Wa500. The cutting portion Wa550 is a portion for cutting the sealing seal WSL.

By having the cutting portion Wa550 protrude from the inner surface of the left wall portion W502, the strength of the protective cover Wa500 (the left wall portion W502) can be improved. This makes it difficult for the protective cover Wa500 to be damaged.

The amount of protrusion of the cutting portion Wa550 is smaller than the distance between the left wall portion W502 and the sealing seal WSL in the restricted state. This prevents the cutting portion Wa550 from cutting the sealing seal WSL in the restricted state.

The cutting portion Wa550 is disposed opposite the notches W226, W325 formed in the planar portion W220 and the planar portion W320 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction). The dimension of the cutting portion Wa550 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction) is formed to be slightly smaller than the distance between the pair of opposing end wall portions W223, W321, and larger than the distance between the two ends of the sealing seal WSL in the up-down direction.

The cutting portion Wa550 is disposed in a position offset toward the rear wall portion W510 (arrow B direction) from approximately the center of the left wall portion W502 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction). This prevents the cutting portion Wa550 from being disposed opposite the notches W226, W325 when the protective cover Wa500 is attached to the box cover W200 and box base W300 with the front wall portion W520 and the rear wall portion W510 in the opposite orientation (the rear wall portion W510 facing the front side of the front wall portion W520), for example. This prevents the cutting portion Wa550 from functioning.

The cutting portion Wa550 is formed so that the dimension in the front-to-rear direction (arrows F-B direction) becomes smaller as it moves from the inner surface of the protective cover Wa500 toward the protruding tip side (arrow R direction side) of the cutting portion Wa550. Also, the protruding tip side (arrow R direction side) of the cutting portion Wa550 is formed in a saw-tooth shape in the cross-sectional view shown in Figure 83 (b) and is formed by repeated bending in the left-right direction (arrows L-R direction). As a result, the cutting portion Wa550 is displaced toward the space formed in the notches W226, W325, making it easier to cut the sealing seal WSL.

As shown in FIG. 83(a), the rear wall Wa510 and front wall Wa520 of the protective cover Wa500 are formed with smaller dimensions in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) compared to the rear wall W510 and front wall W520 of the protective cover W500 in the seventh embodiment. As a result, in the restricted state, gaps are formed between the right end (arrow R direction) of the rear wall Wa510 and the right end of the front wall Wa520 and the side wall W212 of the box cover W200 and the left wall W302 of the box base W300 (see FIG. 73(b) and FIG. 73(d)). Such gaps are formed larger than the distance between the recess formed on the opposite side of the sealing seal WSL and the sealing seal WSL in the sawtooth shape formed in the cutting portion Wa550.

On the other hand, the end on the right side (arrow R direction) of the engagement portion W530a abuts against the side wall portion W212 of the box cover W200. This restricts the displacement of the protective cover Wa500 to the right side, and the restricted state is maintained. In addition, the end on the right side (arrow R direction) of the engagement portion W530b may abut against the left wall portion W302 of the box base W300 (see Figure 74), thereby restricting the displacement of the protective cover Wa500 to the right side.

Next, referring to Figure 83 (c), the cutting of the sealing seal WSL by the cutting portion Wa550 will be described. As shown in Figure 83 (c), by cutting the engagement portions W530a, W530b (see Figure 75), the protective cover Wa500 can be displaced toward the sealing unit W400 (the direction of arrow R, see Figure 68). By displacing the protective cover Wa500 toward the sealing unit W400, the cutting portion Wa550 can be received in the space formed by the notches W226, W325, and the sealing seal WSL is cut by the cutting portion Wa550.

Here, the pair of end walls W223, W321 come into contact with the rear wall W510 and the front wall W520, preventing the protective cover Wa500 from being displaced in the front-rear direction (the direction of the arrows F-B). This allows the cutting portion Wa550 to remain facing the notches W226, W325, making it easier for the cutting portion Wa550 to cut the sealing seal WSL.

In this embodiment, there is no need to perform the steps of cutting the engagement portions W530a, W530b to remove the protective cover Wa500 from the box cover W200 and the box base W300 and displacing the protective cover Wa500 toward the sealing unit W400 (the direction of the arrow R, see Figure 68) separately, and these steps can be efficiently performed as a single operation.

As described above, in the restricted state, the gaps formed between the right end of the rear wall Wa510 (arrow R direction) and the right end of the front wall Wa520 and the side wall W212 of the box cover W200 and the left wall W302 of the box base W300 are larger than the distance between the sealing seal WSL and the recess formed on the opposite side of the sealing seal WSL in the sawtooth shape formed in the cutting portion Wa550, so that the entire sawtooth shape formed in the cutting portion Wa550 can be received in the space formed by the notches W226 and W325. As a result, the sealing seal WSL is cut between both ends of the sealing seal WSL in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction), and the sealing seal WSL is separated into the flat portion W220 side and the flat portion W320 side.

In addition, by displacing the protective cover Wa500 to the right (arrow R direction), the right end of the rear wall Wa510 (arrow R direction) and the right end of the front wall Wa520 come into contact with the side wall W212 of the box cover W200 and the left wall W302 of the box base W300 (see FIG. 74). This restricts the protective cover Wa500 from being displaced to the right.

The cutting portion Wa550 may abut against the notches W226, W325 to restrict displacement of the protective cover Wa500 to the right. In this case, the cutting portion Wa550 can adhere the sealing seal WSL to the notches W226, W325. In other words, the sealing seal WSL can be made difficult to peel from the notches W226, W325. This makes it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL when peeling it from the notches W226, W325, and makes it easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize traces (damage) of the sealing seal WSL.

In this embodiment, the sealing seal WSL can be easily cut by displacing the protective cover Wa500 toward the side wall portion W212 (the direction of the arrow R). This allows the worker (store clerk) to easily open the box cover W200 and the box base W300, even if he or she does not have a cutting tool.

The cutting portion Wa550 is disposed opposite the notches W226, W325 formed in the planar portion W220 and the planar portion W320 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction), so that even when the notches W226, W325 are covered by the sealing seal WSL, the cutting portion Wa550 can be easily disposed in the space formed by the notches W226, W325.

The cutting portion Wa550 protrudes from the inner surface of the left wall portion W502, preventing it from being exposed from the box-shaped protective cover Wa500. This prevents workers (store clerks) from coming into contact with the cutting portion Wa550 and being injured during operations such as cutting the sealing seal WSL, and manufacturing and transporting the board box Wa100 and protective cover Wa500.

In addition, because the cutting portion Wa550 protrudes from the inner surface of the left wall portion W502, the cutting portion Wa550 is formed smaller than the protective cover Wa500. In other words, the protective cover Wa500 is formed larger than the cutting portion Wa550. Therefore, the worker (store clerk) can grasp the protective cover Wa500 and use the cutting portion Wa550 to cut the sealing seal WSL, making the cutting operation easy.

The protective cover Wa500 (cutting portion Wa550) is made of a resin material and is molded using a resin molding die, so it has a lower ability to cut the sealing seal WSL than, for example, a cutting tool that is sharply formed using a metal material. In contrast, because a space is formed by the cutout portions W226 and W325 on the adhesive surface side of the sealing seal WSL, even if the cutting portion Wa550 has a low cutting ability, it is possible to easily cut the sealing seal WSL.

Next, the board box Wb100 in the 17th embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 84 and 85. Note that parts that are the same as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 84(a) is a front view of the protective cover Wb500 of the board box Wb100 in the 17th embodiment, Figure 84(b) is a side view of the protective cover Wb500 as viewed in the direction of the arrow LXXXIVb in Figure 84(a), and Figure 84(c) is a rear view of the protective cover Wb500 as viewed in the direction of the arrow LXXXIVc in Figure 84(b). Figure 85(a) is a rear view of the board box Wb100, Figure 85(b) is a side view of the board box Wb100 as viewed in the direction of the arrow LXXXVb in Figure 85(a), and Figure 85(c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wb100 along the line LXXXVc-LXXXVc in Figure 85(b).

Note that Figures 84 and 85 show the state in which the engagement portions Wb530a and Wb530b have been cut off from the protective cover Wb500. Also, in Figure 84, the engagement portions Wb530a and Wb530b are shown by two-dot chain lines, and in Figure 85(b), the cut portion Wb550 and the guide portion Wb560 are shown by dashed lines. Also, the spaces formed in the protective cover Wb500 by cutting the engagement portions Wb530a and Wb530b from the protective cover Wb500 are defined as spaces WS1 and WS2, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 84, the protective cover Wb500 of the board box Wb100 in the 17th embodiment has an engagement portion Wb530a and a cutting portion Wb550 that are connected to the rear wall portion W510, and an engagement portion Wb530b and a guide portion Wb560 that are connected to the front wall portion W520.

The engagement portion Wb530a includes a relief portion Wb534a. The relief portion Wb534a is a portion for preventing contact between the engagement portion Wb530a and the cutting portion Wb550, and is recessed downward (in the direction of arrow D) from the upper surface of the engagement portion Wb530a at a position overlapping the cutting portion Wb550 in rear view.

The bottom surface (surface formed on the lower side) of the relief portion Wb534a is formed lower (in the direction of arrow D) than the blade portion Wb552 of the cutting portion Wb550 described later, and the side surface of the relief portion Wb534a in the left-right direction (in the direction of arrows L-R) is formed on both left-right ends of the support portion Wb551 and the blade portion Wb552 of the cutting portion Wb550 described later. This prevents the engagement portion Wb530a from coming into contact with the cutting portion Wb550.

Before the engagement portion Wb530a is cut, the relief portion Wb534a is formed surrounding the cut portion Wb550. This prevents the worker (store clerk) from coming into contact with the cut portion Wa550 and being injured.

The cutting portion Wb550 is a portion for cutting the sealing seal WSL, and includes a support portion Wb551 that protrudes from the rib portion W511 disposed on the upper side (arrow U direction side) toward the engaging portion Wb530a side (arrow D direction side), and a blade portion Wb552 that protrudes from the protruding tip of the support portion Wb551 toward the tip side of the engaging portion Wb530a (arrow R direction side).

The support portion Wb551 is a portion for supporting the blade portion Wb552 by providing a predetermined distance between the rib portion W511 and the blade portion Wb552. The blade portion Wb552 has a base portion supported by the support portion Wb551 and formed into a cylindrical shape, and a tip portion formed into a cone shape at the protruding tip of the base. The tip portion being formed into a cone shape makes it easier to cut the sealing seal WSL.

The cutting portion Wb550 may protrude from the rib portion W511 disposed on the lower side (arrow D direction side) toward the engaging portion Wb530a side (arrow U direction side), and the relief portion Wb534a may be recessed from the lower surface of the engaging portion Wb530a toward the upper side (arrow U direction side).

The engagement portion Wb530b is connected to a pair of rib portions W521 and a connecting portion W522 arranged on the upper side (arrow U direction side), and includes a relief portion Wb534b. The relief portion Wb534b is a portion for preventing contact between the engagement portion Wb530b and the guide portion Wb560, and is recessed upward (arrow U direction side) from the lower surface of the engagement portion Wb530b at a position overlapping the guide portion Wb560 in a front view.

The bottom surface (surface formed on the upper side) of the relief portion Wb534b is formed above (in the direction of arrow U) the protruding tip of the guide portion Wb560, and the side surface of the relief portion Wb534b in the left-right direction (in the direction of arrows L-R) is formed on both left-right ends of the side surfaces of the guide portion Wb560 in the left-right direction. This prevents the engagement portion Wb530b and the guide portion Wb560 from coming into contact with each other.

In addition, by forming the relief portion Wb534b, when the engagement portion Wb530b is separated from the protective cover Wb500, the engagement hole W533 is disengaged from the protrusion W312c (see FIG. 73), making it easier to prevent the engagement portion Wb530b from coming into contact with the guide portion Wb560 when the engagement portion Wb530b is displaced, and making it easier to remove the engagement portion Wb530b from the box base Wb300.

The guide portion Wb560 is a portion for maintaining the position of the protective cover Wb500 when the sealing seal WSL is cut by the cutting portion Wb550, and protrudes upward from the rib portion W521 that is disposed on the lower side (arrow D direction side) of a pair of rib portions W521 disposed on the upper side (arrow U direction side). The guide portion Wb560 is disposed to the left (arrow L direction side) of the tip of the blade portion Wb552 of the cutting portion Wb550 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction).

The guide portion Wb560 protrudes downward from the rib portion W521 arranged on the upper side (arrow U direction side) of a pair of rib portions W521 arranged on the lower side (arrow D direction side), and the engagement portion Wb530b and the escape portion Wb534b may be recessed downward from the upper surface of the engagement portion Wb530b connected to the pair of rib portions W521 arranged on the lower side and the connecting portion W522.

Next, referring to FIG. 85, the cutting of the sealing seal WSL by the protective cover Wb500 (cutting portion Wb550) will be described. In this embodiment, the protruding length of the protruding portion Wb324 of the box base Wb300 is formed to be smaller than the protruding length of the protruding portion W324 in the seventh embodiment, and the distance between the surfaces on the opposite side to the opposing surfaces of the planar portion W220 and the planar portion W320 is formed to be smaller. In addition, the planar portion W220 and the planar portion W320 do not have a pair of end wall portions W223, W321 (see FIG. 72).

Figure 85 shows the protective cover Wb500, in which the engagement portions Wb530a, Wb530b have been cut to form spaces WS1, WS2, rotated counterclockwise when viewed in the direction of arrow LXXXVb, so that the flat portions W220 and W320 are disposed in the spaces WS1, WS2, and the blade portion Wb552 is disposed in the space formed by the cutout portions W226, W325.

In this way, in this embodiment, the protective cover Wb500 is equipped with a cutting portion Wb550, so that even if the worker (store clerk) does not have a cutting tool, the box cover Wb200 and the box base Wb300 can be easily opened.

The cutting portion Wb550 is arranged in the space WS1, making it visible. This makes it easier to arrange the cutting portion Wb550 in the space formed by the notches W226 and W325, making it easier to cut the sealing seal WSL.

In addition, by arranging the flat surface portion W220 and the flat surface portion W320 in the space WS2, the guide portion Wb560 and the protrusion portion W324 can be brought into contact with each other. This makes it possible to prevent the protective cover Wb500 from rotating around the vertical direction (the direction of the arrows U-D) as the axis of rotation, and makes it easier to arrange the cutting portion Wb550 in the space formed by the notched portions W226 and W325.

Because the cutting portion Wb550 protrudes from the rib portion W511 of the protective cover Wb500, the cutting portion Wb550 is formed smaller than the protective cover Wb500. In other words, the protective cover Wb500 is formed larger than the cutting portion Wb550. Therefore, the worker (store clerk) can grasp the protective cover Wb500 and use the cutting portion Wb550 to cut the sealing seal WSL, making the cutting operation easy.

Next, referring to FIG. 86, the circuit board box Wc100 according to the 18th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 86(a) is a side view of the protective cover Wc500 of the board box Wc100 in the 18th embodiment, and Figure 86(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wc100 taken along line LXXIVb-LXXIVb in Figure 73(b). Figure 86(b) illustrates the state in which the sealing seal WSL is cut using the protective cover Wc500 removed from the box cover W200 and box base Wb300.

As shown in FIG. 86(a), the protective cover Wc500 of the board box Wc100 in the 18th embodiment has a cutting portion Wc550. The cutting portion Wc550 is a portion for cutting the sealing seal WSL, and is formed at the end of the lower side (arrow D direction) of the standing portion Wc540, protruding from the rear wall portion W510 side (arrow B direction) toward the front wall portion W520 side (arrow F direction).

The erect length of the erect portion Wc540 on the opposite side (the direction of arrow D) of the lower wall portion W501 of the protective cover Wc500 is formed to be approximately the same as the distance between the back surface of the flat portion W220 of the box cover W200 in the front-rear direction (the direction of arrows F-B) and the space formed by the notches W226 and W325.

Next, referring to FIG. 86(b), the cutting of the sealing seal WSL by the protective cover Wc500 (cutting portion Wc550) will be described. In FIG. 86(b), the protective cover Wc500 is in a changed position after being removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W300. In detail, the cutting portion Wc550 (standing portion Wc540) is in a position facing from the left side (arrow L direction) to the right side (arrow R direction).

The protective cover Wc500 is equipped with a cutting section Wc550, so even if the worker (store clerk) does not have a cutting tool, the box cover W200 and box base W300 can be easily opened.

As described above, the erection length of the erected portion Wc540 on the opposite side (the direction of arrow D) from the lower wall portion W501 is formed to be approximately the same as the distance between the back surface of the flat portion W220 of the box cover W200 and the space formed by the notched portions W226 and W325 in the front-to-rear direction (the direction of arrows F-B). Therefore, by abutting the lower wall portion W501 against the flat portion W220 via the sealing seal WSL, the cut portion Wc550 can be made to face the space formed by the notched portions W226 and W325. In other words, the position of the cut portion Wc550 and the position of the space formed by the notched portions W226 and W325 are approximately the same in the front-to-rear direction.

This makes it easy to place the cutting portion Wc550 in the space formed by the cutout portions W226, W325, even when the sealing seal WSL is blocking the cutout portions W226, W325. By sliding the protective cover Wc500 in the vertical direction (in the direction of the arrows U-D) while maintaining contact between the lower wall portion W501 and the flat portion W220, the sealing seal WSL can be easily cut.

The cutting portion Wc550 protrudes from the erected portion Wc540 of the protective cover Wc500, so the cutting portion Wc550 is formed smaller than the protective cover Wc500. In other words, the protective cover Wc500 is formed larger than the cutting portion Wc550. Therefore, the worker (store clerk) can grasp the protective cover Wc500 and use the cutting portion Wc550 to cut the sealing seal WSL, making the cutting operation easy.

Next, referring to FIG. 87, the board box Wd100 according to the 19th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 87(a) is a front view of the protective cover Wd500 of the board box Wd100 in the 19th embodiment, Figure 87(b) is a side view of the protective cover Wd500 as viewed in the direction of the arrow LXXXVIIb in Figure 87(a), and Figure 87(c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wd100 along the line LXXIVb-LXXIVb in Figure 73(b). Note that Figure 87(b) illustrates the state in which the cut engagement portion Wd530a is attached to the standing portion Wd540, and Figure 87(c) illustrates the state in which the sealing seal WSL is cut using the protective cover Wd500 removed from the box cover W200 and box base Wb300.

As shown in Figures 87(a) and 87(b), the protective cover Wd500 of the board box Wd100 in the 19th embodiment has a guide portion Wd560. The standing portion Wd540 is disposed at a position that is approximately the center of the lower wall portion W501 in the plate thickness direction (arrow L-R direction) of the left wall portion W502.

The dimension of the standing portion Wd540 in the thickness direction (arrow L-R direction) of the left wall portion W502 is formed to be approximately the same as or slightly smaller than the dimension of the engagement hole W533 of the engagement portion Wd530a in the thickness direction (arrow U-D direction) of the bottom wall portion W501. Also, the dimension of the standing portion Wd540 in the opposing direction (arrow F-B direction) of the back wall portion W510 and the front wall portion W520 is formed to be approximately the same as or slightly smaller than the dimension between the inner surfaces of the engagement hole W533 in the thickness direction of the left wall portion W502. As a result, as shown in FIG. 87(b), the standing portion Wd540 can be fitted (engaged) into the engagement hole W533, and the engagement portion Wd530a cut off from the protective cover Wd500 can be attached (held) to the protective cover Wd500.

The dimension of the standing portion Wd540 in the thickness direction of the left wall portion W502 (arrow L-R direction) may be slightly larger than the dimension of the engagement hole W533 of the engagement portion Wd530a in the thickness direction of the lower wall portion W501 (arrow U-D direction), and the dimension of the standing portion Wd540 in the opposing direction of the rear wall portion W510 and the front wall portion W520 (arrow F-B direction) may be slightly larger than the dimension between the inner surfaces of the engagement hole W533 in the thickness direction of the left wall portion W502. By engaging the standing portion Wd540 with the engagement hole W533 while elastically deforming the standing portion Wd540, it is possible to prevent the engagement portion Wd530a from coming off the protective cover Wd500. In addition, when the engaging portion Wd530a is attached to the protective cover Wd500, the position of the engaging portion Wd530a relative to the protective cover Wd500 can be prevented from changing. As a result, the sealing seal WSL can be easily cut using the engaging portion Wd530a.

The erected portion Wd540 can be made to function both to prevent the protective cover W500 from being attached to the box cover Wb200 and the box base Wb300 when the front wall portion W520 and the rear wall portion W510 are in the opposite position (the rear wall portion W510 faces the front side of the front wall portion W520) and to attach (hold) the engaging portion Wd530a, which reduces the manufacturing cost of the protective cover Wd500 compared to when parts having these functions are arranged on the protective cover Wd500. In addition, the mounting portion (holding portion) of the engaging portion Wd530a can be simplified. In addition, the parts arranged on the outer surface of the protective cover Wd500 can be reduced, improving the freedom of arrangement of the protective cover Wd500.

The connecting portion W512 is not formed in the rear wall portion W510 (see FIG. 72), and the connecting piece W531a of the engaging portion Wd530a is connected to the left wall portion W502. In addition, by not forming the connecting portion W512, the dimension of the engaging portion Wd530a in the plate thickness direction of the left wall portion W502 is formed larger than that of the engaging portion W530a in the seventh embodiment (see FIG. 73). In this embodiment, the distance between the inner surface of the engaging hole W533 on the connecting piece W531a side (arrow L direction side) and the connecting piece W531a is formed larger than the distance between the front of the erected portion Wd540 on the front wall portion W520 side (arrow F direction side) and the front of the front wall portion W520 formed on the opposite side to the rear wall portion W510.

As a result, when the engaging portion Wd530a is attached to the protective cover Wd500, the cut surface of the connecting piece W531a can be positioned on the opposite side of the front wall portion W520 from the rear wall portion W510.

The guide portion Wd560 is a portion that makes it easier to arrange the connecting piece W531a of the engaging portion Wd530a in the space formed by the notch portion W226 of the planar portion W220 and the notch portion W325 of the planar portion W320 when cutting the sealing seal WSL using the protective cover Wd500 (engaging portion Wd530a). The guide portion Wd560 is formed in a plate shape and is arranged with the plate thickness direction of the guide portion Wd560 aligned with the plate thickness direction of the left wall portion W502 (arrow L-R direction).

The distance between the guide surface Wd561 formed on the lower wall W501 side (arrow D direction) of the guide portion Wd560 and the outer surface of the lower wall W501 is approximately the same as the distance between the back surface of the flat portion W220 of the box cover W200 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction) and the space formed by the notches W226, W325 (see Figure 87 (c)).

Next, referring to Figure 87 (c), the cutting of the sealing seal WSL by the protective cover Wd500 (engagement portion Wd530a) will be described. Note that in Figure 87 (c), the position of the protective cover Wd500, which has been removed from the box cover W200 and box base Wb300, has been changed. In detail, the front wall portion W520 is now positioned facing the protrusion portion W324 of the box base W300 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction).

As described above, the distance between the guide surface Wd561 formed on the lower wall W501 side (arrow D direction side) of the guide portion Wd560 and the outer surface of the lower wall W501 is formed to be approximately the same as the distance between the back surface of the flat portion W220 of the box cover W200 and the space formed by the notches W226, W325 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction). Therefore, by abutting the guide surface Wd561 of the guide portion Wd560 against the front surface of the flat portion W320 via the sealing seal WSL, the connecting piece W531a of the disconnected engaging portion Wd530a can be made to face the space formed by the notches W226, W325. In other words, the position of the connecting piece W531a and the position of the space formed by the notches W226, W325 are approximately the same in the front-rear direction.

This makes it easy to place the connecting piece W531a in the space formed by the cutouts W226 and W325, even when the cutouts W226 and W325 are covered by the sealing seal WSL. By sliding the protective cover Wd500 in the vertical direction (in the direction of the arrows U-D) while maintaining contact between the guide surface Wd561 and the front of the flat surface W320, the sealing seal WSL can be easily cut.

The protective cover Wd500 is formed larger than the engaging portion Wd530a, so the worker (store clerk) can grasp the protective cover Wd500 and use the engaging portion Wd530a (connecting piece W531a) to cut the sealing seal WSL, making the cutting operation easy.

Next, with reference to Figures 88(a) and 88(b), a description will be given of the board box We100 in the twentieth embodiment of the present invention. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 88(a) is a partial rear view of the protective cover We500 of the board box We100 in the twentieth embodiment, and Figure 88(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box We100 taken along line LXXIVb-LXXIVb in Figure 73(b). Figure 88(b) illustrates the state in which the sealing seal WSL is cut using the cut engagement portion Wd530a.

As shown in FIG. 88(a), the protective cover We500 of the board box We100 in the 20th embodiment does not have the connecting piece W531b (see FIG. 72), and has a pair of connecting pieces We531a that connect the engagement portion We530a and the connecting portion W512.

The distance between the engagement portion We530a and the connecting portion W512, i.e., the extension length of the pair of connecting pieces We531a, is made shorter than the recess depth of the space formed by the cutout portions We226 and We325.

The cutouts We226 and We325 are recessed toward the opposite side of the flat surface e220 and the protruding portion We324, and the space formed by the cutouts We226 and We325 is roughly U-shaped in cross section. The distance between the opposing cutouts We226 and We325 is roughly equal to or slightly larger than the width of the pair of connecting pieces We531a in the vertical direction (arrows U-D direction). This makes it possible to receive the pair of disconnected connecting pieces We531a in the space formed by the cutouts We226 and We325.

The cutout dimensions of the cutouts We226 and We325 toward the side wall W212 (arrow R direction) are slightly larger than the extension dimensions of the pair of connecting pieces We531a in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction).

The distance between the pair of connecting pieces We531a facing each other is formed to be approximately the same as the distance between the front of the flat portion We320 of the box base We300 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction) and the space formed by the cutout portions We226 and We325 (see Figure 88 (b)).

Next, cutting of the sealing seal WSL by the engaging portion We530a will be described with reference to FIG. 88(b). In FIG. 88(b), the engaging portion We530a, which has been separated from the protective cover We500, is in a changed position. In detail, the pair of connecting pieces We531a of the engaging portion We530a are positioned to face the protruding portion We324 of the box base We300 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction).

As described above, the distance between the pair of connecting pieces We531a is formed to be approximately the same as the distance between the front of the flat surface We320 of the box base We300 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction) and the space formed by the notches We226 and We325. Therefore, by abutting one of the opposing surfaces of the pair of connecting pieces We531a against the front of the flat surface We320 via the sealing seal WSL, the other of the pair of connecting pieces We531a can be made to face the space formed by the notches We226 and We325. In other words, the position of the other of the pair of connecting pieces We531a and the position of the space formed by the notches We226 and We325 are approximately the same in the front-rear direction.

As a result, even when the cutout portions We226 and We325 are covered by the sealing seal WSL, the opposing surface of one of the pair of connecting pieces We531a can be abutted against the front surface of the flat portion We320, making it possible for the other of the pair of connecting pieces We531a to be received (disposed) in the space formed by the cutout portions We226 and We325. By sliding and displacing the engagement portion We530a in the vertical direction (direction of the arrows U-D) while maintaining the abutment between the opposing surface of one of the pair of connecting pieces We531a and the front surface of the flat portion We320, the sealing seal WSL can be easily cut.

In addition, the cutout dimensions of the cutout portions We226 and We325 toward the side wall portion W212 (arrow R direction) are formed to be slightly larger than the extension dimensions of the pair of connecting pieces We531a in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction), thereby preventing the cut ends of the pair of disconnected connecting pieces We531a from contacting the bottom surfaces of the cutout portions We226 and We325 on the side wall portion W212 side, thereby preventing damage to the cutout portions We226 and We325.

In this way, in this embodiment, the sealing seal WSL can be cut using the engagement portion We530a, which is formed small relative to the protective cover We500, so that the sealing seal WSL can be easily cut by suppressing interference between the engagement portion We530a and the pair of end wall portions W223, W321 (see FIG. 72) of the planar portion W220 and the planar portion W320.

In addition, when the pair of connecting pieces We531a are connected to the protective cover We500 (the state before the pair of connecting pieces We531a are cut), the cut portions are not formed in the pair of connecting pieces We531a, so that it is possible to prevent a worker (store clerk) from coming into contact with the cut portions of the pair of connecting pieces We531a and being injured.

Next, referring to Figures 88(c) and 88(d), a protective cover Wf500 according to a 21st embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that parts that are the same as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 88(c) is a partial rear view of the protective cover Wf500 in the 21st embodiment, and Figure 88(d) is a partial cross-sectional view of the protective cover Wf500 taken along line LXXXViiiid-LXXXVIIId in Figure 88(c).

As shown in Figures 88(c) and 88(d), the engagement portion Wf530a of the protective cover Wf500 in the 21st embodiment has a cutting portion Wf550.

Compared to the engaging portion W530a in the seventh embodiment (see FIG. 73), the engaging portion Wf530a is arranged such that the connecting piece W531b is displaced a predetermined distance toward the opposite side (arrow R direction) from the connecting portion W512, and a cutting portion Wf550 is formed at the end of the engaging portion Wf530a on the connecting portion W512 side (arrow L direction). The cutting portions Wf550 are formed in pairs facing a pair of rib portions W511.

The cutting portion Wf550 is formed so that the dimension in the plate thickness direction becomes smaller in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction) from the center of the engaging portion Wf530a toward both ends. In other words, the tip of the cutting portion Wf550 is formed sharp. This makes it easier to cut the sealing seal WSL.

On the other hand, the cutting portion Wf550 is disposed closer to the connecting portion W512 (the side in the direction of arrow L, the opposite side to the engagement hole W533) than the pair of connecting pieces W531b, so it does not affect the engagement between the engagement hole W533 and the protrusion W221 of the box cover W200 (see FIG. 74). In other words, the formation of the cutting portion Wf550 can prevent the elasticity of the engagement portion Wf530a from being reduced.

Therefore, the engagement force for attaching the protective cover Wf500 to the box cover W200 and the box base W300 (see FIG. 73) can be prevented from being reduced by the formation of the cut portion Wf550.

The cutting portion Wf550 is disposed opposite the rib portion W511 and the connecting portion W512. This prevents the worker (store clerk) from coming into contact with the cutting portion Wf550 and being injured before the engaging portion Wf530a is separated from the protective cover Wf500.

Next, referring to Figures 89(a) and 89(b), a protective cover Wg500 according to a 22nd embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 89(a) is a partial rear view of the protective cover Wg500 in the 22nd embodiment, and Figure 89(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the protective cover Wg500 taken along line LXXXIXb-LXXXIXb in Figure 89(a).

As shown in Figures 89(a) and 89(b), the protective cover Wg500 in the 22nd embodiment does not have a connecting piece W531b (see Figure 72), and has a pair of connecting pieces Wg531a that connect the engagement portion Wg530a and the connecting portion W512.

The pair of connecting pieces Wg531a are formed so that the cross-sectional area in the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 89(b) becomes smaller from the connecting portion W512 side and the engaging portion Wg530a side toward the space between the connecting portion W512 and the engaging portion Wg530a. In other words, the pair of connecting pieces Wg531a are formed in a shape in which a pair of truncated pyramids are connected from the connecting portion W512 side and the engaging portion Wg530a side toward the space between the connecting portion W512 and the engaging portion Wg530a.

This makes it easier to cut the pair of connecting pieces Wg531a when separating the engaging portion Wg530a from the protective cover Wg500. In addition, the cut surface of the pair of connecting pieces Wg531a is smaller than when the cross-sectional area shown in FIG. 89(b) is constant between the opposing connecting portion W512 and the engaging portion Wg530a, so the cut portion of the pair of connecting pieces Wg531a is sharp. As a result, the sealing seal WSL can be cut easily.

Next, with reference to FIG. 89(c), the board box Wh100 according to the 23rd embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 89 (c) is a partial rear view of the board box Wh100 in the 23rd embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 89(c), the protective cover Wh500 of the board box Wh100 in the 23rd embodiment has a restricting portion Wh570.

The restricting portion Wh570 is a portion for restricting the engaging portion W530a from being elastically deformed improperly. The restricting portion Wh570 is disposed closer to the tip of the engaging portion W530a (the side in the direction of the arrow R) than the pair of connecting pieces W531b, and is disposed on the opposite side (the side in the direction of the arrow B) from the front wall portion W520 (see FIG. 72) than the engaging portion W530a.

As a result, even if the engaging portion W530a is improperly elastically deformed to disengage the protrusion W221 of the planar portion W220 from the engaging hole W533 of the engaging portion W530a, the elastic deformation of the engaging portion W530a can be restricted by the abutment of the engaging portion W530a and the restricting portion Wh570. As a result, it is easy to prevent the protective cover Wh500 from being improperly removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W300 (see FIG. 72).

Next, referring to FIG. 90, the board box Wi100 according to the 24th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 90(a) is a side view of the protective cover Wi500 of the board box Wi100 in the 24th embodiment, Figure 90(b) is a side view of the board box Wi100, and Figure 90(c) is a cross-sectional view of the board box Wi100 along line XCc-XCc in Figure 90(b). Note that Figure 90 illustrates a state in which the engagement portion W530a has been separated from the protective cover Wi500.

As shown in FIG. 90(a), the protective cover Wi500 of the board box Wi100 in the 24th embodiment is provided with a rear wall portion W510 instead of the front wall portion W520 of the protective cover W500 in the seventh embodiment. In more detail, a pair of rear wall portions W510 are provided at both ends of the left wall portion W502 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction). The pair of rear wall portions W510 are provided in a symmetrical position in the side view shown in FIG. 90(a). The pair of rear wall portions W510 also include the engagement portion We530 and a pair of connecting pieces We531a in the 20th embodiment (see FIG. 88(c) and FIG. 88(d)).

Next, cutting of the sealing seal WSL by the protective cover Wi500 will be described with reference to Figures 90(b) and 90(c). Note that in Figures 90(b) and 90(c), the posture of the protective cover Wi500 is changed. In detail, the pair of connecting pieces We531a of the protective cover Wi500 is positioned facing the protruding portion We324 of the box base We300 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction). Note that in this embodiment, the state in which the pair of connecting pieces We531a are cut on the engaging portion We530a side rather than the connecting portion W512 side is illustrated.

The distance between the pair of connecting pieces We531a is formed to be approximately the same as the distance between the front of the flat surface We320 of the box base We300 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction) and the space formed by the notches We226 and We325, so that by abutting one of the opposing surfaces of the pair of connecting pieces We531a against the front of the flat surface We320 via the sealing seal WSL, the other of the pair of connecting pieces We531a can be made to face the space formed by the notches We226 and We325. In other words, the position of the other of the pair of connecting pieces We531a and the position of the space formed by the notches We226 and We325 are approximately the same in the front-rear direction.

As a result, even when the cutout portions We226 and We325 are covered by the sealing seal WSL, the other of the pair of connecting pieces We531a can be easily disposed in the space formed by the cutout portions We226 and We325. By sliding and displacing the engaging portion We530a in the vertical direction (the direction of the arrows U-D) while maintaining contact between the opposing surface of one of the pair of connecting pieces We531a and the front surface of the flat portion We320, the sealing seal WSL can be easily cut.

In this embodiment, the sealing seal WSL is cut using a pair of connecting pieces We531a formed on the protective cover Wi500, making it easier for the worker (store clerk) to grasp the protective cover Wi500 and perform the cutting operation compared to the case in which the sealing seal WSL is cut using a pair of connecting pieces We531a formed on the engagement portion We530a in the 20th embodiment.

Next, with reference to Figures 91 to 93, the board box Wj100 according to the 25th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 91(a) is a partial rear view of the board box Wj100 in the 25th embodiment, Figure 91(b) is a partial side view of the board box Wj100 as viewed in the direction of the arrow XCIb in Figure 91(a), and Figure 91(c) is a rear view of the protective cover Wj500. Figures 92(a) and 92(c) are rear views of the board box Wj100 at part XCIIa in Figure 91(a), Figure 92(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wj100 taken along line XCIIb-XCIIb in Figure 92(a), and Figure 92(d) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wj100 taken along line XCIId-XCIId in Figure 92(c). FIG. 93(a) is a rear view of the board box Wj100 at part XCIIa in FIG. 91(a), and FIG. 93(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wj100 at line XCIIIb-XCIIIb in FIG. 93(a).

Note that Figures 91(a) and 91(b) show the box cover Wj200 and the box base W300 with the protective cover Wj500 removed. Also, Figures 92(a), 92(c), and 93(a) omit part of the rear wall Wj214a.

As shown in Figures 91(a) and 91(b), the box cover Wj200 of the board box Wj100 in the 25th embodiment has an elastic deformation restriction means Wj230 instead of the protrusion W221 in the seventh embodiment (see Figure 72).

The rear wall Wj214a of the cover Wj214 is formed to protrude further toward the protruding tip side (arrow L direction side) than the rear wall W214a in the seventh embodiment, and is disposed at a position overlapping the elastic deformation restricting means Wj230 in rear view. A restricting wall Wj214b is formed on the front side of the rear wall Wj214a, protruding toward the second restricting part Wj250 side (arrow F direction side) at a position facing the second restricting part Wj250 in a second restricting state described below. The restricting wall Wj214b is a portion for restricting the elastic deformation of the engaging part Wj530a of the protective cover Wj500.

A notch Wj227 is formed in the planar portion Wj220 at a position corresponding to the elastic deformation restricting means Wj230, and a second restricting portion Wj250 of the elastic deformation restricting means Wj230, which will be described later, is disposed in the space formed by the notch Wj227.

The dimensions of the planar portion Wj220 and the planar portion Wj320 in the vertical direction (direction of arrows U-D) are smaller than the dimensions of the planar portion Wj220 and the planar portion Wj320 in the seventh embodiment (see FIG. 72), and when the planar portion Wj220 and the planar portion Wj320 are disposed inside the protective cover Wj500, the protective cover Wj500 can be displaced in the vertical direction relative to the box cover Wj200 and the box base Wj300.

The elastic deformation restricting means Wj230 is for restricting the engagement portion Wj530a of the protective cover Wj500 from being elastically deformed improperly in the restricted state, and includes a first restricting portion Wj240 and a second restricting portion Wj250. In addition, in explaining the elastic deformation restricting means Wj230, refer to FIG. 92 and FIG. 93 as appropriate.

The first restricting portion Wj240 is a portion for restricting the displacement of the protective cover Wj500 to the left side (arrow L direction) in the restricted state, and protrudes from the rear surface of the flat portion Wj220 toward the rear wall portion Wj214a side (arrow B direction). The first restricting portion Wj240 is formed with an inclined portion Wj241 that inclines toward the rear wall portion Wj214a side as it moves from the left side (arrow L direction) to the right side (arrow R direction).

The second restricting portion Wj250 is a portion for restricting the displacement of the protective cover Wj500 downward (in the direction of arrow D) in the restricted state, and is disposed opposite the first restricting portion Wj240 in the up-down direction (in the direction of arrows U-D). The second restricting portion Wj250 includes a plate-shaped support portion Wj251 that protrudes from the side wall of the flat portion Wj220 formed by the notch Wj227 toward the first restricting portion Wj240 (in the direction of arrow D), and an engagement portion Wj252 that protrudes from the protruding tip of the support portion Wj251 toward the restricting wall portion Wj214b (in the direction of arrow B).

The support portion Wj251 is disposed with its thickness direction aligned along the front-rear direction (the direction of the arrows F-B), and the thickness of the support portion Wj251 is smaller than the thickness of the planar portion Wj220. This allows the support portion Wj251 to be elastically deformed relative to the planar portion Wj220 when an external force in the front-rear direction is applied to the second restricting portion Wj250.

The engagement portion Wj252 is formed so as to incline from the first restricting portion Wj240 side (arrow D direction side) toward the restricting wall portion Wj214b side (arrow B direction side) as it moves toward the opposite side to the first restricting portion Wj240 (arrow U direction side). The upper surface of the engagement portion Wj252 formed on the opposite side to the first restricting portion Wj240 (arrow U direction side) is formed perpendicular to the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction).

As shown in Figure 91 (c), the engaging portion Wj530a of the protective cover Wj500 is formed with a smaller dimension in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction) compared to the engaging portion Wj530a in the seventh embodiment. This makes it possible to prevent contact between the engaging portion Wj530a and the cover portion Wj214 even when the protective cover Wj500 is displaced in the vertical direction from a state in which the planar portion Wj220 and the planar portion Wj320 are disposed inside the protective cover Wj500.

Next, the attachment of the protective cover Wj500 to the box cover Wj200 and the box base Wj300 will be described with reference to Figures 92 and 93. First, in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction), the engaging portion Wj530a of the protective cover Wj500 is opposed to a position where the restricting wall portion Wj214b of the cover portion Wj214 is not formed, and the protective cover Wj500 is displaced toward the box cover Wj200 and the box base Wj300 side (arrow R direction).

When the tip of the engagement portion Wj530a comes into contact with the inclined portion Wj241 of the first restricting portion Wj240, the engagement portion Wj530a is elastically deformed toward the protruding tip side (arrow B direction) of the first restricting portion Wj240.

As shown in Figures 92(a) and 92(b), the rear wall portion Wj510 and the side wall portion W212 come into contact with each other, restricting the displacement of the protective cover Wj500 to the right (in the direction of arrow R) relative to the box cover Wj200 and the box base Wj300 (hereinafter referred to as the "first restricted state").

In the first restricted state, the first restricting portion Wj240 is disposed inside the engagement hole W533 of the protective cover Wj500, and the elastic deformation of the engagement portion Wj530a is released. In addition, in the first restricted state, the inner wall of the engagement hole W533 comes into contact with the surface formed on the right side (arrow R direction side) of the first restricting portion Wj240, thereby restricting the displacement of the protective cover Wj500 toward the left side (arrow L direction side).

Next, as shown in Figures 92(c) and 92(d), by displacing the protective cover Wj500 from the first restricted state toward the upward side (the direction of the arrow U), the upper end of the engagement portion Wj530a comes into contact with the engagement portion Wj252 of the second restricting portion Wj250, and the second restricting portion Wj250 is elastically deformed toward the opposite side (the direction of the arrow F) from the rear wall portion Wj214a of the cover portion Wj214.

Here, because the plate thickness of the support portion Wj251 is formed to be smaller than the plate thickness of the planar portion Wj220, the support portion Wj251 is elastically deformed by the upper end portion of the engagement portion Wj530a, and displacement toward the upper side (arrow U direction) of the protective cover Wj500 is permitted.

Next, as shown in Figures 93(a) and 93(b), the inner wall of the engagement hole W533 comes into contact with the surface formed on the lower side (arrow D direction) of the first restricting portion Wj240, restricting the displacement of the protective cover Wj500 toward the upper side (arrow U direction) (hereinafter referred to as the "second restricting state").

In the second restricted state, the inner wall of the engagement hole W533 abuts against the surface formed on the upper side (arrow U direction side) of the engagement portion Wj252, restricting the displacement of the protective cover Wj500 downward (arrow D direction side). As a result, the displacement of the protective cover Wj500 from the second restricted state to the first restricted state is restricted.

In the second restricted state, at least a portion of the engagement portion Wj530a is disposed in a position overlapping with the restriction wall portion Wj214b in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction). Therefore, elastic deformation of the engagement portion Wj530a toward the rear side (arrow B direction) is restricted by abutting against the restriction wall portion Wj214b. In other words, the restriction wall portion Wj214b restricts the first restriction portion Wj240 and the second restriction portion Wj250 from disengaging from the engagement portion Wj530a (engagement hole W533) in order to illegally remove the protective cover Wj500 from the box cover Wj200 and the box base Wj300.

As described above, the rear wall portion Wj214a is disposed at a position overlapping the elastic deformation restricting means Wj230 in rear view, so that the second restricting portion Wj250 can be shielded. This makes it difficult to cause the second restricting portion Wj250 to undergo improper elastic deformation and to release the engagement between the first restricting portion Wj240 and the second restricting portion Wj250 and the engaging portion Wj530a (engagement hole W533).

This helps prevent the protective cover Wj500 from being illegally removed from the box cover Wj200 and the box base Wj300.

Next, with reference to Figures 94 and 95, the board box Wk100 in the 26th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 94(a) is a partial front view of the board box Wk100 in the 26th embodiment, Figure 94(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wk100 taken along line XCIVb-XCIVb in Figure 94(a), and Figure 94(c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wk100 taken along line XCIVc-XCIVc in Figure 94(a). Figures 95(a) and 95(c) are partial cross-sectional views of the board box Wk100 taken along line XCIVb-XCIVb in Figure 94(a), and Figures 95(b) and 95(d) are partial cross-sectional views of the board box Wk100 taken along line XCIVc-XCIVc in Figure 94(a).

Note that Figure 94 illustrates a state in which the protective cover W500 has been removed from the box cover W200 and the box base Wk300. In this embodiment, the engaging portion W530b arranged on the upper side (arrow U direction side) of the protective cover W500 will be described as engaging portion W530b1, and the engaging portion W530b arranged on the lower side (arrow D direction side) will be described as engaging portion W530b2, with different reference numerals (see Figure 72).

As shown in Fig. 94, the box base Wk300 of the board box Wk100 in the 26th embodiment has a protrusion Wk312c instead of the protrusion W312c arranged on the lower side (the side in the direction of arrow D) of the pair of protrusions W312c in the seventh embodiment (see Fig. 73). In addition, the cover part Wk312 of the box base Wk300 has a locking part Wk312f.

The protrusion Wk312c has an inclined portion Wk312d that inclines toward the back side (arrow B direction) as it moves from the left side (arrow L direction) to the right side (arrow L direction). The protrusion Wk312c is disposed to the left (arrow L direction) of the protrusion W312c in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction). In detail, the boundary between the inclined portion Wk312d and the front wall portion W312a is formed to the left of the boundary between the inclined portion W312d of the protrusion W312c and the front wall portion W312a, and the side surface of the protrusion Wk312c formed on the right side is formed to the left of the side surface of the protrusion W312c formed on the right side. In addition, the dimension of the protrusion Wk312 in the left-right direction is formed to be approximately 1/2 the dimension of the protrusion W312 in the left-right direction.

As a result, when attaching the protective cover W500 to the box cover W200 and the box base Wk300, the engagement portion W530b2 and the protrusion Wk312c can come into contact with each other earlier than the engagement portion W530b1 and the protrusion W312c (see FIG. 95). Also, the engagement portion W530b2 and the protrusion Wk312c can come into engagement with each other earlier than the engagement portion W530b1 and the protrusion W312c (the protrusion W312c is disposed inside the engagement hole W533 of the engagement portion W530b1). Also, when the engagement portion W530b2 and the protrusion Wk312c are engaged with each other, the protective cover W500 can be displaced left and right (in the direction of the arrows L-R).

The locking portion Wk312f is a portion for restricting the displacement of the engaging portion W530b toward the rear side (arrow B direction), and protrudes toward the left side (arrow L direction) from the left wall portion W302. The locking portion Wk312f includes an inclined portion Wk312g that inclines toward the rear side (arrow B direction) as it moves from the left side (arrow L direction) to the right side (arrow L direction).

The distance between the locking portion Wk312f and the protrusion Wk312c in the left-right direction is set to be greater than the distance between the engagement portion W530b and the inner surface of the engagement hole W533. Furthermore, the inclined portion Wk312g is formed at a position overlapping the protrusion Wk312 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction). As a result, by displacing the protective cover W500 to the right (arrow R direction) from a state in which the engagement portion W530b is engaged with the protrusion Wk312c, the tip of the engagement portion W530b can be brought into contact with the inclined portion Wk312g.

Next, the attachment of the protective cover W500 to the box cover W200 and the box base Wk300 will be described with reference to Figure 95. Note that Figures 95(a) and 95(b) show the protective cover W500 in the middle of being attached to the box cover W200 and the box base Wk300, with the engagement portion W530b1 elastically deformed, and Figures 95(c) and 95(d) show the board box Wk100 in the restricted state.

In the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction), the positions of the engagement holes W533 of the engagement parts W530a, W530b1, and W530b2 are aligned with the positions of the projection W221 of the box cover W200 and the projections W312c, Wk312c of the box base Wk300 (see Figures 72 and 73), and then the protective cover W500 is displaced to the right (arrow R direction) so that the tip of the engagement part W530b2 comes into contact with the inclined part Wk312d of the projection Wk312c. The engagement part W530b2 is elastically deformed toward the rear side (arrow B direction), allowing the protective cover W500 to be displaced to the right.

Next, the protrusion Wk312c is disposed inside the engagement hole W533 of the engagement portion W530b2, thereby releasing the elastic deformation of the engagement portion W530b2 toward the rear side (the direction of arrow B), and the engagement portion W530b2 and the protrusion Wk312c are engaged with each other, as shown in FIG. 95(b).

As described above, the protrusion Wk312c is disposed to the left (arrow L direction) of the protrusion W312c in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction). Therefore, when the engagement portion W530b2 and the protrusion Wk312c are engaged, as shown in FIG. 95(a), the tip of the engagement portion W530b1 abuts against the inclined portion W312d of the protrusion W312c, and the engagement portion W530b1 is elastically deformed toward the rear side (arrow B direction).

In addition, the dimension of the protrusion Wk312 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) is formed to be approximately half the dimension of the protrusion W312 in the left-right direction, so that when the engagement portion W530b2 and the protrusion Wk312c are engaged, the protective cover W500 is allowed to move to the right (arrow R direction).

Next, by displacing the protective cover W500 to the right (arrow R direction) from the state in which the engagement portion W530b2 and the protrusion Wk312c are engaged, the engagement portion W530b1 and the protrusion W312c are engaged, the elastic deformation of the engagement portion W530b1 toward the rear side (arrow B direction) is released, and the board box Wk100 is placed in a restricted state, as shown in FIG. 95(c).

As described above, the inclined portion Wk312g is formed at a position that overlaps the protrusion Wk312 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction). Therefore, by displacing the protective cover W500 to the right (arrow R direction), as shown in FIG. 95(d), the tip of the engaging portion W530b2 comes into contact with the inclined portion Wk312g of the locking portion Wk312f, and the engaging portion W530b2 is elastically deformed toward the front side (arrow F direction). As a result, the elastic deformation of the engaging portion W530b2 toward the back side (arrow B direction) is restricted.

In this way, in this embodiment, the elastic deformation of the engagement portion W530b2 toward the rear side (the direction of arrow B) is restricted, which prevents the engagement portion W530b2 from being improperly elastically deformed toward the rear side, thereby preventing the protective cover W500 from being improperly removed from the box cover W200 and the box base Wk300.

In addition, by displacing the protective cover W500 to the right (arrow R direction), elastic deformation of the engagement portion W530b2 toward the rear side (arrow B direction) is restricted, so the operation of attaching the protective cover W500 to the box cover W200 and box base Wk300 (displacement of the protective cover W500 to the right side) and the operation of restricting elastic deformation of the engagement portion W530b2 toward the rear side can be made the same, making it easier to move the board box Wk100 into the restricted state.

In addition, by engaging the engagement portion W530b1 with the protrusion W312c, displacement of the protective cover W500 toward the left side (arrow L direction) is restricted, and the elastic deformation of the engagement portion W530b2 toward the front side (arrow F direction) can be prevented from being released.

In addition, the tip of the engagement portion W530b2 abuts against the inclined portion Wk312g of the locking portion Wk312f, so that the protective cover W500 can be displaced toward the front side (the direction of the arrow F), and the formation of a gap between the rear wall portion W510 and the standing portion W222 can be prevented. This makes it easier to prevent a wire that is illegally inserted through the gap formed between the rear wall portion W510 and the standing portion W222 from releasing the adhesion between the flat portion W220 and the sealing seal WSL.

Next, with reference to Figures 96 and 97, the board box Wl100 in the 27th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 96(a) is a partial rear view of the substrate box Wl100 in the 27th embodiment, Figure 96(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box Wl100 taken along line XCVIb-XCVIb in Figure 96(a), Figure 96(c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the substrate box Wl100 taken along line XCVIc-XCVIc in Figure 96(a), Figure 96(d) is a rear view of the protective cover Wl500, and Figure 96(e) is a cross-sectional view of the protective cover Wl500 taken along line XCVIe-XCVIe in Figure 96(d). FIG. 97(a) is a rear view of the board box Wl100 in part XCVIIa of FIG. 96(a), FIG. 97(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wl100 taken along line XCVIb-XCVIb of FIG. 96(a), and FIG. 97(c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wl100 taken along line XCVIc-XCVIc of FIG. 96(a).

Note that Figures 96(a) to 96(c) show the box cover Wl200 and the box base W300 with the protective cover Wl500 removed. Also, in Figure 97(a), the tip portion Wl436 is shown by a dashed line.

As shown in Figures 96(a) to 96(c), the box cover Wl200 of the board box Wl100 in the 27th embodiment has an elastic deformation restriction means Wl230 instead of the protrusion W221 in the seventh embodiment (see Figure 72).

The elastic deformation restricting means Wl230 is intended to prevent unauthorized removal of the protective cover Wl500 from the box cover Wl200 and the box base W300, and includes a first restricting portion Wl240 and a second restricting portion Wl250 that protrude from the flat portion W220 toward the rear side (the direction of the arrow B).

The first restricting portion Wl240 and the second restricting portion Wl250 are spaced apart in the vertical direction (the direction of the arrows U-D) by the vertical dimension of the connecting portion Wl535 of the protective cover Wl500, which will be described later. This allows the connecting portion Wl535 to be disposed between the opposing first restricting portion Wl240 and the second restricting portion Wl250.

The first restricting portion Wl240 is formed with an inclined portion Wl241 that inclines toward the rear side (arrow B direction) as it moves from the left side (arrow L direction) to the right side (arrow R direction). The locking surface Wl242, which is the surface formed on the opposite side to the inclined portion Wl241 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction), is formed along the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction).

The second restricting portion Wl250 is formed with a first inclined portion Wl251 that inclines toward the rear side (arrow B side) as it moves from the left side (arrow L direction) to the right side (arrow R direction), and a second inclined portion Wl252 that inclines toward the front side (arrow F side) as it moves from the right end of the first inclined portion Wl251 to the right side. In the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction), the second inclined portion Wl252 is disposed at a position overlapping with the locking surface Wl242 of the first restricting portion Wl240.

As shown in Figures 96(d) and 96(e), the engagement portion Wl530a of the protective cover Wl500 includes a connecting portion Wl535 and a tip portion Wl536 disposed at the tip of the connecting portion Wl535.

The connecting portion Wl535 protrudes from approximately the center of the engaging portion Wl530a in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) toward the right side (arrow R direction). The protruding dimension of the connecting portion Wl535 is formed to be larger than the dimension of the first restricting portion Wl240 in the left-right direction and smaller than the dimension of the second restricting portion Wl250 in the left-right direction.

The inclined portion Wl535a formed on the underside of the connecting portion Wl535 is inclined toward the rear side (arrow B direction) as it moves from the left side (arrow L direction) to the right side (arrow R direction). That is, the connecting portion Wl535 is formed so that the connecting portion with the engaging portion Wl530a is smaller than the connecting portion with the tip portion Wl536. This makes it easier to deform the connecting portion Wl535 (tip portion Wl536) relative to the engaging portion Wl530a.

The tip portion Wl536 is formed to extend in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction). In this embodiment, the tip portion Wl536 above the connecting portion Wl535 (arrow U direction side) is referred to as the upper tip portion Wl536a, and the tip portion Wl536 below the connecting portion Wl535 (arrow D direction side) is referred to as the lower tip portion Wl536b.

Next, the circuit board box Wl100 in the restricted state will be described with reference to Figure 97. As described above, the protruding dimension of the connecting portion Wl535 is formed to be larger than the dimension of the first restricting portion Wl240 in the left-right direction, so that the first restricting portion Wl240 is disposed in the space formed between the engaging portion Wl530a and the upper tip portion Wl536a.

On the other hand, the protruding dimension of the connecting portion Wl535 is smaller than the dimension of the second restricting portion Wl250 in the left-right direction, so the second inclined portion Wl252 of the second restricting portion Wl250 comes into contact with the lower tip portion Wl536b. As a result, the connecting portion Wl535 (tip portion Wl536) is rotated (twisted) around the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) as the rotation axis, and the lower tip portion Wl536b is displaced toward the rear side (arrow B direction) and the upper tip portion Wl536a is displaced toward the front side (arrow F direction).

As described above, the inclined portion Wl535a is formed to be inclined toward the rear side (arrow B direction) as it moves from the left side (arrow L direction) to the right side (arrow R direction), making it easier to rotate the connecting portion Wl535 (tip portion Wl536) relative to the engaging portion Wl530a.

By displacing the upper end Wl536a toward the front side (the direction of arrow F), the amount of engagement between the upper end Wl536a and the first restricting portion Wl240 can be increased (the overlap between the upper end Wl536a and the first restricting portion Wl240 in the left-right direction can be increased). This makes it difficult to illegally remove the protective cover Wl500 from the box cover Wl200 and the box base W300.

In addition, when the lower tip Wl536b is displaced toward the rear side (arrow B direction) to illegally release the engagement between the lower tip Wl536b and the second restricting part Wl250, the upper tip Wl536a is rotated (twisted) around the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) as a rotation axis and displaced toward the front side (arrow F direction), thereby increasing the amount of engagement between the upper tip Wl536a and the first restricting part Wl240. This makes it difficult to illegally remove the protective cover Wl500 from the box cover Wl200 and the box base W300.

Next, referring to FIG. 98, the board box Wm100 according to the 28th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that parts that are the same as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 98(a) is a partial front view of the board box Wm100 in the 28th embodiment, and Figure 98(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wm100 taken along line XCVIIIb-XCVIIIb in Figure 98(a). Note that the sealing seal WSL in this embodiment is formed in the same way as the sealing seal WSL in the seventh embodiment except that it has smaller dimensions in the up-down direction (direction of arrows U-D), and so will be described using the same reference numerals. Figure 98(a) also shows the state in which the protective cover Wm500 has been removed from the box cover Wm200 and box base Wm300.

As shown in FIG. 98, the box base Wm300 of the board box Wl100 in the 28th embodiment is provided with a pair of elastic deformation restricting means Wm330. A notch Wm327 is formed in the planar portion Wm320 at a position corresponding to the elastic deformation restricting means Wm330, and the elastic deformation restricting means Wm330 is disposed in the space formed by the notch Wm327. The planar portion Wm220 of the box cover Wm200 is provided with a restricting protrusion Wm228, and the engagement portion Wm530b of the protective cover Wm500 is provided with a protrusion Wm534.

The elastic deformation restricting means Wm330 is intended to restrict unauthorized elastic deformation of the engaging portion Wm530b of the protective cover Wm500 in the restricted state, and includes a connecting portion Wm331 that protrudes from the notch Wm327, an extension portion Wm332 that extends in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) from the protruding tip of the connecting portion Wm331, and a contact portion Wm333 and a restricting portion Wm334 that protrude from both ends of the extension portion Wm332 toward the front side (arrow F direction).

The connecting portion Wm331 is plate-shaped and protrudes from the side wall of the flat portion Wm320 formed by the notch Wm327 toward the sealing seal WSL. The inclined portion Wm331a formed on the front side of the connecting portion Wm331 is inclined toward the front side (arrow F direction) as it moves from the upper side (arrow U direction) to the lower side (arrow D direction). That is, the connecting portion Wm331 is formed so that the connecting portion with the side wall of the flat portion Wj220 is smaller than the connecting portion with the extension portion Wm332. This makes it easier to deform the extension portion Wm332 (the abutment portion Wm333 and the restricting portion Wm334) relative to the side wall of the flat portion Wj220.

The abutment portion Wm333 is the portion that abuts against the protrusion Wm534 of the protective cover Wm500 described below, and protrudes from the end of one side (arrow L direction) of the extension portion Wm332 in the extension direction (arrow L-R direction) of the extension portion Wm332 toward the front side (arrow F direction).

The restricting portion Wm334 protrudes toward the front side (arrow F direction) from the end of the extension portion Wm332 on the opposite side (arrow R direction) from the abutting portion Wm333 in the extension direction (arrow L-R direction), and is formed at a position that, in the restricted state, is on the rear side (arrow B direction) of the engaging portion Wm530b of the protective cover Wm500.

The restricting protrusion Wm228 of the planar portion Wm220 is a protrusion for restricting the displacement of the elastic deformation restricting means Wm330 toward the rear side (arrow B direction), and protrudes from the planar portion Wm220 toward the planar portion Wm320 side (arrow F direction) of the box base Wm300. In the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction), the restricting protrusion Wm228 is disposed at a position overlapping with approximately the center of the extension portion Wm332 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction). The restricting protrusion Wm228 may also be disposed at a position overlapping the connecting portion Wm331 or the restricting portion Wm334 in the front-rear direction.

The protrusion Wm534 of the protective cover Wm500 is a protrusion for deforming (rotating) the elastic deformation restricting means Wm330, and protrudes from the rear surface of the engaging portion Wm530b toward the rear surface side (arrow B direction side). The protrusion Wm534 is disposed at a distance from the tip of the engaging portion Wm530b approximately equal to the extension dimension of the extension portion Wm332 of the elastic deformation restricting means Wm330. This allows the tip of the engaging portion Wm530b and the protrusion Wm534 to be disposed on the front surface side (arrow F direction side) of the abutment portion Wm333 and restricting portion Wm334 in the restricted state.

As shown in Figure 98 (b), in the restricted state, the protrusion Wm534 of the engagement portion Wm530b comes into contact with the abutment portion Wm333 of the elastic deformation restricting means Wm330. As a result, the connection portion Wm331 (extension portion Wm332) is rotated (twisted) around the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction) as the rotation axis, and the abutment portion Wm333 is displaced toward the rear side (arrow B direction), and the restricting portion Wm334 is displaced toward the front side (arrow F direction).

As described above, the inclined portion Wm331a is formed to incline toward the front side (arrow F direction) as it moves from the upper side (arrow U direction) to the lower side (arrow D direction), making it easier to rotate the connecting portion Wm331 (extension portion Wm332) relative to the side wall of the flat portion Wj220.

By displacing the restricting portion Wm334 toward the front side (the direction of arrow F), the distance between the restricting portion Wm334 and the tip of the engaging portion Wm530b can be reduced. This makes it difficult to cause unauthorized elastic deformation of the engaging portion Wm530b. Note that in the restricted state, the restricting portion Wm334 may abut against the back surface of the engaging portion Wm530b.

As described above, in the front-to-rear direction (arrow F-B direction), the restricting protrusion Wm228 is disposed at a position overlapping approximately the center of the extension portion Wm332 in the left-to-right direction (arrow L-R direction), so that the restricting protrusion Wm228 comes into contact with the extension portion Wm332, thereby restricting the extension portion Wm332 (contact portion Wm333 and restricting portion Wm334) from being displaced toward the rear side (arrow B direction). This makes it difficult for the engagement portion Wm530b to be elastically deformed improperly.

Next, referring to FIG. 99, the board box Wn100 according to the 29th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 99(a) is a partial front view of the board box Wn100 in the 29th embodiment, Figure 99(b) is a side view of the protective cover Wn500 as viewed in the direction of the arrow XCIXb in Figure 99(a), and Figure 99(c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wn100 along the line XCIXc-XCIXc in Figure 99(a). Note that Figure 99(a) shows the protective cover Wn500 removed from the box cover W200 and box base Wn300, with the protrusion Wn534 and a pair of wall portions Wn538 of the protective cover Wn500 shown by dashed lines.

As shown in FIG. 99, the box base Wm300 of the board box Wn100 in the 29th embodiment has a pair of claw portions Wm340, and the engagement portion Wn530b of the protective cover Wn500 has a protrusion Wn534 and a pair of wall portions Wn538.

The front wall Wn312a of the box base Wm300 has notches formed at positions corresponding to the pair of claws Wm340, and the pair of claws Wm340 are disposed in the space formed by the notches. The pair of claws Wm340 are formed to protrude leftward (arrow L direction side) from the rear surface of the front wall Wn312a, and are disposed on the rear side (arrow B direction side) of the front wall Wn312a.

The pair of claws Wm340 are used to engage the protective cover Wn500 with the box cover W200 and the box base Wn300, and are arranged in a position overlapping the engagement portion Wn530b of the protective cover Wn500 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction) in the restricted state. An engagement hole Wm341 is drilled in the pair of claws Wm340 at a position on the protruding tip side (arrow L direction side) of the claws Wm340.

The engagement hole Wm341 is formed slightly larger than the outer shape of the protrusion Wn534 of the protective cover Wn500 described below, and the protrusion Wn534 is disposed inside the engagement hole Wm341 (the protrusion Wn534 engages with the engagement hole Wm341), thereby engaging the protective cover Wn500 with the box cover W200 and the box base Wn300.

The engaging portion Wn530b has a pair of connecting pieces W531b at both ends of the engaging portion Wn530b in the up-down direction (arrows U-D direction) spaced a predetermined distance apart in the left-right direction (arrows L-R direction). This prevents the engaging portion Wn530b from elastically deforming.

Furthermore, the engagement portion Wn530b is formed closer to the front side (the direction of the arrow F) than the engagement portion W530b in the seventh embodiment, and in this embodiment, is disposed on approximately the same plane as the front wall portion W520.

The protrusion Wn534 protrudes from the engagement portion Wn530b toward the rear wall portion W510 (arrow B direction). In the restricted state, the protrusion Wn534 is disposed at a position overlapping the engagement hole Wm341 in the front-to-rear direction (arrow F-B direction). This allows the protective cover Wn500 to engage with the box cover W200 and the box base Wn300.

The pair of walls Wn538 are intended to prevent a wire improperly inserted through a gap formed between the front wall W520 and the engagement portion Wn530b from releasing the engagement between the engagement hole Wm341 and the protrusion Wn534. The pair of walls Wn538 are formed at the end of the engagement portion Wn530b facing the front wall W520. This provides a protrusion Wn534 between the opposing pair of walls Wn538. The pair of walls Wn538 also protrude from the engagement portion Wn530b toward the rear wall W510 (arrow B direction).

As shown in FIG. 99(c), in the restricted state, a protrusion Wn534 is disposed on the inside of the engagement hole Wm341, and the inner wall of the engagement hole Wm341 comes into contact with the protrusion Wn534, restricting the displacement of the protective cover Wn500 to the left (in the direction of the arrow L).

The engaging portion Wn530b is disposed on approximately the same plane as the front wall portion W520, and the pair of claw portions Wm340 are disposed on the rear side (arrow B direction side) of the front wall portion Wn312a, so that in the restricted state, the pair of claw portions Wm340 are disposed on the rear wall portion W510 side (arrow B direction side) of the engaging portion Wn530b. Therefore, the pair of claw portions Wm340 are shielded by the protective cover Wn500. This makes it possible to prevent the pair of claw portions Wm340 from being improperly elastically deformed, and to prevent the protective cover Wn500 from being improperly removed from the box cover W200 and the box base Wn300.

Next, referring to FIG. 100, the board box Wo100 according to the 30th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 100(a) is a partial rear view of the board box Wo100 in the 30th embodiment, and Figure 100(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wo100 taken along line Cb-Cb in Figure 100(a). Note that the retaining pin Wo580 is omitted from Figure 100(a).

As shown in FIG. 100, the protective cover Wo500 of the board box Wo100 in the 30th embodiment has a retaining pin Wo580, and the planar portion Wq220 has a recess Wo229.

In addition, since the protective cover Wo500 is provided with the anti-slip pin Wo580, the flat portion Wo220 is formed on the front side by the amount of protrusion of the anti-slip pin Wo580 toward the front side (the direction of the arrow F) relative to the engagement portion Wo530a. This makes it possible to prevent the anti-slip pin Wo580 from coming into contact with the sealing seal WSL, thereby preventing damage to the sealing seal WSL.

The rear wall portion Wo214a of the cover portion Wo214 is formed to protrude further toward the protruding tip side (arrow L direction side) than the rear wall portion W214a in the seventh embodiment (see FIG. 73). The rear wall portion Wo214a has a protrusion Wo214b protruding toward the flat portion W320 side (arrow F direction side) at a position overlapping with the engagement hole W533 of the engagement portion Wo530a when viewed from behind in the restricted state. The protrusion Wo214b is a portion for engaging the box cover Wo200 with the protective cover Wo500 (engagement portion Wo530a) (for restricting displacement of the protective cover Wo500 to the opposite side from the side wall portion W212).

A recess Wo229 is recessed into the flat portion Wo220 at a position overlapping the retaining pin Wo580 in the front-to-rear direction (arrow F-B direction). The recess Wo229 is recessed from the rear surface of the flat portion Wo220 toward the flat portion W320 of the box base W300 (arrow F direction). This forms a space between the recess Wo229 and the sealing seal WSL.

The recess Wo229 is formed in a circular shape when viewed from the rear, and the inner diameter of the recess Wo229 is formed to be approximately the same as or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the head Wo581 described below. This makes it possible to receive a part of the retaining pin Wo580 inside the recess Wo229 when the engagement portion Wo530a is displaced (elastically deformed).

The engagement portion Wo530a of the protective cover Wo500 has an insertion hole Wo538 between the connecting piece W531a and the engagement hole W533. The insertion hole Wo538 is a hole for inserting the pin portion Wo582 of the anti-slip pin Wo580 described later, and is formed in a circular shape when viewed from behind.

The retaining pin Wo580 is made of a resin material and has a head Wo581 formed in a plate shape and a pair of pin portions Wo582 formed in a plate shape and erected in the plate thickness direction from the head Wo581.

The head Wo581 is circular when viewed from the rear, and the outer diameter of the head Wo581 is larger than the inner diameter of the insertion hole Wo538.

The erect length of the pair of pin portions Wo582 is formed to be smaller than the dimension between the back surface of the engagement portion Wo530a on the side opposite the sealing seal WSL and the sealing seal WSL. The pair of pin portions Wo582 are disposed at a predetermined distance in the plate thickness direction. In addition, the pair of pin portions Wo582 are formed with a plate thickness that allows for flexural deformation, and the pair of pin portions Wo582 are deformable in a direction approaching each other.

The erected tip of the pin portion Wo582 is formed with a locking portion Wo583 that protrudes toward the opposite side of the opposing surface. The opposite side of the engaging portion Wo583 is formed with an inclined portion o584 that is inclined toward the opposing surface of the engaging portion Wo583 as it approaches the erected tip, and the outer shape of the engaging portion Wo583 at the erected tip is formed to a size that allows it to be inserted through the insertion hole Wo538.

The outer shape of the locking portion Wo583 on the head Wo581 side (opposite the erected tip side) is formed to a size that does not allow it to pass through the insertion hole Wo538. In addition, the outer shape of the locking portion Wo583 on the head Wo581 side is formed to a size that allows it to pass through the insertion hole Wo538 when the pair of pin portions Wo582 are bent and deformed in a direction toward each other. In addition, the outer shape of the locking portion Wo583 on the erected tip side is formed to a size that allows it to pass through the insertion hole Wo538.

As a result, the retaining pin Wo580 is deflected in a direction in which the pair of pin portions Wo582 approach each other, and the locking portion Wo583 is inserted through the insertion hole Wo538. On the other hand, the deflection of the pair of pin portions Wo582 is released, and the locking portion Wo583 comes into contact with the engagement portion Wo530a, restricting displacement in the direction opposite (arrow B direction) to the insertion direction (arrow F direction).

The inclined portion o584 is formed so as to incline toward the opposing surface of the locking portion Wo583 as it approaches the erected tip, so that when the inclined portion o584 comes into contact with the inner circumference of the insertion hole Wo538, the pair of pin portions Wo582 are deflected and deformed in a direction that brings them closer to each other.

The outer diameter of the head Wo581 is made larger than the inner diameter of the insertion hole Wo538, so that the head Wo581 abuts against the engagement portion Wo530a, restricting the displacement of the retaining pin Wo580 in the insertion direction (direction of arrow F). This prevents the erected tips of the pair of pin portions Wo582 from abutting against the sealing seal WSL, preventing damage to the sealing seal WSL.

On the other hand, if the engaging portion Wo530a is elastically deformed toward the front side (arrow F direction) in order to illegally remove the protective cover Wo500 from the box cover Wo200 and the box base W300, the erected tips of the pair of pin portions Wo582 come into contact with the sealing seal WSL. This restricts the elastic deformation of the engaging portion Wo530a toward the front side (arrow F direction), and prevents the protective cover Wo500 from being removed from the box cover Wo200 and the box base W300.

In addition, the sealing seal WSL is damaged when the erected tips of the pair of pins Wo582 come into contact with the sealing seal WSL. This makes it easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize that a fraudulent person may have performed tampering on the main control board (not shown).

In addition, in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction), the flat portion Wo220 at the position overlapping with the retaining pin Wo580 (pair of pin portions Wo582) may have a recess facing away from the sealing seal WSL (arrow F direction). This makes it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL by abutting the erected tip portions of the pair of pin portions Wo582 with the sealing seal WSL.

Next, the attachment of the protective cover Wo500 to the box cover Wo200 and the box base W300 will be described. When attaching the protective cover Wo500 to the box cover Wo200 and the box base W300, the anti-slip pin Wo580 is disengaged from the protective cover Wo500, and with the protective cover Wo500 attached to the box cover Wo200 and the box base W300, the anti-slip pin Wo580 is engaged with the protective cover Wo500.

This makes it possible to prevent damage to the sealing seal WSL caused by the anti-slip pin Wo580 (locking portion Wo583) compared to when the protective cover Wo500 with the anti-slip pin Wo580 engaged is attached to the box cover Wo200 and the box base W300.

Next, referring to FIG. 101, a protective cover Wp500 according to the 31st embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that parts that are the same as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 101 is a rear view of the protective cover Wp500 in the 31st embodiment. Note that in this embodiment, the box cover and box base to which the protective cover Wp500 is attached are not shown, and the concept of removing the protective cover Wp500 from the box cover and box base is explained. Also, in the explanation of Figure 101, Figure 100 will be referred to as appropriate.

As shown in FIG. 101, the protective cover Wp500 in the 33rd embodiment has a second engagement portion Wp590. The protective cover Wp500 has a pair formed symmetrically (vertically symmetrically in FIG. 101) with respect to a plane parallel to the upper wall portion (lower wall portion W501) at approximately the center of the upper and lower wall portions W501 of the protective cover Wp500. In addition, the engagement portion W530b is not formed on the front wall portion Wp520 of the protective cover Wp500 (see FIG. 72).

The engaging portion Wp530a has a pair of connecting pieces W531b at both ends of the engaging portion Wp530a in the up-down direction (arrows U-D direction) spaced a predetermined distance apart in the left-right direction (arrows L-R direction). The connecting piece W531b on the left side (arrow L direction) of the pair of connecting pieces W531b is connected to the rear wall portion Wp510, and the connecting piece W531b on the right side (arrow R direction) of the pair of connecting pieces W531b is connected to the second engaging portion Wp590.

The second engagement part Wp590 is the part with which the retaining pin Wo580 engages. The second engagement part Wp590 has an insertion hole Wo538, a connecting piece W531a, and a pair of connecting pieces W531b. The connecting piece W531a is connected to the end of the second engagement part Wp590 on the left side (arrow L direction side) and the rear wall part Wp510, and the connecting piece W531b is connected to both ends of the second engagement part Wp590 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction) and the upper end (lower end) and upper wall part (lower wall part W501) of the engagement part Wp530a.

The box cover and the box base each have a protrusion that engages with the engagement hole W533 at a position corresponding to the engagement hole W533 of one of the pair of engagement parts Wp530a in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction). These protrusions are arranged symmetrically with respect to a plane parallel to the rear wall part Wp510 (front wall part Wp520) at approximately the center of the rear wall part Wp510 and the front wall part Wp520.

As a result, when the protrusion formed on the box cover and the engagement hole W533 of one (the other) of the pair of engagement parts Wp530a are engageable, the protrusion formed on the box base and the engagement hole W533 of the other (the other) of the pair of engagement parts Wp530a are disengaged.

When the protrusion formed on the box cover is engageable with one (the other) engagement hole W533 of the pair of engagement parts Wp530a, the retaining pin Wo580 is inserted into the insertion hole Wo538 of the second engagement part Wp590 connected to one (the other) engagement part Wp530a, and the second engagement part Wp590 and the retaining pin Wo580 are engaged.

If one (the other) of the engaging parts Wp530a is improperly elastically deformed toward the front side (arrow F direction) in order to improperly remove the protective cover Wp500 from the box cover and box base, the erected tips of the pair of pin parts Wo582 come into contact with the sealing seal WSL. This restricts the elastic deformation of one (the other) of the engaging parts Wp530a toward the front side (arrow F direction), preventing the protective cover Wp500 from being removed from the box cover and box base.

In addition, the sealing seal WSL is damaged when the erected tips of the pair of pins Wo582 come into contact with the sealing seal WSL. This makes it easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize that a fraudulent person may have performed tampering on the main control board (not shown).

The protective cover Wp500 can be removed from the box cover and box base by cutting the connecting pieces W531a, W531b connected to the one (other) engaging part Wp530a and the second engaging part Wp590 with a cutting tool (not shown), and separating the one (other) engaging part Wp530a and the second engaging part Wp590 from the protective cover Wp500.

Here, the protective cover Wp500, from which one (the other) engaging portion Wp530a and the second engaging portion Wp590 have been separated, can be rotated (flipped) 180 degrees around the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) as a rotation axis, allowing the protrusion formed on the box base to engage with the other (one) engaging hole W533 of the pair of engaging portions Wp530a.

This allows the protective cover Wp500 to be used (reused) twice to prevent the box cover and box base from being opened. As a result, the maintenance costs of the pachinko machine W10 can be reduced compared to when the protective cover Wp500 is discarded every time the box cover and box base are opened.

In addition, depending on whether one (the other) of the engaging parts Wp530a and the second engaging part Wp590 are separated from the protective cover Wp500, it is possible to distinguish whether the protective cover Wp500 is reused and attached to the box cover and box base, or whether a new protective cover Wp500 is attached to the box cover and box base. Therefore, by comparing with the maintenance record of the pachinko machine W10, for example, if the maintenance record indicates that the protective cover Wp500 is reused, but a new protective cover Wp500 is attached to the box cover and box base, it is possible to easily make the worker (store clerk) aware that there is a risk of fraudulent manipulation of the main control board (not shown) by a fraudster.

Next, referring to FIG. 102, the board box Wq100 according to the 32nd embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 102(a) is a partial rear view of the board box Wq100 in the 32nd embodiment, and Figure 102(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wq100 taken along line CIIb-CIIb in Figure 102(a).

As shown in FIG. 102, the protective cover Wq500 of the board box Wq100 in the 32nd embodiment has a second engagement portion Wq590 and a pair of protrusions Wq534. Since the protective cover Wq500 has the second engagement portion Wq590, the dimension of the rear wall portion Wq510 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction) is shorter than the dimension of the rear wall portion W510 in the seventh embodiment.

In addition, by forming a pair of protrusions Wq534 on the engagement portion Wq530a, the flat portion Wq220 is formed on the front side (the direction of the arrow F) by the amount of protrusion of the pair of protrusions Wq534. This makes it possible to prevent the pair of protrusions Wq534 from coming into contact with the sealing seal WSL when attaching the protective cover Wq500 to the box cover Wq200 and the box base W300, thereby preventing damage to the sealing seal WSL.

A recess Wq229 is recessed into the flat surface Wq220 at a position overlapping a pair of protrusions Wq534 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction). The recess Wq229 is recessed from the rear surface of the flat surface Wq220 toward the flat surface W320 side of the box base W300 (arrow F direction). This forms a space between the recess Wq229 and the sealing seal WSL.

The rear wall Wq214a of the cover Wq214 is formed to protrude toward the protruding tip side (arrow L direction side) more than the rear wall W214a in the seventh embodiment (see FIG. 73). The rear wall Wq214a has a protrusion Wq214b protruding toward the flat surface W320 side (arrow F direction side) at a position overlapping with the engagement hole W533 (see FIG. 73) of the engagement part Wq530a in a rear view in the restricted state. The protrusion Wq214b is a portion for engaging the box cover Wq200 and the protective cover Wq500 (engagement part Wq530a) (for restricting the displacement of the protective cover Wq500 to the opposite side from the side wall W212). In addition, the cover Wq214 does not have a side wall on the lower side (arrow D direction side).

The second engagement portion Wq590 is disposed at the end of the engagement portion Wq530a on the lower side (the side indicated by the arrow D), and the pair of protrusions Wq534 are disposed at the end of the engagement portion Wq530a on the opposite side (the side indicated by the arrow U) from the second engagement portion Wq590. The pair of protrusions Wq534 are also disposed at a predetermined distance apart in the left-right direction (the direction indicated by the arrows L-R).

The second engagement portion Wq590 has an insertion hole Wo538 (see FIG. 100). When the pin portion Wo582 of the retaining pin Wo580 is inserted through the insertion hole Wo538, the retaining pin Wo580 engages with the second engagement portion Wq590.

Next, the removal of the protective cover Wq500 from the box cover Wq200 and the box base W300 will be described. When removing the engaging portion Wq530a from the box cover Wq200 in a state in which the engaging portion Wq530a has been separated from the protective cover Wq500, the engaging portion Wq530a can be easily removed from the box cover Wq200 by displacing the engaging portion Wq530a downward, since the cover portion Wq214 does not have a side wall on the lower side (the side in the direction of arrow D).

Here, in order to release the engagement between the engagement hole W533 of the engagement portion Wq530a and the protrusion Wq214b of the rear wall portion Wq214a, it is necessary to displace the engagement portion Wq530a toward the flat portion W320 (in the direction of the arrow F).

On the other hand, the anti-slip pin Wo580 is engaged with the second engagement portion Wq590, and the protruding tip of the pin portion Wo582 is disposed closer to the flat portion W320 (in the direction of the arrow F) than the second engagement portion Wq590, so that the protruding tip of the pin portion Wo582 is easily brought into contact with the rear wall portion Wq510.

Therefore, in order to prevent the protruding tip of the pin portion Wo582 from coming into contact with the rear wall portion Wq510, the retaining pin Wo580 is rotated toward the opposite side (arrow B direction) from the flat portion W320, with the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) as the rotation axis. As a result, the pair of protrusions Wq534 are rotated toward the flat portion W320 side (arrow F direction), and the pair of protrusions Wq534 damage the sealing seal WSL.

The pair of protrusions Wq534 can be easily received in the space formed between the sealing seal WSL and the recess Wq229, making it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL with the pair of protrusions Wq534. The area of the sealing seal WSL that is damaged by the pair of protrusions Wq534 can also be made larger.

In this way, in this embodiment, by making it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL when removing the engagement portion Wq530a from the box cover Wq200, it is possible to make the worker (store clerk) more aware of the risk of unauthorized operation of the main control board (not shown).

Next, referring to FIG. 103(a), the board box Wr100 according to the 33rd embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 103(a) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wr100 in the 33rd embodiment, and corresponds to line LXXIVb-LXXIVb in Figure 73(b). In the explanation of Figure 103(a), Figure 74(a) will be referred to as appropriate.

As shown in FIG. 103(a), the box cover Wr200 of the board box Wr100 in the 33rd embodiment has a protrusion Wr214b instead of the protrusion W221 in the seventh embodiment (see FIG. 72).

The protrusion W221 is not formed on the flat surface portion Wr220, and a notch is formed at a position overlapping the engagement portion W530a in rear view up to a position on the opposite side of the side wall portion W212 (the direction of the arrow L) from the engagement hole W533. This prevents the engagement portion W530a from contacting the flat surface portion Wr220 and restricting the elastic deformation of the engagement portion W530a even when the engagement portion W530a is elastically deformed toward the flat surface portion Wr220 (the direction of the arrow F).

The rear wall portion Wr214a of the cover portion Wr214 is formed to protrude further toward the protruding tip side (arrow L direction side) than the rear wall portion W214a in the seventh embodiment (see FIG. 73). The rear wall portion Wr214a has a protrusion Wr214b protruding toward the flat portion W320 side (arrow F direction side) at a position overlapping with the engagement hole W533 of the engagement portion W530a in rear view. The protrusion Wr214b is a portion for engaging the box cover Wr200 and the protective cover Wr500 (engagement portion W530a) (for restricting displacement of the protective cover Wr500 to the opposite side from the side wall portion W212).

The protrusion Wr214b protrudes from the rear wall portion Wr214a toward the flat surface portion W320 (in the direction of arrow F), so that the engagement portion W530a can be elastically deformed toward the front wall portion W520 (flat surface portion Wr220) to engage the box cover Wr200 and the protective cover Wr500.

On the other hand, the pair of engaging portions W530b are elastically deformed toward the rear wall portion W510 side (the flat portion W320 side, the direction of arrow B) to engage the box base W300 and the protective cover Wr500 (see FIG. 74(a)). Therefore, in order to illegally release the engagement between the box cover Wr200 and the box base W300 and the protective cover W500, the direction in which the engaging portions W530a are elastically deformed (displaced) (the direction of arrow F) can be opposite to the direction in which the pair of engaging portions W530b are elastically deformed (displaced) (the direction of arrow B).

As a result, when the engaging portion W530a (pair of engaging portions W530b) is elastically deformed (displaced) to release the engagement between the engaging portion W530a (pair of engaging portions W530b) and the protrusions Wr214b (pair of protrusions W312c), the pair of engaging portions W530b (engaging portion W530a) can be displaced in a direction that maintains the engagement with the pair of protrusions W312c (protrusions Wr214b) in accordance with the elastic deformation (displacement) of the engaging portion W530a (pair of engaging portions W530b). As a result, unauthorized removal of the protective cover Wr500 from the box cover Wr200 and the box base W300 can be prevented.

In addition, the protrusion Wr214b protrudes from the rear wall portion Wr214a toward the flat portion W320 (the direction of the arrow F), so that the engagement between the protrusion Wr214b and the engagement hole W533 is blocked by the rear wall portion Wr214a. This makes it difficult for the engagement between the protrusion Wr214b and the engagement hole W533 to be illegally released.

Next, referring to FIG. 103(b), the board box Ws100 according to the 34th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 103(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Ws100 in the 34th embodiment, and corresponds to line LXXIVa-LXXIVa in Figure 73(b). In addition, in the explanation of Figure 103(b), Figure 74(b) will be referred to as appropriate.

As shown in FIG. 103(b), the box base Ws300 of the board box Ws100 in the 34th embodiment has a pair of protrusions Ws328 instead of the pair of protrusions W312c in the seventh embodiment (see FIG. 73). Note that the manner in which the pair of engagement portions W530b engage with the pair of protrusions Ws328 is the same on one side (upper side) and the other side (lower side) (see FIG. 73), so a cross-sectional view of one side will be illustrated and explained, and an explanation of the other side will be omitted.

The front wall portion W312a of the box base Ws300 does not have the projections W312c formed thereon, and the planar portion Ws320 extends to a position overlapping the engagement holes W533 of the pair of engagement portions W530b in a front view. At the extended tip of the planar portion Ws320, a pair of projections Ws328 protrude toward the planar portion W220 (the direction of arrow B) at a position overlapping the engagement holes W533 of the pair of engagement portions W530b in a front view. The pair of projections Ws328 are used to engage the box base Ws300 with the protective cover W500 (the pair of engagement portions W530b) (to restrict displacement of the protective cover W500 in the direction opposite the left wall portion W302).

The pair of projections Ws328 protrude from the flat surface Ws320 toward the opposite side to the front wall W312a (the direction of arrow F), allowing the pair of engagement portions W530b to be elastically deformed toward the front wall W312a side (the opposite side to the flat surface W220) in order to engage the box base Ws300 and the protective cover W500.

On the other hand, the engagement portion W530a is elastically deformed toward the opposite side of the front wall portion W520 (the opposite side of the flat portion W220, the direction of arrow B) to engage the box cover W200 and the protective cover W500 (see FIG. 74(b)). Therefore, in order to illegally release the engagement between the box cover W200 and the box base Ws300 and the protective cover W500, the direction in which the engagement portion W530a is elastically deformed (displaced) (arrow B direction) can be opposite to the direction in which the pair of engagement portions W530b are elastically deformed (displaced) (arrow F direction).

As a result, when the engaging portion W530a (pair of engaging portions W530b) is elastically deformed (displaced) to release the engagement between the engaging portion W530a (pair of engaging portions W530b) and the protrusions W221 (pair of protrusions Ws328), the pair of engaging portions W530b (engaging portion W530a) can be displaced in a direction that maintains the engagement with the pair of protrusions Ws328 (protrusions W221) in accordance with the elastic deformation (displacement) of the engaging portion W530a (pair of engaging portions W530b). As a result, unauthorized removal of the protective cover W500 from the box cover W200 and the box base Ws300 can be prevented.

Next, referring to FIG. 104, the board box Wt100 according to the 35th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 104(a) is a partial rear view of the board box Wt100 in the 35th embodiment, and Figure 104(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wt100 taken along line CIVb-CIVb in Figure 104(a). Note that Figure 104 illustrates the board box Wt100 with the protective cover W500 removed.

As shown in FIG. 104, the box cover Wt200 (flat portion Wt220) of the board box Wt100 in the 35th embodiment has a protrusion Wt224b instead of the recess W224b in the seventh embodiment (see FIG. 73).

The protrusion Wt224b protrudes from the rear surface of the planar portion Wt220 toward the opposite side to the planar portion W320 (the direction of the arrow B) and is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in cross section. The protrusion Wt224b ensures the strength of the planar portion Wt220.

A pair of notches Wt224b1 are formed in the protrusion Wt224b. The space formed between the opposing surfaces of the protrusion Wt224b by the notches Wt224b1 is defined as the cutting space WS3. In the restricted state, the cutting space WS3 is disposed at a position overlapping the connecting piece W531b of the engagement portion W530a when viewed from behind.

The distance between the opposing surfaces of the protrusion Wt224b formed by the notch Wt224b1 is formed to be approximately equal to or slightly larger than the extension dimension of the connecting piece W531b (see FIG. 73) in the vertical direction (direction of the arrows U-D). This allows the tip of a cutting tool (not shown) to be received in the cutting space WS3 when cutting the connecting piece W531b.

The protrusion Wt224b extends in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction) and is formed by connecting a pair of end wall portions W223. This allows the sealing seal WSL to be attached to the protrusion Wt224b between both ends of the sealing seal WSL in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction), excluding the cutting space WS3. Therefore, compared to a case where both ends of the sealing seal WSL in the vertical direction are not attached to the protrusion Wt224b, it is possible to prevent wrinkles from occurring in the sealing seal WSL and to prevent a space from occurring between the back surface of the flat portion Wt220 and the sealing seal WSL. As a result, it is possible to prevent the sealing seal WSL from being easily peeled off from the back surface of the flat portion Wt220.

In addition, by connecting the protrusion Wt224b to the pair of end wall portions W223, the strength of the pair of end wall portions W223 can be ensured.

Note that the protrusions Wt224b may be unconnected to the pair of end wall portions W223 as long as they extend beyond both ends of the sealing seal WSL in the vertical direction (direction of the arrows U-D) toward the pair of end wall portions W223.

In the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction), the distance between the protruding tip of the protrusion Wt224b and the protruding tip of the pair of end wall portions W223 is greater than the distance between the front surface of the engagement portion W530a (the surface facing the front wall portion W520) and the front surface of the rear wall portion W510 (the surface facing the front wall portion W520) (see FIG. 72). This prevents the sealing seal WSL affixed to the protrusion Wt224b from coming into contact with the engagement portion W530a when the protective cover W500 is attached to the box cover Wt200 and the box base W300, and prevents the sealing seal WSL from being damaged.

In addition, in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction), the distance between the protruding tip of the protrusion Wt224b and the protruding tip of the pair of end wall portions W223 may be formed to be approximately the same as the distance between the front surface of the engagement portion W530a (the surface facing the front wall portion W520) and the front surface of the rear wall portion W510 (the surface facing the front wall portion W520).

In the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction), the dimensions of the protrusion Wt224b are formed to be approximately the same as the dimensions of the connecting piece W531b of the engagement portion W530a.

Next, the application of the sealing seal WSL to the protrusion Wt224b will be described. The sealing seal WSL is applied along the protruding shape of the protrusion Wt224b, and is applied to a pair of side surfaces and the protruding tip surface that connect the protruding tip surface of the protrusion Wt224b to the flat portion Wt220.

On the other hand, the sealing seal WSL is not affixed to the opposing surface of the protrusion Wt224b formed by the notch Wt224b1 or to the flat portion Wt220 in the cutting space WS3. Therefore, the sealing seal WSL is affixed to the protrusion Wt224b in a manner that surrounds the cutting space WS3.

This makes it easier to place the tip of a cutting tool (not shown) in the cutting space WS3 when cutting the connecting piece W531b (see FIG. 73). As a result, it is easier to damage the sealing seal WSL with the tip of the cutting tool.

In addition, the dimensions of the protrusion Wt224b in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) are formed to be approximately the same as the dimensions of the connecting piece W531b of the engagement portion W530a, so the tip of a cutting tool (not shown) can be positioned in a manner that faces the sealing seal WSL. This allows the marks (damage) formed on the sealing seal WSL to be made larger.

Next, referring to FIG. 105, the board box Wu100 according to the 36th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 105 is a partial rear view of the board box Wu100 in the 36th embodiment, and corresponds to the cross-sectional view taken along line LXXXa-LXXXa in Figure 73(b).

As shown in FIG. 105, the protective cover Wu500 of the board box Wu100 in the 36th embodiment has a protrusion Wu534. Compared to the protrusion Wu534 in the 11th embodiment, the protrusion Wu534 is formed such that the side surface Wu534c of the protrusion Wu534 formed on the protruding tip side (arrow R direction side) of the engagement part Wu530b is curved on an arc that is convex toward the protruding tip side. The side surface Wu534d of the protrusion Wu534 formed on the opposite side (arrow L direction side) from the protruding tip of the engagement part Wu530b is formed by linearly connecting the engagement part Wu530b and the protruding tip of the protrusion Wu534.

As a result, when the engagement portion Wu530b is elastically deformed toward the sealing seal WSL (arrow B direction) to attach the protective cover Wu500 to the box cover W200 and the box base W5300, the side surface Wu534c of the projection Wu534 faces the sealing seal WSL. Therefore, even if the side surface Wu534c of the projection Wu534 abuts against the sealing seal WSL due to factors such as the machining accuracy (dimensional tolerance) of the box base W5300 or the protective cover Wu500, it is possible to easily prevent the sealing seal WSL from being damaged when the protective cover Wu500 is displaced toward the cover portion W312 (arrow R direction).

In other words, even if the protective cover Wu500 has the protrusion Wu534, damage to the sealing seal WSL is likely to be suppressed when the protective cover Wu500 is attached to the box cover W200 and the box base W5300.

On the other hand, when the protective cover Wu500 is displaced toward the opposite side to the cover part W312 (the direction of arrow L) while elastically deforming the engagement part Wu530b in order to illegally remove the protective cover Wu500 from the box cover W200 and the box base W5300, the sealing seal WSL can be easily damaged by the connecting part (the protruding tip part of the protrusion Wu534) of the side surfaces Wu534c and Wu534d.

In this manner, in this embodiment, even if the protective cover Wu500 has a protrusion Wu534 and is configured such that the sealing seal WSL is easily damaged if the protective cover Wu500 is unauthorizedly removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W5300, it is possible to easily prevent the sealing seal WSL from being damaged when attaching the protective cover Wu500 to the box cover W200 and the box base W5300.

In addition, side Wu534d may be curved concavely toward side Wu534c (the direction of arrow R). This allows the connection between side Wu534c and side Wu534d to be sharp, making it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL.

Next, referring to FIG. 106, the board box Wv100 according to the 37th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 106(a) is a partial rear view of the board box Wv100 in the 37th embodiment, and Figure 106(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wv100 taken along line CVIb-CVIb in Figure 106(a). Note that in Figure 106(a), the outline of the recess Wv229 and the sealing seal WSL are shown by dashed lines. Also, in the explanation of Figure 106, Figure 102 will be referred to as appropriate.

As shown in FIG. 106, the box cover Wv200 of the board box Wv100 in the 37th embodiment has a recess Wv229 in addition to the box cover Wq200 in the 32nd embodiment.

The recess Wv229 is recessed at a position overlapping the anti-pullout pin Wo580 when viewed from behind in the restricted state. The recess Wv229 is formed in a circular shape when viewed from behind, and the inner diameter of the recess Wv229 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the head Wo581. The sealing seal WSL is affixed to the flat portion Wv220 on the opposite side of the recess Wv229 from the side wall portion W212 (the side in the direction of arrow L). In other words, the sealing seal WSL is not affixed to the recess Wv229.

The protrusion amount of the pair of protrusions Wv534 formed on the protective cover Wv500 (engagement portion Wv530a) is shorter than that of the pair of protrusions Wq534 in the 32nd embodiment. In detail, when the retaining pin Wo580 is disposed (engaged) on the protective cover Wv500, the protruding tip portions of the pair of protrusions Wv534 are formed on the opposite side to the box base W300 (the direction of arrow B) from the protruding tip portion of the locking portion Wo583 of the retaining pin Wo580.

Of the pair of protrusions Wv534, the protrusion Wv534 arranged on the left wall W502 side (arrow L direction side) is arranged in a position overlapping the sealing seal WSL in rear view. This allows the protrusion Wv534 arranged on the left wall W502 side to come into contact with the sealing seal WSL when the pair of protrusions Wv534 are displaced (rotated) toward the box base W300 side (arrow F direction side).

In addition, by forming a pair of protrusions Wv534 on the engagement portion Wv530a, the flat portion Wv220 is formed toward the box base W300 (in the direction of arrow F) by the amount of protrusion of the pair of protrusions Wv534. This makes it possible to prevent the pair of protrusions Wv534 from coming into contact with the sealing seal WSL when attaching the protective cover Wv500 to the box cover Wv200 and the box base W300, thereby preventing damage to the sealing seal WSL.

Meanwhile, in the restricted state, the anti-slip pin Wo580 is disposed (engaged) in the protective cover Wv500, so that the protruding tip of the locking portion Wo583 of the anti-slip pin Wo580 is disposed closer to the box base W300 (in the direction of the arrow F) than the protruding tips of the pair of projections Wv534. As a result, the protruding tip of the locking portion Wo583 is received in the space formed by the recess Wv229.

As a result, when attaching the protective cover Wv500 to the box cover Wv200 and the box base W300, the engagement portion Wv530a is elastically deformed when the anti-slip pin Wo580 is not disposed (not engaged), and the engagement hole W533 (see FIG. 103(a)) of the engagement portion Wv530a can engage with the protrusion Wq214b of the box cover Wv200.

In the restricted state, when the anti-slip pin Wo580 is disposed (engaged) in the protective cover Wv500, the locking portion Wo583 abuts against the bottom surface of the recess Wv229, restricting the elastic deformation of the engagement portion Wv530a. This prevents the engagement portion Wv530a from being disengaged from the box cover Wv200.

In addition, when the protective cover Wv500 is displaced toward the opposite side of the side wall W212 (the direction of arrow L) while the engaging portion Wv530a is improperly elastically deformed in order to disengage the engaging hole W533 (see FIG. 73) of the engaging portion Wv530a from the protrusion Wq214b of the rear wall Wq214a, the engaging portion Wo583 comes into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the recess Wv229, thereby restricting the displacement of the protective cover Wv500 toward the opposite side of the side wall W212. This makes it possible to prevent the protective cover Wv500 from being removed from the box cover Wv200 and the box base W300.

Next, the removal of the protective cover Wv500 from the box cover Wv200 and the box base W300 will be described. When the engaging portion Wv530a is removed from the box cover Wv200 with the engaging portion Wv530a separated from the protective cover Wv500, the engagement hole W533 of the engaging portion Wv530a is released from the protrusion Wq214b of the rear wall portion Wq214a, and the retaining pin Wo580 is rotated toward the opposite side (arrow B direction) from the flat portion W320 with the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) as the rotation axis in order to prevent the protruding tip of the pin portion Wo582 from contacting the inner circumferential surface of the recess Wv229. As a result, the pair of protrusions Wv534 are rotated toward the flat portion W320 side (arrow F direction). From this state, by displacing the engagement portion Wv530a toward the opposite side of the side wall portion W212 (the direction of the arrow L), the pair of protrusions Wv534 come into contact with the sealing seal WSL, damaging the sealing seal WSL.

In this way, in this embodiment, by making it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL when removing the engagement portion Wv530a from the box cover Wv200, it is possible to make the worker (store clerk) more aware of the risk of unauthorized operation of the main control board (not shown).

Next, referring to FIG. 107(a), the protective cover Ww500 according to the 38th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 107 (a) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Ww100 in the 38th embodiment, and corresponds to the cross section at part LXXXIIa in Figure 76 (a).

As shown in FIG. 107(a), the connecting piece Ww531b of the protective cover Ww500 in the 38th embodiment is molded by two-color molding using different resin materials. In other words, the connecting piece Ww531b is formed from multiple (in this embodiment, two types) parts with different rigidities.

The connecting piece Ww531b is composed of a first connecting piece Ww531b1 and a second connecting piece Ww531b2 formed from a resin material having a different rigidity from that of the first connecting piece Ww531b1, and the first connecting piece Ww531b1 and the second connecting piece Ww531b2 are arranged side by side in the protruding direction (arrow L-R direction) of the engaging portion W530a (see FIG. 76).

This makes it easier to rotate the tip of a cutting tool (not shown) when cutting the connecting piece Ww531b. In more detail, for example, if the first connecting piece Ww531b1 is molded using a resin material that is harder than the second connecting piece Ww531b2, and the cutting tool is made of pliers or scissors, and the connecting piece Ww531b is sandwiched between a pair of blades to cut the connecting piece Ww531b, the second connecting piece Ww531b2 is more likely to be cut than the first connecting piece Ww531b1.

This makes it easier to cut the second connecting piece Ww531b2 from the first connecting piece Ww531b1, and easier to rotate the blade of the cutting tool. This makes it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL with the tip of the cutting tool. As a result, it makes it easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize that there is a risk of tampering with the main control board (not shown) by a tampering perpetrator.

Next, referring to FIG. 107(b), a protective cover Wx500 according to the 39th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 107 (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the board box Wx100 in the 39th embodiment, and corresponds to the cross section at part LXXXIIa in Figure 76 (a).

As shown in FIG. 107(b), the connecting piece Wx531b of the protective cover Wx500 in the 39th embodiment is composed of a first connecting piece Wx531b1 and a second connecting piece Wx531b2 whose dimension in the direction from the front wall portion W520 to the rear wall portion W510 (arrow F-B direction, see FIG. 76) is smaller than that of the first connecting piece Wx531b1.

The first connecting piece Wx531b1 and the second connecting piece Wx531b2 are arranged side by side in the protruding direction (arrow L-R direction) of the engaging portion W530a (see FIG. 76), and in cross-sectional view, the connecting piece Wx531b is formed in a substantially L-shape.

As a result, when the cutting tool is composed of nippers or scissors and the connecting piece Wx531b is sandwiched between a pair of blades to cut the connecting piece Wx531b, it is easier to cut the second connecting piece Wx531b2 relative to the first connecting piece Wx531b1, and it is easier to rotate the blades of the cutting tool. This makes it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL with the tip of the cutting tool. As a result, it is easier for the worker (store clerk) to recognize that there is a risk of tampering with the main control board (not shown) by a tampering perpetrator.

Next, referring to FIG. 107(c), the protective cover Wy500 according to the 40th embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 107(c) is a partial rear view of the protective cover Wy500 of the board box Wy100 in the 40th embodiment. In the explanation of Figure 107(c), refer to Figure 88(b) as appropriate.

As shown in FIG. 107(c), the protective cover Wy500 of the board box Wy100 in the 40th embodiment has a cutting portion Wy550. In addition, the connecting piece We531a is disposed at a predetermined distance from the cutting portion Wy550.

The cutting portion Wy550 is formed so that its width dimension in the direction connecting the pair of connecting pieces W531b (the direction of arrows U-D) becomes smaller as it moves from the engaging portion Wy530a toward the connecting portion W512 (the direction of arrow L). In other words, the cutting portion Wy550 is formed at an acute angle when viewed from the rear. This makes it easier to cut the sealing seal WSL.

When the engaging portion Wy530a is connected to the protective cover Wy500, the cutting portion Wy550 is surrounded by the rear wall portion W510 and the connecting portion W512. This prevents the worker (store clerk) from coming into contact with the cutting portion Wy550 and being injured.

The distance between the connecting piece W531a and the cut portion Wy550 is approximately the same as the distance between the front of the flat portion We320 of the box base We300 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction) and the space formed by the cutout portions We226 and We325 (see FIG. 88(b)).

By separating the engaging portion Wy530a from the protective cover Wy500 and abutting the side of the connecting piece We531a on the cutting portion Wy550 side (the side in the direction of arrow D) against the front of the flat portion We320, the cutting portion Wy550 can be received (disposed) in the space formed by the notches We226 and We325. As a result, the effort required to search for the notches We226 and We325 can be reduced, and the cutting operation of the sealing seal WSL can be easily performed.

The present invention has been described above based on the above embodiment, but the present invention is in no way limited to the above embodiment, and it can be easily imagined that various modifications and improvements are possible within the scope of the present invention.

In each of the above embodiments, part or all of the configuration in one embodiment may be combined with or replaced by part or all of the configuration in another embodiment to form another embodiment. The same applies to the modified examples (other embodiments) shown below, where part or all of the configuration in one modified example may be combined with or replaced by part or all of the configuration in another modified example to form another modified example. Any embodiment may be applied to the modified examples shown below, and any modified example (combination or replacement of modified examples) may be applied to any embodiment.

In each of the above embodiments, some or all of the configuration in one embodiment may be combined with or replaced with some or all of the configuration in another embodiment to form another embodiment.

In the above first embodiment, the case where the rotational motion unit A400b is configured in an operational mode that combines tilting and enlarging has been described, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a door-shaped door member that slides left and right may be moved by utilizing the movement of the base plate member A430 and the movement of the moving member A440.

In this case, the cylindrical portion protruding forward from the rotating tip of the base plate member A430 is supported by a first support portion having a long hole shape extending in the vertical direction and formed in the first door member arranged on the front side of the base plate member A430, and the cylindrical portion protruding forward from the rotating tip of the moving member A440 is supported by a second support portion having a long hole shape extending in the vertical direction and formed in the second door member arranged on the front side of the moving member A440. This allows the first door member and the second door member to slide left and right in conjunction with the tilting operation of the rotation operation unit A400b.

The first door member is positioned further outward from the display area of the third pattern display device 81 than the second door member, and during the sliding movement of the first and second door members, the rotating tip of the base plate member A430 is guided in the vertical direction by the first support portion, and the rotating tip of the moving member A440 is guided in the vertical direction by the second support portion.

In this case, the left-right positions and movement speeds of the first and second door members correspond to the left-right positions and movement speeds of the rotation tips of the base plate member A430 and the movable member A440. Therefore, compared to the first door member, which moves based on the left-right component of the rotational displacement around the rotary shaft rod AJ1, the movement amount is larger by the left-right component of the rotational displacement around the rotary shaft rod AJ1 plus the longitudinal extension of the movable member A440, so the movement speed of the second door member can be configured to be larger than that of the first door member.

As the base plate member A430 moves from the performance standby state to the extended state, the left-right component of the rotational displacement around the rotation axis rod AJ1 gradually decreases, so the left-right movement speed of the first door member from the position where it retreats to the outside left and right also gradually decreases (when the drive speed of the drive motor MT1 is constant, the left-right movement speed of the first door member gradually decreases).

On the other hand, the left-right component of the rotational displacement of the movable member A440 about the rotation axis rod AJ1 also basically becomes gradually smaller as it approaches the extended state, but the amount of longitudinal extension of the movable member A440 increases as it approaches the tilt end. Therefore, the left-right movement speed of the second door member from the position where it retreats to the outside left and right increases at the tilt end where the extension of the movable member A440 occurs (when the drive speed of the drive motor MT1 is constant, the left-right movement speed of the second door member increases toward the drive motor MT1).

As a result, the movement speed of the first door element and the movement speed of the second door element at the same point can be made significantly different, particularly at the tilt end side of the rotational motion unit A400b, improving the presentation effect of the presentation using the door elements.

In this embodiment, the first operating unit A400 and the second operating unit A500 are configured as a pair on the left and right, so each operating unit A400, A500 can be configured to move a door member, and a performance device can be configured that can perform a performance in which the door is closed on the front side of the third pattern display device 81 (so that there is no gap between the edges of the left and right door members in the moving direction when viewed from the front).

The third pattern display device 81 may also be configured so that a majority (or the entirety) of its display area can be hidden by a door member that is moved left and right by the first operating unit A400. In this case, the third pattern display device 81 may also be configured so that a majority (or the entirety) of its display area can be hidden by a door member that is moved left and right by the second operating unit A500.

In this embodiment, since the first operating unit A400 is positioned in front of the second operating unit A500, for example, it is possible to configure the second operating unit A500 so that the position of the second operating unit A500 is not obvious to the player (is hidden) when the entire display area of the third pattern display device 81 is hidden by the door member moved by the first operating unit A400. As a result, even if the door member moved by the first operating unit A400 moves to move away from the front side of the third pattern display device 81, the third pattern display device 81 is hidden by the door member moved by the second operating unit A500, so it is possible to configure a state in which the display of the third pattern display device 81 is still not visible. This can improve the player's ability to focus on the door member.

In the first embodiment, the change in the external shape of the rotational motion unit A400b from the performance standby state is caused by the shape of the functional long hole A444, in which the displacement of the moving member A440 in the longitudinal direction occurs first, and then the displacement of the direction switching member A450 occurs in the direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the moving member A440, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the shape of the functional long hole A444 may be such that the first parallel portion A444a is omitted, the formation position of the inclined portion A444b is moved in parallel to the rotation tip side of the moving member A440 by the length of the first parallel portion A444a, and similarly the second parallel portion A444c is also extended so as to be connected to the end of the inclined portion A444b. With such a shape, the change in the external shape of the rotational motion unit A400b from the performance standby state starts from a state in which the displacement of the moving member A440 and the displacement of the direction switching member A450 occur simultaneously, and then a displacement that transitions to a state in which only the displacement of the moving member A440 occurs can be caused.

Also, an inverse inclined portion may be formed by a long hole that inclines from the end of the inclined portion A444b on the rotation shaft rod AJ1 side toward the center of the moving member A440 in the short direction as it approaches the rotation shaft rod AJ1. With this shape, a change in the external shape of the rotational motion unit A400b from the performance standby state can be started from a state in which the moving member A440 is displaced in the direction extending in the longitudinal direction and the direction switching member A450 is displaced in the direction expanding in the short direction simultaneously, and then a displacement can be generated in which the moving member A440 is displaced in the direction extending in the longitudinal direction and the direction switching member A450 is displaced in the direction approaching the short direction (towards the center) simultaneously.

In the above first embodiment, a pair of functional long holes A444 are configured with symmetrical shapes, but this is not necessarily limited to the above. For example, the pair may be configured asymmetrical. In this case, a performance item can be configured in which the timing and amount of displacement at which the left direction switching member A450 starts to displace differs from the timing and amount of displacement at which the right direction switching member A450 starts to displace, making it possible to configure a displacement pattern that suits the surrounding conditions (different displacements can be generated on the left and right sides, taking into account the amount and timing of displacement so as not to hit obstacles).

In the above first embodiment, a case has been described in which the moving member A440 moves in a linear direction relative to the base plate member A430 when the rotational motion unit A400b rotates, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which, when the rotational motion unit A400b rotates, another rotating member disposed in the rotational motion unit A400b rotates. In this case, a change in the visual appearance different from a change in the external shape of the rotational motion unit A400b can be produced.

In the above first embodiment, a case has been described in which the external shape of the rotational motion unit A400b does not change when tilting begins, but this is not necessarily limited to the case. For example, by designing the shape of the guide elongated hole A414 so that the external shape of the rotational motion unit A400b changes when tilting begins, the operating resistance of the rotational motion unit A400b when tilting begins can be increased, making it easier to maintain the position of the rotational motion unit A400b in the position at the start of tilting.

In the first embodiment, both the tilting and rising motions of the rotational motion unit A400b are performed by a driving force, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, it is also possible to perform a movement mode that does not depend on a driving force, such as releasing the generation of the driving force from an intermediate position and performing tilting by its own weight. In this case, the operation mode of the rotational motion unit A400b can be made different between when it is operated by a driving force and when it is operated without a driving force, thereby increasing the variation in operation. Furthermore, since the driving duration can be shortened, the useful life of the drive motor AMT1 can be extended.

In the first embodiment, the movable member A440 is arranged so as to partially overlap the front side of the base plate member A430, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a metal bar extending toward the rotating tip is arranged on the base plate member A430, and the movable member A440 is arranged on the rotating tip side of the metal bar so as to be guided so as to be able to slide and displace in the direction in which the metal bar extends, so that the base plate member A430 and the movable member A440 do not overlap when viewed from the front. In this case, the front side of the base plate member A430 is not hidden by the movable member A440, so the front side portion of the base plate member A430 can be used for presentation.

In the above first embodiment, a case was described in which the change in the external shape of the rotational motion unit A400b occurs in response to the attitude of the rotational motion unit A400b, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a separate drive device for switching between whether or not the external shape changes may be provided. By using this drive device to switch the shape of the guide elongated hole A414 or the shape of the functional elongated hole A444, it is possible to provide multiple types of external shape of the rotational motion unit A400b corresponding to the attitude of the rotational motion unit A400b.

Also, by configuring the moving member A440 and the direction switching member A450 to be driven and displaced by a separate drive device, the moving member A440 and the direction switching member A450 may be configured to be displaced simultaneously when there is no change in the posture of the rotational motion unit A400b. For example, by configuring the rotational motion unit A400b to reach the tilt end without a change in its external shape, and to be able to drive and displace the moving member A440 and the direction switching member A450 simultaneously at the tilt end by a separate drive device, the performance effect of the rotational motion unit A400b can be improved.

In the above first embodiment, the operating speed of the drive motor AMT1 is constant, and the angular velocity of the rotational operation of the rotational operation unit A400b is gradually decreased. However, this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, by taking into account the amount of decrease in angular velocity, the drive speed of the drive motor AMT1 may be gradually increased, so that the rotational operation of the rotational operation unit A400b can be executed even in a control mode in which the angular velocity of the rotational operation of the rotational operation unit A400b is constant.

In the first embodiment, a case was described in which the operating resistance of the rotating plate member A662 changes due to a change in the air resistance applied to the rotating plate member A662, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the frictional resistance applied to the rotating plate member A662 (e.g., contact resistance due to a plate member abutting from a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement) may be changed, or the viscous resistance applied to the rotating plate member A662 (e.g., resistance due to a damper member, etc.) may be changed.

In the above first embodiment, light irradiation from the light emitting substrate A720 sandwiched between the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740 has been described, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the light emitting substrate may be arranged so that the irradiation surface side faces the end faces of the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740.

In this case, the front plate member A730 (or the rear plate member A740) is irradiated with light from the light emitting substrate A720 (irradiation in the direction along the extension direction of the plate), while the rear plate member A740 (or the front plate member A730) may be irradiated with light from another light emitting substrate (a light emitting substrate with an orientation different by 90 degrees from the light emitting substrate A720) whose light irradiation unit arrangement surface is arranged opposite the light incident end surface of the rear plate member A740 (or the front plate member A730). This makes it easier to make light incident at the appropriate position even when the thickness of the front plate member A730 or the rear plate member A740 is large, which is considered difficult to handle depending on the light emitting substrate A720.

In the above first embodiment, the protruding portion A751a of the front cover member A750 and the light-emitting substrate A720 are arranged with a gap therebetween, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the protruding portion A751a may be designed with a dimensional relationship that allows it to apply a pressing force to the light-emitting substrate A720. In this case, the pressing force applied to the light-emitting substrate A720 can be divided by the number of protruding portions A751a, so the arrangement of the light-emitting substrate A720 can be stabilized.

The protrusions A751a of the front cover member A750 are formed in the same shape with the purpose of diffusing light, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the curvature of the protrusions A751a on the right side of the front light emitting portion A724 (the position on the side of the irradiation direction, the inner side of the front plate member A730) may be greater than the curvature of the protrusions A751a on the left side of the front light emitting portion A724 (the position on the opposite side of the irradiation direction, the outer side of the front plate member A730). In this case, the diffusion angle of the protrusions A751a on the side closer to the front plate member A730 can be reduced, so that it is possible to avoid diffused light illuminating a wide area of the front plate member A730 and reducing the visibility of the line-shaped light by the linear groove portion A732.

In the above first embodiment, it has been described that the light emitting substrate A720 is provided with light emitting units A724, A725 that irradiate light to the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a light emitting unit that irradiates light from the light emitting substrate A720 to the front cover member A750 may be provided. In this case, since the light emitting units A724, A725 are provided near the end of the light emitting substrate A720, it is easy to provide a light emitting unit that irradiates light to the front cover member A750 at a position that does not interfere with the light irradiated from the light emitting units A724, A725, and interference of light can be avoided.

In the above first embodiment, the linear groove A732 of the front side plate member A730 is formed to match the shape of an illustration including a specific character or logo formed on the thin resin plate A743, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the linear groove A732 may be formed in the shape of a figure or illustration different from the illustration formed on the thin resin plate A743. In this case, the difference in appearance between when the linear groove A732 is illuminated (when the shape of the linear groove A732 is illuminated) and when the linear groove A732 is not illuminated (when the illustration formed on the thin resin plate A743 is visible) can be made greater.

In addition, the linear grooves A732 may be formed not only in the front plate member A730 but also in the thin resin plate A743 (or the front plate member A730 may be disposed in front of and behind the light emitting substrate A720). In this case, if a highly directional LED is also used for the rear light emitting portion A725, a light effect can be realized in which linear light is visible even in the thin resin plate A743.

In addition, illustrations including specific characters or logos may be formed not only on the thin resin plate A743 but also on the front plate member A730 (or the rear plate member A740 may be disposed in front of or behind the light-emitting substrate A720), and the front-to-rear arrangement of the front plate member A730 and the rear plate member A740 may be reversed.

In each of these cases, the directivity of the front light emitting portion A724 and the rear light emitting portion A725 can be selected according to the purpose (higher directivity makes it easier to achieve total reflection, while lower directivity makes it easier to illuminate a wide area of the side of the plate member since total reflection is less likely to occur). In addition, the shapes of illustrations including specific characters, logos, etc. formed on the members arranged in front of and behind the light emitting substrate A720 may be the same or different.

In the above first embodiment, the front side plate member A730, the light emitting substrate A720, and the rear side plate member A740 are positioned by the parts protruding from the front cover member A750, but this is not necessarily limited to the above. For example, the front cover member A750, the light emitting substrate A720, and the rear side plate member A740 may be positioned by the parts protruding forward and backward from the front side plate member A730. In this case, the protruding length of the parts protruding from the front side plate member A730 can be shortened, thereby reducing the possibility of accidentally damaging the protruding parts by dropping the front side plate member A730 during assembly, for example.

The front plate member A730, the light emitting substrate A720 and the front cover member A750 may be positioned by the parts protruding from the rear plate member A740. Since the rear plate member A740 is different from the member in which the linear groove portion is formed, the position of the protruding parts is not restricted by the linear groove portion. This improves the degree of freedom in arranging the protruding parts.

Also, it is possible to position only the light-emitting substrate A720, the front plate member A730, and the rear plate member A740, without positioning them with the front cover member A750. In this case, the front cover member A750 can be removed while keeping the light-emitting substrate A720, the front plate member A730, and the rear plate member A740 aligned. This makes it easy to replace the front cover member A750 as a decorative part (when it becomes dirty, when there is a change in specifications, etc.).

The position of the protruding portion for positioning can be exemplified in various ways. For example, if positioning with the front cover member A750 is envisaged, it is better to form it at a rear position of the front cover member A750. On the other hand, if positioning with the front cover member A750 is not envisaged, it may be formed at a position other than the rear position of the front cover member A750, as is the case with the fastening portion A733.

In the first embodiment, the visibility of the ball flowing down the rear flow path of the downstream guide member A803 is changed by the difference in the inclination angle of the line of sight in the left-right direction using the visibility changing sheet A806, but this is not necessarily limited to the above. When visibility is changed by the difference in the inclination angle of the line of sight in the left-right direction, there is an effect of reducing the possibility of a player playing next to the player peeking at the ball flowing down. However, for example, when the visibility changing sheet A806 is configured so that the visibility of the ball flowing down the rear flow path of the downstream guide member A803 changes by the difference in the inclination angle of the line of sight in the up-down direction, there is an effect of reducing the possibility of a person standing behind the player peeking at the ball.

In the above first embodiment, the visual appearance changing sheet A806 is attached to the front side of the plate-shaped main body A803a of the front member A803z, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the visual appearance changing sheet A806 may be attached to the left and right outer surfaces of the extension plate A803b. In this case, when the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2 are viewed from the left and right directions, it is possible to create a direction in which the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2 are easily visible and a direction in which the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2 are difficult to view.

In the first embodiment, the visibility of the ball is reduced by the viewing mode changing sheet A806 when a player with his head positioned in front of the third pattern display device 81 looks sideways at the downstream guide member A803, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a sheet that has the same function as the viewing mode changing sheet A806 may be attached to the entire display surface of the third pattern display device 81, so that a player with his head positioned in front of the downstream guide member A803 has difficulty viewing the display of the third pattern display device 81 sideways (the display is blocked by the viewing mode changing sheet A806). In this case, the display of the third pattern display device 81 is not visible when the player is paying attention to the ball flowing behind the downstream guide member A803, so that the player's attention is not distracted, and further, the light irradiated from the third pattern display device 81 can be configured not to reach the player, so that the player can avoid a situation in which dazzling light is received by the eyes and can rest his eyes.

In the first embodiment, the visual appearance changing sheet A806 is used to create a case where the left flow path ATL1 is difficult to see, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the case where it is difficult to see may be created by the right flow path ATL2, or the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2, and the selection is arbitrary. The right flow path ATL2 is a flow path that guides balls to the second winning opening 640, and by changing the shape of the left flow path ATL1 to guide the ball that flows down the left flow path ATL1 to the specific winning opening 65a, depending on the design of the visual appearance changing sheet A806, it is possible to make it easier to see only the balls guided to the second winning opening 640, or to make it easier to see only the balls guided to the specific winning opening 65a.

For example, assuming that the visual appearance changing sheet A806 is arranged to cover the front sides of the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2, the visual appearance changing sheet A806 covering the front side of the left flow path ATL1 is designed to have high permeability when viewed from the front and from a left diagonal direction, but low permeability when viewed from a right diagonal direction, and the visual appearance changing sheet A806 covering the front side of the right flow path ATL2 is designed to have high permeability when viewed from the front and from a right diagonal direction, but low permeability when viewed from the left diagonal direction. In this case, the permeability of the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2 can be made high when viewed from the front, the permeability of the left flow path ATL1 can be made high when viewed from the left diagonal direction, but low permeability of the right flow path ATL2 can be made low when viewed from the right diagonal direction, and the permeability of the left flow path ATL1 can be made low when viewed from the right diagonal direction, but high permeability of the right flow path ATL2 can be made high.

In this case, the transparency of the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2 may be reduced when viewed from the front. In this case, it is possible to eliminate a situation in which both the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2 are visible at the same time, so that a player who wants to see both the left flow path ATL1 and the right flow path ATL2 at the same time can be encouraged to play by peering into the downstream guide member A803 from above.

The surface of the visual appearance changing sheet A806 may be decorated with illustrations, including specific characters and logos.

In the above first embodiment, the visibility of the balls flowing down is changed by the visibility changing sheet A806, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a non-light-transmitting louver plate section may be placed between a pair of front and rear light-transmitting plates, and the louvers may swivel or bend to switch between blocking the player's line of sight and allowing light to pass through.

In addition, when openings are formed in a pair of front and rear non-transparent plate members, and the front plate member is configured to be able to move parallel to the rear plate member, for example, the positions of the openings formed in each plate member may be shifted when viewed from the front, so that the rear side can be seen when looking in a direction passing through the inside of the front and rear openings, but when looking in a direction away from either the front or rear opening, the line of sight is blocked by the plate members, making it impossible to see the rear side.

In the above first embodiment, a case has been described in which a prize ball is paid out when a ball is detected by the detection sensor SE1, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, prize balls do not have to be paid out. As an application in which prize balls are not paid out, for example, use in a gaming machine that allows the player to select the type of jackpot game (number of rounds, etc.) based on the detection of a ball by the detection sensor SE1 is envisioned. In such a gaming machine, attention to the detection sensor SE1 is likely to be extremely low except when the type of jackpot game is selected, so it is meaningful to place the visual appearance changing sheet A806 in front of it to hide the detection sensor SE1.

As another use when prize balls are not paid out, for example, detection sensor SE1 is placed downstream of specific winning port 65a, and is used in a gaming machine used as a "V winning port (specific area)" in which the game state after the end of the jackpot is controlled to transition to a predetermined advantageous state when the passage of a ball that entered specific winning port 65a during a jackpot game is detected. In such a gaming machine, balls are not guided to detection sensor SE1 except during a jackpot game, so it is thought that attention to detection sensor SE1 will be extremely reduced except during a jackpot game, and therefore it makes sense to place visibility changing sheet A806 in front of it to hide detection sensor SE1.

If the player moves his/her head to a position directly in front of the visual appearance changing sheet A806 during a jackpot, he/she can see through the visual appearance changing sheet A806 and visually confirm the detection sensor SE1 on the rear side of it, thus eliminating the complaint that it is difficult to see the detection sensor SE1 during a jackpot game.

For example, when prize balls are paid out, the third pattern display device 81 may display a number corresponding to the number of balls paid out (such as "+1" or "+3") in response to the detection of the balls. In this case, even if the player cannot see the balls flowing behind the downstream guide member A803, the player can understand from the display on the third pattern display device 81 that prize balls have been paid out, which can increase the player's interest.

In the above first embodiment, the auxiliary light guide plate unit A810 has a front plate member A840 with linear grooves A842 that enable a light effect in which the contours of the light are visible, while the rear plate member A850 does not have linear grooves A842, and a light effect is achieved with uniform surface emission, but this is not necessarily limited to the above.

For example, linear grooves A842 may be formed not only on the front plate member A840 but also on the rear plate member A850. In this case, if highly directional LEDs are used for the edge light-emitting portions A833 and A837, a light effect can be realized in which linear light is visible on the rear plate member A850 as well.

In addition, illustrations including specific characters, logos, etc. may be formed not only on the rear panel member A850 but also on the front panel member A840, and the front-to-rear arrangement of the front panel member A840 and the rear panel member A850 may be reversed.

In each of these cases, the directivity of the edge light emitting parts A823, A827, A833, A837 can be selected according to the purpose (higher directivity makes it easier to achieve total reflection, while lower directivity makes it easier to illuminate a wide area of the side of the plate member since total reflection is less likely to occur). In addition, the shapes of the illustrations formed on the front plate member A840 and the rear plate member A850, including specific characters and logos, may be the same or different.

In the above first embodiment, the front light emitting unit A724 and the rear light emitting unit A725 are configured so that the optical axes of the multiple LEDs are parallel to each other, and the edge light emitting units A823, A827 and the edge light emitting units A833, A837 are configured so that the optical axes of the multiple LEDs are radial to each other (set in such a way that the distance between adjacent optical axes increases toward the tip in the direction of travel), but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the relationship of these optical axes may be reversed.

In the second embodiment, the linear portion of the guide slot A2414 extends in an inclined direction, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the linear portion may extend horizontally. In this case, the difference in operating resistance between the forward and return paths can be reduced.

In the above fourth embodiment, a case has been described in which a solenoid A4940 for driving the light-guiding displacement member A4920 is prepared separately, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the drive device for the electric role 640a may also be used. In this case, it is possible to easily synchronize the operation timing of the electric role 640a and the operation timing of the light-guiding displacement member A4920.

In addition, instead of the light-guiding displacement member A4920, a movable part (e.g., the first operating unit A400), which mainly performs the action of extending toward the front side of the third pattern display device 81, may be configured to be able to extend toward the front side of the base plate A60 through the internal area of the center frame A86, and configured to be able to move to a position that blocks the line of sight to the ball's flow path, so that the movable part can be used to block the line of sight to the ball's flow path. In this case, the solenoid A4940 can be eliminated because a separate drive device for the movable part can be used as a drive device for blocking the line of sight to the ball's flow path.

In the above fourth embodiment, if an illustration including a specific character, logo, etc. is formed on the front guide plate portion A4931 of the covering member A4930, the illustration can make the linear groove portion A4921a difficult to see. This can improve the appearance of the ball guide unit A4900 when the light emitting means A4933a is not lit. In addition, by forming the linear groove portion A4921a in a shape corresponding to the illustration formed on the front guide plate portion A4931, the presentation effect can be improved.

In the fourth embodiment, the visibility changing sheet A806 may be attached to the guided plate portion A4921 of the light guiding displacement member A4920. In this case, even if the player's line of sight does not change, the relative positional relationship between the player's line of sight and the visibility changing sheet A806 changes as the light guiding displacement member A4920 is displaced, so that it is possible to create a case where the visibility of the ball flowing behind the light guiding displacement member A4920 changes even if the player does not change his or her line of sight.

In the fourth embodiment, the incidence of light on the guided plate portion A4921 of the light-guiding displacement member A4920, the number and arrangement of the light-emitting means, the selection of the light-emitting means to be turned on, and the design of the structure may all or entirely use the structures of the auxiliary light-guiding plate unit A700b and the auxiliary light-guiding plate unit A810 described in the first embodiment.

In the above fifth embodiment, the case where the columnar protrusion member A5448 is pushed forward by the extension guide portion A5438 to displace it relative to the moving member A5440 has been described, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the columnar protrusion member A5448 may be displaced in response to the tilt angle of the rotational motion unit A5400b by configuring the gear and rack that mesh and rotate based on the tilt angle of the rotational motion unit A5400b to be interlocked with the columnar protrusion member A5448, or a drive device for driving the columnar protrusion member A5448 may be disposed in the rotational motion unit A5400b, and the columnar protrusion member A5448 may be driven and displaced by controlling the drive device.

In the seventh to fortieth embodiments, one engaging portion W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, Wy530a is connected (disposed) to the rear wall portion W510, W2510, W3510, Wp510, Wq510, and a pair (two) engaging portions W530b, W2530b, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, Wy530a is connected (disposed) to the front wall portion W520, W2520, W3520, Wp520, Wq520. Although the case where W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, Wy530a or W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, Wu530b are connected (arranged) has been described, this is not necessarily limited to this, and the engaging parts W530a, W2530a, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, Wu530b may be omitted.

In the seventh to fortieth embodiments, the recesses W224a, W224b may be recessed into the front of the flat portions W320, W4320, We320, Wj320, Wm320, Ws320 on the engaging portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, Wu530b side, and the connecting pieces W531a, W531b of the engaging portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, Wu530b may be disposed in positions overlapping the recesses W224a, W224b when viewed from the front.

In the seventh to fortieth embodiments, the protective covers W500, W2500, W3500, W4500, W5500, W8500, W9500, Wa500, Wb500, Wc500, Wd500, We500, Wf500, Wg500, Wh500, Wi500, Wj500, Wk500, Wl500, Wm500, W A standing portion W222 may be provided on the surface of the rear wall portions W510, W2510, W3510, Wp510, Wq510 of n500, Wo500, Wp500, Wq500, Wu500, Wv500, Ww500, Wx500, Wy500 facing the front wall portions W520, W2520, W3520, Wp520, Wq520. The upright portion W222 is disposed on the tip side (opposite side to the left wall portion W502) of the rear wall portions W510, W2510, W3510, Wp510, and Wq510, so that the protective covers W500, W2500, W3500, W4500, W5500, W8500, W9500, Wa500, Wb500, Wc500, Wd500, When removing We500, Wf500, Wg500, Wh500, Wi500, Wj500, Wk500, Wl500, Wm500, Wn500, Wo500, Wp500, Wq500, Wu500, Wv500, Ww500, Wx500, and Wy500, the erected portion W222 makes it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL.

In the above seventh to fortieth embodiments, the sealing seal WSL may be cut using the upright portions W540, Wc540, Wd540, or the sealing seal WSL may be cut using the inclined portions W532 (protruding tip portions) of the engaging portions W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, Wy530a, W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, Wu530b. This allows the inclined portion W532 to function both to facilitate elastic deformation of the engaging portions W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, Wy530a, W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, and Wu530b, and to cut the sealing seal WSL, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

In the seventh to fortieth embodiments, the erected portions W540, Wc540, and Wd540 are not molded, and the protective covers W500, W2500, W3500, W4500, W5500, W8500, W9500, Wa500, Wb500, Wc500, Wd500, We500, Wf500, Wg500, Wh500, Wi500, Wj500, Wk500, Wl500, Wm500, Wn500, Wo500, Wp500, Wq500, Wu500, Wv500, Ww500, Wx500, and Wy500 It may also be possible for the cover side engaged portion W210 of the box covers W200, W2200, W4200, W7200, Wb200, We200, Wj200, Wl200, Wm200, Wo200, Wq200, Wr200, Wt200, Wv200 and the base side engaged portion W310 of the box bases W300, W2300, W4300, W5300, W6300, Wb300, We300, Wj300, Wk300, Wm300, Wn300, Ws300, Wu300 when the cover side engaged portion W210 of the box covers W200, W2200, W4200, W7200, Wb200, We200, Wj200, Wl200, Wm200, Wo200, Wq200, Wr200, Wt200, Wv2 ... and the base side engaged portion W310 of the box bases W300, W2300, W4300, W5300, W6300, Wb300, We This allows a fraudulent person to mistakenly use protective covers W500, W2500, W3500, W4500, W5500, W8500, W9500, Wa500, Wb500, Wc500, Wd500, We500, Wf500, Wg500, Wh500, Wi500, Wj500, Wk500, Wl500, Wm500, Wn500, Wo50 With the box covers W200, W2200, W4200, W7200, Wb200, We200, Wj200, Wl200, Wm200, Wo200, Wq200, Wr200, Wt200, and Wv200 facing in the reversed position, An attempt is made to engage the joint W210 with the base side engaged portion W310 of the box bases W300, W2300, W4300, W5300, W6300, Wb300, We300, Wj300, Wk300, Wm300, Wn300, Ws300, and Wu300, and engaging portions W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, and We530a , Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, Wy530a, W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, and Wu530b can be brought into contact with the sealing seal WSL, providing an opportunity to damage the sealing seal WSL.

In the above seventh to fortieth embodiments, a case has been described in which one engagement portion W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, Wy530a is arranged, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and two or more (multiple) engagement portions W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, Wy530a may be arranged. When a plurality of engaging portions W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, and Wy530a are arranged, at least one of the engaging portions W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, and Wy530a may be configured to engage with the protrusion Wr214b of the cover portion Wr214 in the thirty-third embodiment. That is, the directions of elastic deformation can be opposite in the multiple engagement parts W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, and Wy530a. Therefore, for example, in order to release the engagement with the projection W221 in the seventh embodiment, the engagement parts W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, and Wy530a that are engaged with the projection W221 are elastically deformed (displaced). As a result, the engagement portions W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, and Wy530a that engage with the protrusion Wr214b in the 33rd embodiment can be displaced in a direction that maintains the engagement with the protrusion Wr214b. As a result, the box covers W200, W2200, W4200, W7200, Wb200, We200, Wj200, Wl200, Wm200, Wo200, Wq200, Wr200, Wt200, and Wv200 and the box bases W300, W2300, W4300, W5300, W6300, Wb300, We300, Wj300, Wk300, Wm300, Wn300, Ws300, and Wu300 to the protective cover W50 0, W2500, W3500, W4500, W5500, W8500, W9500, Wa500, Wb500, Wc500, Wd500, We500, Wf500, Wg500, Wh500, Wi500, Wj500, Wk500, Wl500, Wm500, Wn500, Wo500, Wp500, Wq500, Wu500, Wv500, Ww500, Wx500, and Wy500 can be prevented from being illegally removed.

In the above seventh to fortieth embodiments, a pair (two) of engaging portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, Wu530b are arranged, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and one engaging portion W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, Wu530b may be arranged, or three or more engaging portions may be arranged. When three or more engaging portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, and Wu530b are provided, at least one of the engaging portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, and Wu530b may be configured to be engaged with the protrusion Ws328 of the planar portion Ws320 in the thirty-fourth embodiment. That is, the directions of elastic deformation can be opposite in the multiple engaging portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, and Wu530b. Therefore, for example, by elastically deforming (displacing) the engagement portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, and Wu530b that engage with the protrusion W312c in the seventh embodiment to release the engagement with the protrusion W312c, the engagement portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, and Wu530b that engage with the protrusion Ws328 in the thirty-fourth embodiment can be displaced in a direction that maintains the engagement with the protrusion Ws328. As a result, the box covers W200, W2200, W4200, W7200, Wb200, We200, Wj200, Wl200, Wm200, Wo200, Wq200, Wr200, Wt200, and Wv200 and the box bases W300, W2300, W4300, W5300, W6300, Wb300, We300, Wj300, Wk300, Wm300, Wn300, Ws300, and Wu300 to the protective cover W50 0, W2500, W3500, W4500, W5500, W8500, W9500, Wa500, Wb500, Wc500, Wd500, We500, Wf500, Wg500, Wh500, Wi500, Wj500, Wk500, Wl500, Wm500, Wn500, Wo500, Wp500, Wq500, Wu500, Wv500, Ww500, Wx500, and Wy500 can be prevented from being illegally removed.

In the seventh to fortieth embodiments, the protective covers W500, W2500, W3500, W4500, W5500, W8500, W9500, Wa500, Wb500, Wc500, Wd500, We500, Wf500, Wg500, Wh500, Wi500, Wj500, Wk500, Wl500, Wm500, Wn500, Wo500, Wp On the rear wall portions W510, W2510, W3510, Wp510, and Wq510 sides of the rear walls W500, Wq500, Wu500, Wv500, Ww500, Wx500, and Wy500, there are provided engagement portions W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, and Wp530a. , Wq530a, Wv530a, Wy530a are provided, and a pair (two) of engaging portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, Wu530b are provided on the front wall portions W520, W2520, W3520, Wp520, Wq520 side. Although a case has been described in which a different number of engaging portions are arranged on the front wall portions W520, W2520, W3520, Wp520, Wq520 side, this is not necessarily limited to this, and the same number of engaging portions may be arranged on the rear wall portions W510, W2510, W3510, Wp510, Wq510 side and the front wall portions W520, W2520, W3520, Wp520, Wq520 side. For example, two engaging portions W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, and Wy530a may be arranged on the rear wall portion W510, W2510, W3510, Wp510, and Wq510 side, and two engaging portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, and Wu530b may be arranged on the front wall portion W520, W2520, W3520, Wp520, and Wq520 side.

In the seventh to fortieth embodiments described above, cases are assumed in which engaging portions W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, and Wy530a are arranged between pairs of engaging portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, and Wu530b in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction). As explained above, this is not necessarily limited to the above, and when viewed from behind, engaging portions W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, Wy530a may be arranged at a position overlapping one of a pair of engaging portions W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, Wu530b. That is, the engagement parts W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, and Wy530a may be arranged biased to one side in the vertical direction.

In the seventh to fortieth embodiments, the inclined surfaces formed by the cutouts W226, We226, W325, and We325 may be formed in a straight line, or may be formed in a curved shape that is concave toward the opposite side to the affixing surface of the sealing seal WSL.

In the above tenth embodiment, the protrusion W4534 is formed in a quadrangular pyramid shape protruding from the engagement portions W4530a, W4530b toward the opposing sides of the rear wall portion W510 and the front wall portion W520, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and it may be formed in a polygonal pyramid shape such as a triangular pyramid shape, a cone shape, a polygonal prism shape such as a quadrangular prism or a triangular prism, or a cylinder shape. When formed in a polygonal prism or cylinder shape, the fracture surface of the sealing seal WSL can be shaped like a torn piece, and when the broken (damaged) sealing seal WSL is reused, it is easy for the worker to recognize the traces of the breakage (damage).

In the above tenth to twelfth, thirty-second and thirty-seventh embodiments, when attaching the protective covers W4500, W5500, Wq500 and Wv500 to the box covers W200, W4200, Wq200 and Wv200 and the box bases W300, W5300 and W6300, the sealing seals WSL may be damaged by the protrusions W4534, W5534, Wq534 and Wv534.

In the eleventh and twelfth embodiments, a part of the pair of end wall portions W223, W321 may be omitted. For example, when a part of the pair of end wall portions W223, W321 on the side opposite to the sealing unit W400 (the side in the direction of the arrow L) is omitted, the protective cover W5500 can be displaced in the front-rear direction (the direction of the arrow F-B) before the engagement hole W533 of the engagement portion W5530b and the protrusion W312c are engaged when the protective cover W5500 is attached to the box cover W200 and the box base W5300, W6300, or after the engagement hole W533 and the protrusion W312c are released when the protective cover W5500 is removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W5300, W6300. This allows the protrusion W5534 to come into contact with the sealing seal WSL, damaging the sealing seal WSL.

In the eleventh and twelfth embodiments, the sealing seal WSL may be cut using the protrusion W5534 of the engagement portion W5530b cut off from the protective cover W5500. This eliminates the need to carry a cutting tool (not shown) and makes it easier to open the box cover W200 and the box base W300.

In the twelfth embodiment, the recess W6326 is formed at a position that overlaps with the protrusion W5534 in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction) in the restricted state. However, this is not necessarily limited to this, and the recess W6326 may be formed extending toward the opposite side of the protrusion W312c (arrow L direction) from the protrusion W5534. For example, the recess W6326 may be formed extending to half of the protrusion W312c side (arrow R direction) of the range in which the protective cover W5500 is displaced to release the engagement between the protrusion W312c and the engagement hole W533 (the first half of the range in which it is displaced for unauthorized removal), thereby making it possible to both form a trace (damage) on the sealing seal WSL and prevent the protective cover W5500 from being removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W6300.

That is, when the engagement portion 5530b is elastically deformed to release the engagement between the projection W312c and the engagement hole W533 without cutting the connecting pieces W531a and W531b, the projection W5534 is received in the recess W6326, and the engagement portion 5530b is displaced toward the opposite side of the projection W312c (the direction of the arrow L), forming a mark (damage) on the sealing seal WSL. On the other hand, the projection W5534 abuts against the inner wall of the recess W6326 opposite the projection W312c, restricting the displacement of the engagement portion 5530b toward the opposite side of the projection W312c (the direction of the arrow L), and preventing the protective cover W5500 from being removed from the box cover W200 and the box base W6300.

In the twelfth embodiment, the recess W6326 is formed at a position overlapping the protrusion W5534 in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction) in the restricted state, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and the recess W6326 may be formed extending toward the protrusion W312c side (arrow R direction) on the opposite side of the protrusion W312c (arrow L direction) from the protrusion W5534. For example, the recess W6326 may be formed extending to half of the range of the protective cover W5500 that is displaced on the opposite side of the protrusion W312c (arrow L direction) to the protrusion W312c (the latter half of the range that can be displaced for unauthorized removal) to release the engagement between the protrusion W312c and the engagement hole W533.

In the twelfth embodiment described above, the recess W6326 is formed at a position that overlaps with the protrusion W5534 in the vertical direction (arrow U-D direction) in the restricted state, but this is not necessarily limited thereto, and the recess W6326 may be formed at a position on the opposite side of the protrusion W312c (arrow L direction) from the protrusion W5534. The recess W6326 may be formed midway through the range in which the protective cover W5500 is displaced to release the engagement between the protrusion W312c and the engagement hole W533.

In the above 14th embodiment, the surface of the connecting piece W8531b facing the sealing seal WSL or the surface opposite to the side facing the sealing seal WSL may be formed non-parallel to the sealing seal WSL.

In the above-described 14th embodiment, at least one of the pair of side surfaces of the connecting piece W8531b may be formed into a curved surface that is convex toward the opposite side from the opposing side. This makes it easier to rotate the cutting tool along the curved surface formed on at least one of the pair of side surfaces of the connecting piece W8531b, making it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL with the tip of the cutting tool.

In the above 14th embodiment, at least one of the pair of side surfaces of the connecting piece W8531b may be formed into a curved surface that is concave toward the opposing side.

In the above 14th embodiment, a pair of side surfaces of the connecting piece W8531b are formed at an incline with respect to the sealing seal WSL (flat surface portion W220), but this is not necessarily limited to this. One of the pair of side surfaces of the connecting piece W8531b may be formed at an incline with respect to the sealing seal WSL (flat surface portion W220), and the other of the pair of side surfaces may be formed perpendicular to the sealing seal WSL (flat surface portion W220).

In the fifteenth embodiment, the first part W9531b1 and the second part W9531b2 of the connecting piece W9531b may be formed into a substantially elliptical shape in a cross-sectional view. This makes it easier to rotate the cutting tool along the curved surface, and makes it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL with the tip of the cutting tool.

In the above fifteenth embodiment, a step is formed at the boundary between the first part W9531b1 and the second part W9531b2 of the connecting piece W9531b (the first part W9531b1 and the second part W9531b2 are directly connected), but this is not necessarily limited to this, and a connecting part that smoothly connects the first part W9531b1 and the second part W9531b2 may be interposed. That is, the interposed part is formed as a part whose cross-sectional shape gradually changes from the cross-sectional shape of the first part W9531b1 to the cross-sectional shape of the second part W9531b2 as it moves from the first part W9531b1 to the second part W9531b2. This makes it possible to suppress stress concentration at the connecting part between the first part W9531b1 and the second part W9531b2, and ensure the strength of the connecting piece WV9531b. Additionally, the interposed portion makes it easier to displace the cutting tool from the second portion W9531b2 toward the first portion W9531b1.

In the above fifteenth embodiment, if the engagement portion W530a is improperly elastically deformed, the sealing seal WSL may be damaged by the first portion W9531b1.

In the above-described 16th embodiment, the cutting portion Wa550 is disposed in a position offset toward the front wall portion W520 (arrow F direction) from approximately the center of the left wall portion W502 in the front-rear direction (arrow F-B direction), and when the protective cover Wa500 is attached to the box cover W200 and the box base W300 with the front wall portion W520 and the rear wall portion W510 in the opposite position (the rear wall portion W510 facing the front side of the front wall portion W520), the cutting portion Wa550 may be disposed in a position facing the notches W226, W325. This makes it possible to prevent the sealing seal WSL from being cut even when the engagement portions W530a, W530b are cut and the protective cover Wa500 is displaced toward the sealing unit W400 (arrow R direction). On the other hand, by removing the protective cover Wa500 from the box cover W200 and the box base W300 and attaching the protective cover Wa500 to the box cover W200 and the box base W300 with the front wall W520 and the back wall W510 in the opposite position, the cutting portion Wa550 can be positioned opposite the notches W226 and W325, and the sealing seal WSL can be cut using the cutting portion Wa550. As a result, it is difficult for a fraudulent person to use the cutting portion Wa550.

In the above 16th embodiment, the cutting portion Wa550 is formed in a sawtooth shape, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and it may be formed in a straight line, and the protruding tip of the cutting portion Wa550 may be formed in a shape formed by connecting sine waves from 0 degrees to 180 degrees. When the cutting portion Wa550 is formed in a straight line, it may be formed parallel to the sealing seal WSL, or at least a part of it may be formed at an incline. By forming the cutting portion Wa550 parallel to the sealing seal WSL, when the sealing seal WSL is cut, the fracture surface of the sealing seal WSL can be formed in a torn state. This makes it difficult for a fraudulent person to join the fracture surfaces of the sealing seal WSL together without any gaps, making it difficult to reuse the sealing seal WSL.

In the above 16th embodiment, the sawtooth shape formed in the cutting portion Wa550 is received in the space formed by the notches W226 and W325, and the sealing seal WSL is separated into the flat portion W220 side and the flat portion W320 side. However, this is not necessarily limited to this, and the sealing seal WSL on the flat portion W220 side and the flat portion W320 side may be partially connected (at least a portion may be cut). In other words, the cutting portion Wa550 may form a perforation in the sealing seal WSL (a shape in which a cutting portion and a connecting portion are formed at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction). This makes it easier to cut the sealing seal WSL (separate it into the flat portion W220 side and the flat portion W320 side). On the other hand, when cutting (breaking) the connection portion formed in the sealing seal WSL, the broken surface can be shaped like a torn piece, so that if the cut (broken) sealing seal WSL is reused, the traces of the cut can be easily recognized by the worker. Also, by displacing the protective cover Wa500 toward the side wall portion W212 (the direction of the arrow R), it is easy to form perforations in the sealing seal WSL.

In the above 17th embodiment, the blade Wb552 has a tip formed in a cone shape, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the tip of the blade Wb552 may be formed in a cylindrical shape, and the cross-sectional shape of the tip of the blade Wb552 may be constant in the protruding direction (arrow L-R direction). In other words, the tip of the blade Wb552 does not have to be formed sharp. As a result, when the sealing seal WSL is cut using the blade Wb552, the fracture surface of the sealing seal WSL can be formed in a torn state. As a result, it is difficult for a fraudulent person to join the fracture surfaces of the sealing seal WSL together without any gaps and reuse the sealing seal WSL. In addition, the tip of the blade Wb552 may be formed in a polygonal pyramid shape such as a triangular pyramid or a square pyramid, and the tip of the blade Wb552 may be formed in a polygonal prism shape such as a triangular prism or a square prism.

In the above 17th to 20th, 24th and 40th embodiments, unevenness may be formed on the surface to which the sealing seal WSL is affixed on the planar portion W220, We220 of the box cover W200, Wb200, We200 or the planar portion W320, We320 of the box base W300, We300 (the surface to which the guide portion Wb560, Wd560, the lower wall portion W501 or the connecting piece We531a is aligned). As a result, when the guide portion Wb560, Wd560, the lower wall portion W501, or the connecting piece We531a is displaced from one end of the pair of end wall portions W223 to the other along the flat portion W220, We220 of the box cover W200, Wb200, We200 or the flat portion W320, We320 of the box base W300, We300, the position of the fracture surface formed in the sealing seal WSL between one end and the other end of the sealing seal WSL in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction) can be changed in the front-back direction (arrow F-B direction). As a result, it is possible for a fraudulent person to join the fracture surfaces of the sealing seal WSL together without any gaps, making it difficult to reuse the sealing seal WSL.

In the above 19th embodiment, in addition to the fitting (engagement) between the erected portion Wd540 and the engagement hole W533, the protective cover Wd500 may be provided with an engagement portion for engaging the engagement portion Wd530a. For example, an engagement portion may be formed on the rear wall portion W510 of the protective cover Wd500, and the end of the engagement portion Wd530a on the opposite side to the connecting piece W531a (the inclined portion W532 side) may be engaged with the engagement portion formed on the rear wall portion W510. This allows the engagement portion Wd530a to be engaged at two different points on the protective cover Wd500, making it possible to firmly attach the engagement portion Wd530a to the protective cover Wd500. In addition, the posture of the engagement portion Wd530a can be easily maintained. As a result, the sealing seal WSL can be easily cut using the engagement portion Wd530a.

In the above 25th embodiment, the elastic deformation restricting means Wj230 (first restricting portion Wj240 and second restricting portion Wj250) is formed on the planar portion Wj220. However, this is not necessarily limited to this. The elastic deformation restricting means Wj230 may be formed on the rear surface (arrow B direction side) of the planar portion Wj320, and the box cover Wj200 and the box base Wj300 may be combined so that, in the restricted state, the elastic deformation restricting means Wj230 is disposed at a position inside the engagement hole W533 of the engagement portion Wj530a. The box cover Wj200 and the box base Wj300 are combined so that the elastic deformation restricting means Wj230 and the engagement portion Wj530a are engaged with each other. The box cover Wj200 includes a cover portion Wj214 and an elastic deformation restricting means Wj230, which makes the resin molding die for the box cover Wj200 complex. However, by forming the elastic deformation restricting means Wj230 on the box base Wj300, the resin molding die for the box cover Wj200 can be simplified. As a result, manufacturing costs can be reduced.

In the 26th embodiment, the tip of the engaging portion W530b2 may not abut against the inclined portion Wk312g of the locking portion Wk312f (the engaging portion W530b2 may not be elastically deformed). This makes it possible to prevent one of the pair of engaging portions W530b from being elastically deformed in different directions. As a result, the amount of elastic deformation of one (the other) of the pair of engaging portions W530b can be reduced, making it difficult for one (the other) of the pair of engaging portions W530b to be damaged.

In the above 26th embodiment, the locking portion Wk312f of the cover portion Wk312 is formed on the box base Wk300, but this is not necessarily limited to the above. The locking portion Wk312f may be formed on the front surface (arrow F direction side) of the side wall portion W212, and may be disposed in a position where the locking portion Wk312f abuts on the tip of the engagement portion W530b2 in the restricted state by combining the box cover W200 and the box base Wk300. By combining the box cover W200 and the box base Wk300, the tip of the engagement portion W530b2 abuts on the inclined portion Wk312g of the locking portion Wk312f. Because the box base Wk300 has a cover portion Wk312, the resin molding die for the box base Wk300 becomes complicated. However, because the locking portion Wk312f is formed on the box cover W200, the resin molding die for the box base Wk300 can be simplified. As a result, manufacturing costs can be reduced.

In the twenty-sixth embodiment, the protective cover W500 may have two or more engaging portions W530b1 or W530b2, and the box base Wk300 may have two or more protrusions W312c or Wk312c. For example, if a pair of engaging portions W530b2 are formed on both ends of the protective cover W500 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction) and an engaging portion W530b1 is formed between the pair of engaging portions W530b2, the elastic deformation of the engaging portion W530b1 toward the box cover W200 (arrow B direction) can be easily suppressed at both ends of the engaging portion W530b1, and the engaging portion W530b1 can be prevented from being improperly elastically deformed, making it difficult to improperly remove the protective cover W500 from the box cover W200 and the box base Wk300. Also, for example, if a pair of engaging portions W530b1 are formed on both ends of the protective cover W500 in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction), and an engaging portion W530b2 is formed between the pair of engaging portions W530b1, the engaging portion W530b2 can be disposed in a position overlapping the engaging portion W530a in rear view. This makes it difficult to illegally elastically deform the engaging portion W530a and illegally remove the protective cover W500 from the box cover W200 and box base Wk300.

In the 27th embodiment, a notch may be formed in the connecting portion Wl535. This makes it easier to rotate (twist) the connecting portion Wl535.

In the above 28th embodiment, the restricting protrusion Wm228 is disposed at a position overlapping approximately the center of the extension portion Wm332 in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction), but this is not necessarily limited to this, and it may be disposed below the restricting portion Wm334. This makes it difficult for the engaging portion Wm530b to be elastically deformed improperly.

In the above-mentioned 34th embodiment, the case where a pair of protrusions Ws328 are provided has been described, but this is not necessarily limited thereto. Only one (the other) of the pair of protrusions Ws328 may be formed, and the protrusion W312c in the seventh embodiment may be formed at a position corresponding to the other (the other) of the pair of protrusions Ws328. In other words, the protrusion Ws328 may be formed on one (the other) in the up-down direction (arrow U-D direction), and the protrusion W312c may be formed on the other (the other). This allows the directions in which one and the other of the pair of engaging portions W530b of the protective cover W500 are elastically deformed in opposite directions. Therefore, by elastically deforming (displacing) one (the other) engaging portion W530b in order to release the engagement between one (the other) engaging portion W530b and the protrusion Ws328 (protrusion W312c), the other (the other) engaging portion W530b can be displaced in a direction that maintains the engagement between the other (the other) engaging portion W530b and the protrusion W312c (protrusion Ws328). As a result, unauthorized removal of the protective cover W500 from the box cover W200 and the box base Ws300 can be prevented.

In the 35th embodiment, a pair of notches Wt224b1 formed in the protrusions Wt224b may be formed with connecting portions that connect the protrusions Wt224b to each other. This ensures the strength of the protrusions Wt224b.

In the above 35th embodiment, the protrusion Wt224b is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in cross section, but this is not necessarily limited thereto, and the protrusion Wt224b may be formed in a curved shape that is convex toward the opposite side to the flat portion Wt220 in cross section. This makes it easier to attach the sealing seal WSL to the protrusion Wt224b (makes it difficult for the sealing seal WSL to peel off from the protrusion Wt224b).

In the above 35th embodiment, the dimensions of the protrusion Wt224b in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) are described as being approximately the same as the dimensions of the connecting piece W531b of the engagement portion W530a, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and the dimensions of the protrusion Wt224b may be smaller or larger than the dimensions of the connecting piece W531b.

If the dimension of the protrusion Wt224b in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) is formed smaller than the dimension of the connecting piece W531b, the sealing seal WSL affixed to the protrusion Wt224b is shielded by the connecting piece W531b and cannot be seen by a tamperer. This makes it easier for a tamperer to damage the sealing seal WSL with a cutting tool.

If the dimension of the protrusion Wt224b in the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) is formed to be larger than the dimension of the connecting piece W531b, the tip of the cutting tool can be opposed to a pair of side surfaces of the connecting piece W531b, so that the cutting tool can be brought into contact with the sealing seal WSL without performing an operation to cut the connecting piece W531b, thereby damaging the sealing seal WSL.

In the 37th embodiment, the recess Wv229 may be formed to extend in the opposite direction (arrow D direction) from the pair of protrusions Wv534. As a result, when the engagement portion Wv530a separated from the protective cover Wv500 is removed from the box cover Wv200, the protrusion Wv534 is rotated toward the flat portion W320 (arrow F direction) with the left-right direction (arrow L-R direction) as the rotation axis, and the engagement portion Wv530a can be displaced in the extending direction of the recess Wv229 (arrow D direction) while maintaining the protrusion Wv534 in contact with the sealing seal WSL. As a result, the mark (damage) formed on the sealing seal WSL can be made larger.

In the above-mentioned 39th embodiment, the first connecting piece Wx531b1 and the second connecting piece Wx531b2 may be molded by two-color molding using different resin materials. For example, when the first connecting piece Wx531b1 is molded using a resin material having higher rigidity than the second connecting piece Wx531b2, in addition to the shape of the first connecting piece Wx531b1 (a shape in which the dimension in the direction from the front wall portion W520 to the rear wall portion W510 is formed larger than that of the second connecting piece Wx531b2), the second connecting piece Wx531b2 can be easily cut from the first connecting piece Wx531b1, and the blade of the cutting tool can be rotated even more easily. This makes it easier to damage the sealing seal WSL with the tip of the cutting tool.

In the above thirty-ninth embodiment, the connecting piece Wx531b is formed in a generally L-shape in cross section, but this is not necessarily limited to this. It may be formed in a generally U-shape in cross section, with the open side facing the sealing seal WSL. This allows the cutting resistance of the connecting piece Wx531b in the front-to-back direction (arrow F-B direction) to be changed during cutting, making it easier to rotate the cutting tool (not shown).

The present invention may be implemented in a type of pachinko machine or the like different from the above-mentioned embodiments. For example, it may be implemented as a pachinko machine (commonly called a two-time right machine or a three-time right machine) in which the expected value of a jackpot is increased until a jackpot state occurs multiple times (for example, two or three times) including the first jackpot. It may also be implemented as a pachinko machine that generates a special game in which the player is given a predetermined game value after the jackpot pattern is displayed, with the necessary condition being that the ball enters a predetermined area. It may also be implemented as a pachinko machine that has a winning device with a special area such as a V zone, and the special game state is entered with the necessary condition being that the ball enters the special area. Furthermore, in addition to pachinko machines, it may be implemented as various gaming machines such as arepachi, mahjong ball, slot machines, and gaming machines that are a combination of a pachinko machine and a slot machine.

Slot machines are well known in that, for example, after inserting a coin and determining the effective line of symbols, a lever is operated to change the symbols, and a stop button is operated to stop and finalize the symbols. Therefore, the basic concept of a slot machine is "a slot machine that has a display device that displays a variable display of a string of identification information consisting of multiple identification information, and then displays the determined identification information, and that starts the variable display of the identification information due to the operation of a start operation means (e.g., a lever), stops the variable display of the identification information due to the operation of a stop operation means (e.g., a stop button) or after a predetermined time has passed, and generates a special game that awards a predetermined game value to the player, provided that the combination of identification information at the time of the stop is a specific one." In this case, typical examples of the game medium include coins, medals, etc.

An example of a gaming machine that combines a pachinko machine and a slot machine is one that has a display device that displays a pattern sequence consisting of multiple patterns in a variable manner and then displays the pattern in a fixed manner, but does not have a handle for shooting balls. In this case, after a specified amount of balls are inserted based on a specified operation (button operation), the pattern starts to change due to, for example, the operation of an operating lever, and the pattern change is stopped due to, for example, the operation of a stop button or after a specified time has passed, and a special game is generated in which a specified gaming value is awarded to the player, provided that the fixed pattern at the time of the stop is a so-called jackpot pattern, and a large number of balls are paid out to the player in a receiving tray at the bottom. If such a gaming machine is used instead of a slot machine, the gaming hall can handle only the balls as the gaming value, which can eliminate problems seen in current gaming halls where pachinko machines and slot machines are mixed, such as the burden on facilities due to the separate handling of medals and balls as the gaming value, and the restrictions on the location of gaming machines.

Below, we will explain the gaming machine of the present invention as well as the various invention concepts included in the above-mentioned embodiments.

<Displacement means that changes its shape during rotation>
A gaming machine A1 is provided with a presentation means having a displacement means configured to be tiltable around a predetermined rotation axis, and the presentation means is configured to make it possible to visually confirm a change in external shape that extends at least in a direction away from the rotation axis while the displacement means is tilted.

Among gaming machines such as pachinko machines, there is a gaming machine that is equipped with a displacement means configured to be rotatable about a first axis and a drive means for operating the displacement means, and is configured so that the displacement means is braked by receiving a biasing force at the terminal position (see, for example, JP 2014-144283 A).

However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, even if the displacement means is presented as tilting vigorously, the external shape of the displacement means does not change when tilted, so the effect lacks impact and there is room for improvement in terms of presentation effects.

In contrast, according to gaming machine A1, the presentation means is configured to be able to change the external shape while the displacement means is tilting, so it is possible to execute a powerful presentation in which the external shape of the displacement means changes while it is being tilted vigorously, thereby enhancing the presentation effect.

A gaming machine A2 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine A1, while the displacement means is tilted, the gaming machine A2 is configured to be able to transition from a first state in which the outer shape of the displacement means is maintained while the displacement means is tilted to a second state in which the outer shape of the displacement means is changed while the displacement means is tilted.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A1, gaming machine A2 transitions from a first state in which the external shape is maintained to a second state in which the external shape changes as the tilting operation of the displacement means progresses, so that the force required at the start of tilting can be reduced, making it easier to start the tilting operation smoothly.

Gaming machine A3 is characterized in that in gaming machine A2, the displacement means is configured to be in the first state at the displacement end position on the side where tilting begins.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A2, gaming machine A3 does not require the force required to change the external shape when tilting begins, so the force required when tilting begins can be reduced to only the force required for tilting, thereby reducing the amount of force required.

A gaming machine A4 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine A2 or A3, a section is provided in which the degree of change in the external shape relative to the tilt angle of the displacement means increases during the process in which the displacement means tilts in the direction of transition from the first state to the second state.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines A2 and A3, gaming machine A4 has the advantage that the change in the external shape of the displacement means while it is tilted in the second state becomes greater the further it is from the side where it was placed in the first state (the more it is tilted), so that the degree of tilt of the displacement means can be associated with the degree of change in the external shape of the displacement means.

A gaming machine A5, in any of the gaming machines A1 to A4, is characterized in that the displacement means comprises an axis side means supported so as to be tiltable about the predetermined rotation axis, and a component means configured to be displaceable relative to the axis side means, and is configured to assume a second position by being tilted from a first position, and the distance between the component means and the predetermined rotation axis is longer in the second position than in the first position.

In game machine A5, in addition to the effect of any of game machines A1 to A4, the direction of change in the distance between the component means and a predetermined rotation axis is set to one direction in response to the tilt direction, so that the greater the tilt angle, the greater the degree of the effect.

In other words, the more the displacement means is tilted, the further the component means is separated from the specified rotation axis, so the center of gravity of the displacement means can be moved toward the tip of the tilt, and the momentum of the tilt can be assisted by the displacement means' own weight, resulting in a powerful tilting motion, enhancing the presentation effect.

Furthermore, the more the displacement means is displaced in the opposite direction to the tilt (the rising direction), the closer the component means is to the specified rotation axis, so the center of gravity of the displacement means can be moved toward the rotation axis, reducing the force required for the rising motion.

A gaming machine A5 is characterized in that it is provided with a degree change means for making the degree of change in the distance between the component means and the predetermined rotation axis when tilted to the predetermined angle with the second attitude as the terminal attitude larger than the degree of change in the distance between the component means and the predetermined rotation axis when tilted to the predetermined angle with the first attitude as the terminal attitude.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A5, gaming machine A6 can greatly change the distance between the component means and the specified rotation axis even at a small tilt angle near the second attitude, making it possible to produce an effect in which the external shape of the displacement means is greatly changed without significantly changing the position of the displacement means relative to the specified rotation axis.

Furthermore, when the displacement means is caused to undergo a displacement that causes it to rise from the second position to the first position (displacement in the opposite direction to tilting), the distance between the component means and the specified rotation axis can be significantly changed (shortened) after the start of the displacement, so that the center of gravity of the displacement means can be brought closer to the specified rotation axis at an early stage, and the force required for the displacement to rise can be reduced.

Gaming machine A7 is characterized in that the configuration means in gaming machine A5 or A6 includes a first configuration means that can be displaced in a radial direction of a circle centered on the predetermined rotation axis, and a second configuration means that can be displaced in a direction perpendicular to the radial direction.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines A5 and A6, gaming machine A7 can further differentiate the external shape of the displacement means between the first and second positions.

A gaming machine A8 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine A7, while the displacement means is tilting, the displacement of the second component means starts with a delay from the start of the displacement of the first component means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A7, gaming machine A8 can reduce the force required compared to when the displacement of the first component means and the displacement of the second component means are started simultaneously.

Gaming machine A9 is characterized in that the second component means in gaming machine A7 or A8 is disposed on the axis side means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A7 or A8, gaming machine A9 has an external shape with a bulge on the side of a specific rotation axis, allowing the displacement means to be visually confirmed.

Gaming machine A10 is characterized in that the second component means is disposed in the component means in gaming machine A7 or A8.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines A7 and A8, gaming machine A10 allows the displacement means to be visually recognized due to the wide external shape of the component means.

<Driving force transmission at a position away from the rotating shaft>
A gaming machine B1 is provided with a displacement means configured to be tiltable around a predetermined rotation axis, and a drive means for displacing the displacement means, and is configured so that the drive force of the drive means is transmitted to the displacement means via an arrangement portion that is positioned closer to the tilting tip of the displacement means than the predetermined rotation axis.

Among gaming machines such as pachinko machines, there is a gaming machine that is equipped with a displacement means configured to be rotatable about a first axis and a drive means for operating the displacement means, and is configured so that the displacement means is braked by receiving a biasing force at the terminal position (see, for example, JP 2014-144283 A).

However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, the structure of the displacement means on the side of the first axis tends to become large, making it difficult to position the displacement means so that the first axis is close to a corner of the placement space. In other words, there is a problem in that there is room for improvement in the placement of the displacement means.

In contrast, with gaming machine B1, the driving force of the drive means is transmitted via a placement section that is located on the tilted tip side of the displacement means, which simplifies the structure of the displacement means on the first axis side and makes it easy to position the displacement means with the first axis close to a corner of the placement space. This allows for improved placement of the displacement means.

Gaming machine B2 is characterized in that, in gaming machine B1, the direction of the displacement of the arrangement part can be changed while the direction of the driving force of the driving means is maintained in a predetermined direction while the displacement means is tilted.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine B1, gaming machine B2 is configured to be able to change the direction of displacement of the placement section while maintaining the direction of the driving force of the driving means, so that even if the operation of the driving means is monotonous, the displacement of the placement section can be made complex.

Gaming machine B3 is characterized in that, in gaming machines B1 or B2, the direction of the driving force applied to the placement unit approaches a linear direction passing through the predetermined rotation axis and the placement unit as the displacement means approaches the displacement end position on the tilt side.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines B1 and B2, gaming machine B3 changes the direction of the driving force applied to the arrangement during tilting, making it possible to prevent the load generated in the tilting direction from becoming excessive when the displacement means approaches the displacement end position on the tilting side.

As a result, even if the displacement means tilts at high speed, it is possible to easily cushion the impact when the displacement means reaches the displacement end position on the tilt side, thereby improving the durability of the displacement means. In addition, it is possible to eliminate the need for shock-absorbing cushioning materials.

Gaming machine B4 is any one of gaming machines B1 to B3, characterized in that the direction of the driving force of the driving means is configured to generate a load on the displacement means in a predetermined linear direction.

Gaming machine B4, in addition to the effects of any of gaming machines B1 to B3, makes it easier to stabilize the driving force. Also, the ratio of the driving force component that faces the tilt direction of the displacement means to the component that faces a direction perpendicular to the tilt direction of the displacement means is determined according to the position (posture) of the displacement means, so the magnitude of the load in the tilt direction of the displacement means can be made to correspond to the position (posture) of the displacement means.

Gaming machine B5 is characterized in that, in gaming machine B4, the greater the angle between the predetermined linear direction and the rotational direction component centered on the predetermined rotational axis of the movement direction of the contact part of the displacement means that contacts the placement part, the longer the distance between the placement part and the predetermined rotational axis.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine B4, gaming machine B5 makes it easier to avoid a shortage of driving force for tilting the displacement means by increasing the distance between the positioning section to which the driving force is transmitted and the specified rotation axis, even in a situation in which it is difficult to transmit a load in the tilting direction, such as when the angle between the direction of the driving force and the displacement direction of the tilting displacement means is large.

In other words, by preventing the driving force required for tilting from increasing or decreasing locally within the tilt range of the displacement means, the range of change in the required driving force can be kept small, making it easier to select the driving means.

Gaming machine B6 is characterized in that, in gaming machine B4 or B5, the displacement means is displaceable between a position in front of the display device and a position outside the display device, and the angle between the direction of movement of the arrangement unit about the predetermined rotation axis at the front position and the predetermined linear direction is greater than the angle between the direction of movement of the arrangement unit about the predetermined rotation axis at the outer position and the predetermined linear direction.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines B4 and B5, gaming machine B6 can reduce the momentum of the rotational direction at the forward position, making it easier to stop the rotational motion at the desired position. Therefore, it is easy to perform the operation of rotating at high speed during the rotation, while smoothly stopping the rotation at the forward position.

A gaming machine B7, in which the angle between the direction of movement of the placement part around the predetermined rotation axis and the predetermined linear direction increases as the movement moves from the outer position to the forward position in the gaming machine B6.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine B6, gaming machine B7 can gradually slow down the rotational motion.

Gaming machine B8 is any one of gaming machines B1 to B7, characterized in that the electrical wiring connected to the displacement means is connected from the side of the specified rotation axis.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines B1 to B7, gaming machine B8 can effectively utilize the space freed up by shifting the position of the drive means toward the tip of the tilt as space for arranging electrical wiring.

Gaming machine B9 is any one of gaming machines B1 to B8, characterized in that the placement section is configured so that the distance from the predetermined rotation axis can be changed by moving the placement section in a second predetermined linear direction, and the second predetermined linear direction passing through the placement section is configured so as not to pass through the predetermined rotation axis.

In addition to the effects of any of gaming machines B1 to B8, gaming machine B9 can also utilize the force for moving the placement section in a second predetermined linear direction to rotate the displacement means about a predetermined rotation axis.

A gaming machine B10 is any one of the gaming machines B1 to B9, characterized in that it is equipped with an endless belt capable of transmitting the driving force of the driving means.

Gaming machine B10 has the same effects as any of gaming machines B1 to B9, and also makes it easier to ensure a large displacement range for the displacement means.

<Vary the resistance depending on the range>
A gaming machine C1 is characterized in that it is equipped with a displaceable displacement means and a drive means for displacing the displacement means, and further equipped with a mode change means for changing the mode of force received by the displacement means during displacement in accordance with the position of the displacement means.

Among gaming machines such as pachinko machines, there is a gaming machine that is equipped with a displacement means configured to be rotatable about a first axis and a drive means for operating the displacement means, and is configured so that the displacement means is braked by receiving a biasing force at the terminal position (see, for example, JP 2014-144283 A).

However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, no consideration is given to the forces that the displacement means receives during displacement, and there is a possibility that the load applied to the drive means may change suddenly during displacement, leaving room for improvement. In other words, there is a problem that there is room for improvement regarding the displacement of the displacement means.

In response to this, gaming machine C1 uses a mode changing means to change the mode of force received by the displacement means during displacement in accordance with the position of the displacement means, making it possible to appropriately adjust the force applied to the displacement means during displacement and to prevent abrupt changes in the load applied to the drive means. This makes it possible to improve the displacement of the displacement means.

Gaming machine C2 is characterized in that in gaming machine C1, the displacement means is capable of displacing between a first range and a second range different from the first range, and the force that the displacement means receives from the state change means is greater when the displacement means is positioned in the second range than when the displacement means is positioned in the first range.

In addition to the effect of gaming machine C1, gaming machine C2 can change the manner in which the force received by the displacement means for each range.

Gaming machine C3 is characterized in that in gaming machine C2, the first range or the second range is a range that includes at least one of the displacement ends of the displacement means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine C2, gaming machine C3 can prevent the force received by the displacement means from changing at the end of the displacement.

Gaming machine C4 is characterized in that in gaming machine C3, the first range includes the displacement end of the displacement means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine C3, gaming machine C4 can reduce the driving force required to displace the displacement means from the displacement end.

In gaming machine C4, the mode change means includes relative displacement means that can be displaced relative to the displacement means, and the number of the relative displacement means that are displaced relative to the second range is greater than the number of the relative displacement means that are displaced relative to the first range. Gaming machine C5.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine C4, gaming machine C5 can increase or decrease the force generated by the form change means while enhancing the presentation effect by changing the number of relative displacement means that are displaced relative to each other.

In gaming machine C5, the relative displacement means includes a first relative displacement means that performs relative displacement in a first manner, and a second relative displacement means that performs relative displacement in a second manner, and is characterized in that when the displacement means starts to displace from one of the displacement terminals, a relative displacement of the first relative displacement means occurs. Gaming machine C6.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine C5, gaming machine C6 stabilizes the displacement of the displacement means by shifting the timing of the relative displacement, rather than the relative displacement means performing relative displacement in multiple ways starting the relative displacement at the same time.

Gaming machine C7 is characterized in that, in gaming machine C6, the displacement occurs due to the relative displacement of the second relative displacement means when the displacement means starts to displace from the other displacement end.

In addition to the effect of gaming machine C6, gaming machine C7 can improve the presentation effect by changing the relative displacement means that undergoes relative displacement first for each end where the displacement means begins to displace.

Gaming machine C8 is characterized in that, in gaming machine C3, the first range includes at least one of the displacement ends of the displacement means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine C3, gaming machine C8 makes it easier to decelerate the displacement means at at least one of the displacement ends.

Gaming machine C9 is characterized in that the force received by the displacement means in gaming machine C8 is a predetermined resistance force.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine C8, gaming machine C9 can speed up the displacement of the displacement means by configuring the predetermined resistance force that the displacement means receives to be large at the end of the displacement and small midway through the displacement.

Gaming machine C10 is characterized in that, in gaming machine C8 or C9, the first range includes both displacement ends of the displacement means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines C8 and C9, gaming machine C10 makes it easier to decelerate the displacement means at both displacement ends, thereby accelerating the displacement of the displacement means in both displacement directions.

In the gaming machine C10, the displacement means is configured as a pair, and the load transmitted from the pair of displacement means to the drive means is the same at both displacement ends. A gaming machine C11.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine C10, gaming machine C11 can make the driving force required to start displacement from both displacement ends the same.

<Irradiate parallel light onto the light guide plate aligned with the substrate>
A gaming machine D1 comprising a first means composed of a plate-like member, a first light-emitting means arranged on a predetermined surface side of the first means, and a plate-like first light-receiving means capable of receiving light from the first light-emitting means, wherein the side of the first light-receiving means that faces the predetermined surface abuts against the predetermined surface of the first means.

Among gaming machines such as pachinko machines, there are gaming machines that include a plate-shaped member on which a light-emitting means is arranged, and a light-receiving means having a plate-shaped portion that is arranged opposite the light-emitting means of the plate-shaped member and is configured so that light from the light-emitting means is incident thereon (see, for example, JP 2015-198675 A).

However, the conventional gaming machines described above required additional components to align the light receiving means, which made the structure more complicated. In other words, there was a problem that there was room for improvement in the placement of the light receiving means.

In contrast, with gaming machine D1, the first light receiving means can be aligned with the first light receiving means by abutting the first means with the first light receiving means, so the structure for aligning the first light receiving means can be simplified. In other words, improvements can be made with regard to the placement of the light receiving means.

A gaming machine D2 is characterized in that it comprises a second light emitting means disposed on the opposite side of the first means opposite to the predetermined side, and a plate-shaped second light receiving means capable of receiving light from the second light emitting means, and the second light receiving means has a side surface disposed opposite the opposite side that abuts against the opposite side.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine D1, gaming machine D2 can align the second light receiving means with the first means by abutting the second light receiving means with the first means, simplifying the structure for aligning the first light receiving means and the second light receiving means. In other words, it is possible to further improve the arrangement of the light receiving means.

Gaming machine D3 is characterized in that in gaming machine D2, the first light receiving means and the second light receiving means can be fixed to the first means by pressing from a predetermined pressing means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine D2, gaming machine D3 can fix three components by pressing from a pressing means, which reduces the number of fixing points for fixing multiple components and reduces manufacturing man-hours.

Gaming machine D4 is any one of gaming machines D1 to D3, and is provided with a support means configured to support the first means and the first light receiving means, the support means having a first protruding portion that can be fitted into the first means, and a second protruding portion that can be fitted into the first light receiving means.

In addition to the effects of any of gaming machines D1 to D3, gaming machine D4 supports the first means and the first light receiving means with a support means, thereby preventing misalignment between the first means and the first light receiving means in a direction parallel to the plate surface of the first means.

When a second light receiving means is provided, the second protrusion may be configured to be able to engage with the second light receiving means as well. In this case, it is possible to prevent misalignment between the first light receiving means and the second light receiving means in a direction parallel to the plate surface of the first means.

Gaming machine D5 is characterized in that, in gaming machine D3 or D4, it comprises a second light emitting means disposed on the opposite side of the first means opposite to the predetermined side, and a plate-shaped second light receiving means capable of receiving light from the second light emitting means, the second light receiving means has a side surface disposed opposite to the opposite surface in contact with the opposite surface, the first means is disposed outside the second protruding portion, and the first light receiving means and the second light receiving means can be pressed and fixed by a predetermined pressing means at the second protruding portion.

Gaming machine D5 has the same effect as gaming machines D3 and D4, but can also apply a pressing force from the means to the end of the first means. This allows the end of the first means to be damaged even if the pressing force becomes excessive, making it easier to avoid damage to the center where the light-emitting means is located.

Gaming machine D6 is characterized in that in gaming machine D5, the first light receiving means or the second light receiving means is configured so that the shape of the contact portion that contacts the first means corresponds to that of the first light receiving means.

Gaming machine D6 has the same effect as gaming machine D5, and in addition, it is possible to match the portion where force is applied to the first means through the first light receiving means by pressing from a predetermined pressing means with the portion where force is applied to the first means through the second light receiving means, making it easier to apply force perpendicular to the surface of the first means, improving the balance of the forces applied to the front and back. This makes it possible to prevent cracking of the first means caused by force being applied in a direction inclined to the surface of the first means.

A gaming machine D7 is characterized in that, in any one of gaming machines D3 to D6, it is provided with a second light emitting means disposed on the opposite side of the first means opposite to the predetermined side, and a plate-shaped second light receiving means capable of receiving light from the second light emitting means, the second light receiving means has a side surface disposed opposite to the opposite surface in contact with the opposite surface, the first light emitting means is disposed at a position corresponding to the second light emitting means, and is configured to emit light in a direction parallel to the irradiation direction of the second light emitting means.

Gaming machine D7, in addition to the effects of any of gaming machines D3 to D6, can match the position where light is irradiated from the first light emitting means to the first light receiving means with the position where light is irradiated from the second light emitting means to the second light receiving means. This allows the positions illuminated by different light emitting units to be aligned, resulting in a good light emission effect when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first light receiving means and the second light receiving means.

Gaming machine D8 is characterized in that the first light-emitting means in gaming machine D7 has a plurality of light-emitting elements, and the optical axis directions of the light from the plurality of light-emitting elements are parallel to each other.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine D7, gaming machine D8 can illuminate the first means uniformly over a wide area using the light from the first light-emitting means.

A gaming machine D9 is any one of gaming machines D1 to D8, and is provided with a support means configured to be able to support the first means and the first light emitting means, and the first light receiving means is configured so that the supported surface on the side opposite to the side on which the first means is arranged is supported by the support surface of the support means, and the supported surface or the support surface has a plurality of protrusions, and the plurality of protrusions are configured to be able to receive light from a specified light emitting means to produce an effect.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines D1 to D8, gaming machine D9 can utilize multiple protrusions as both a presentation surface that receives light and a structural surface that can divide the pressure force.

Gaming machine D10 is characterized in that, in gaming machine D9, the specified light-emitting means is disposed on the opposite side of the first light-receiving means from the first light-emitting means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine D9, gaming machine D10 can avoid interference between light from a specified light-emitting means and light from a first light-emitting means.

Gaming machine D11 is any one of gaming machines D1 to D10, characterized in that the first means comprises a plurality of plate-shaped members.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines D1 to D10, gaming machine D11 can increase the number of locations where the first light emitting means that irradiates light to the first light receiving means is arranged, thereby improving the design freedom of the size of the first light receiving means.

Gaming machine D12 is any one of gaming machines D1 to D11, characterized in that the light receiving end of the first light receiving means is positioned closer to the light emitting means than the end of the first means on the irradiation direction side of the first light emitting means.

In addition to the effects of any of gaming machines D1 to D11, gaming machine D12 uses the first means as a shielding member, making it possible to prevent light from leaking before it is received by the first light receiving means.

<Means for restricting the direction of light transmission>
A gaming machine E1 is provided with a flow-down means for forming an area on the front side through which game balls can flow down, and a front side means that is provided further forward than the flow-down means and through which game balls may flow down the area located on the rear side, the front side means being configured to be visible from a first direction and from a second direction in which it is easier to view game balls flowing down the area than from the first direction.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, have a transparent plate with decorative letters and figures drawn on it in front of the path through which the gaming balls flow (see, for example, JP 2017-23543 A). However, in the above-mentioned conventional gaming machines, the gaming balls flowing through the path are visible through the decorative letters and figures, and if one of them is made easier to see (for example, if the decorative letters or figures are made darker), the visibility of the other may become poor (for example, the gaming balls become difficult to see), which is an issue that there is room for improvement in the visibility of the gaming balls during play.

In contrast, with gaming machine E1, the front side means can be configured to make it easy to see the gaming ball flowing down the flow-down means or difficult to see it, depending on the viewing direction. That is, by making the front side of the front side means visible when viewed in a first direction, while making the gaming ball visible through the front side means when viewed in a second direction, it is possible to improve the visibility of the gaming ball during play while still employing the front side means.

Gaming machine E2 is characterized in that the front side means in gaming machine E1 is formed from a light-transmitting resin material and is equipped with a direction selection means that blocks light in the first direction toward the area and allows light in the second direction to reach the area.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine E1, gaming machine E2 uses a direction selection means to limit the directions through which light can pass, making it possible to more clearly show the difference in the degree of visibility due to different directions.

A gaming machine E3 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine E2, it is provided with a front side forming means that is arranged on the front side of the flow-down means and forms the front side of the area where the gaming balls flow down, and the direction selection means is arranged in the area between the front side means and the front side forming means and is configured to have a predetermined thickness.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine E2, gaming machine E3 can achieve changes in visibility due to differences in viewing direction by using the direction selection means located in the thin area between the front side means and the front side configuration means, making it less susceptible to the effects of light attenuation caused by the direction selection means itself, and making the difference in appearance between viewing in the first direction and viewing in the second direction more noticeable.

Gaming machine E4 is characterized in that, in any one of gaming machines E1 to E3, a first flow path in which the visibility of the gaming ball changes depending on the direction viewed by the direction selection means and a second flow path in which the visibility of the gaming ball does not change depending on the direction viewed are provided adjacent to each other.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines E1 to E3, gaming machine E4 can create a state in which the player is likely to pay attention to the second flow path, and a state in which the player is likely to pay attention to both the first flow path and the second flow path to the same degree, depending on the direction of the player's line of sight as he or she views the specified range.

Gaming machine E5 is characterized in that, in gaming machine E4, it is equipped with a detection means capable of detecting gaming balls flowing down the first flow path.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine E4, gaming machine E5 can be controlled so that even if the direction selection means makes it impossible to visually confirm that the gaming ball has flowed down the first flow path, if the detection means detects that the gaming ball has flowed down the first flow path, the player can be notified, making it easier for the player to know whether the gaming ball has flowed down the first flow path.

Gaming machine E6 is characterized in that, in gaming machine E4 or E5, gaming balls that flow into the first flow path are discharged from the gaming area via the first flow path.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines E4 and E5, gaming machine E6 can draw more attention to gaming balls flowing down the second flow path that may continue to flow down the gaming area after flowing down, compared to gaming balls flowing down the first flow path that is scheduled to be discharged from the gaming area.

Gaming machine E7 is characterized in that, in any one of gaming machines E1 to E6, the front side means includes a direction selection means that blocks light in the first direction toward the area and allows light in the second direction to reach the area, the direction selection means is covered with a light-transmitting resin member arranged to cover the front side, and decorative figures are formed on the surface of the resin member.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines E1 to E6, gaming machine E7 allows a player who looks toward the area from the first direction to see the decorative figures on the surface of the resin member, improving the presentation effect of the front side means.

Gaming machine E8 is characterized in that in gaming machine E7, the direction selection means is formed from a plate-like means having a plurality of plate-like parts arranged in a stack.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine E7, gaming machine E8 makes it easier to fill gaps in the front-to-rear direction using the direction selection means when the gap dimensions are large.

A gaming machine E9 is any one of gaming machines E1 to E8, and is characterized in that it is equipped with a light irradiation means, and the visibility of the front side means is changed by the light from the light irradiation means.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines E1 to E8, gaming machine E9 can change the visibility of the front side means when the light of the light irradiation means is turned on and off, so that the visibility of the gaming ball flowing down the area can be switched in accordance with the presentation.

A gaming machine E10 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine E9, the range in which the visibility of the front side means is changed by the light of the light irradiation means is switchable.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine E9, gaming machine E10 can change the visibility of each range of the front side means by switching the illumination mode of the light illumination means. This allows the direction in which the area where the gaming ball flows down can be seen with good visibility to be switched by the light illumination means.

Gaming machine E11 is any one of gaming machines E1 to E10, characterized in that the front side means is configured to be displaceable.

According to gaming machine E11, in addition to the effects achieved by any of gaming machines E1 to E10, it is possible to cause the angle between the player's line of sight and the front side means to change by displacing the front side means even without the player moving his or her line of sight, thereby changing the visibility of the area.
<Concept of the invention using board boxes W100 to W3100, W700 to W9100 as examples>
The gaming machine WA1-0 comprises a first member and a second member, an engagement member formed to be able to engage with at least the first member, and an arrangement member arranged on the first member and the second member, and in which the engagement member is removed and the arrangement member is removed, the gaming machine being characterized in that, when the engagement member is removed, a situation equivalent to that in which the arrangement member is removed can be created.

A gaming machine is known that includes a first member, a second member, an engagement member that is formed so as to be able to engage with at least the first member, and an attachment member that is attached to the first member and the second member (JP Patent Publication No. 2011-244900).

Here, the removed installation member may be reinstalled. In this case, it is preferable to be able to check the state of the installation member, but the gaming machine described above still has room for improvement in terms of making it possible to check the state of the installation member.

The present invention was made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above, and aims to provide an amusement machine that makes it possible to check the state of the installed components.

In the gaming machine WA1-0, the main body and the engagement part are connected by a connecting part, so the engagement part can be separated from the engagement member (main body) by cutting the connecting part. This allows the engagement member (main body) to be removed from the first member and the second member.

In this case, when the engaging member is removed, a situation equivalent to that in which the installation member is removed can be created. This makes it possible to check the condition of the installation member (whether the installation member is new, reused, or has been the subject of unauthorized operation) based on that situation.

In the gaming machine WA1-0, the engaging member includes a main body, an engaging portion that engages with the first member, and a connecting portion that connects the main body and the engaging portion, and the gaming machine WA1-1 is characterized in that a recess is formed in the portion of the first member where the mounting member is disposed, at a position corresponding to the connecting portion.

According to the gaming machine WA1-1, a recess is formed in the portion of the first member where the placement member is placed, so that a space can be formed between the placement member and the first member, and since the recess is formed in a position corresponding to the connecting portion, when the connecting portion is cut, the recess (space) can be used (the tip of the tool for cutting the connecting portion can be received in the recess) to make it easier to damage the placement member. In other words, when the cutting portion is cut, a trace can be formed on the placement member. This makes it possible to check the condition of the placement member (whether the placement member is new, reused, or has been the subject of fraudulent operation) based on the presence or absence of the trace on the placement member.

In addition, the formation of traces on the mounting members can prevent the mounting members from being reused.

If there are no traces on the mounting member, it can be determined that the mounting member is highly likely to be new. If there are traces on the mounting member, it can be determined that the traces were formed on the mounting member when the engaging member was removed from the first and second members, and that the mounting member was removed from the first and second members and re-installed (reused) on the same or different first and second members, or that the mounting member is a mounting part seat where only the engaging member was removed from the first and second members in order to perform unauthorized operations on the first and second members or stored items, and where the traces were formed when the engaging member was removed.

A gaming machine WA1-2 is characterized in that the first member and the second member are connected by fastening a screw in the gaming machine WA1-1, and the head of the screw is located in the recess.

In addition to the effects of the gaming machine WA1-1, the gaming machine WA1-2 has the following advantages: the first member and the second member are connected by fastening a screw, and the head of the screw is located in a recess; therefore, the trace of the mounting member that is formed when the connecting portion is cut can be formed in a position corresponding to the head of the screw. Therefore, even if the head of the screw is hidden by the mounting member, the position of the screw can be ascertained based on the trace of the mounting member. As a result, the workability of releasing the fastening of the screw can be improved.

A gaming machine WA1-3 is characterized in that the engagement member is configured such that the opposing distance between the connecting portion and the arrangement member is smaller than the opposing distance between the main body portion and the arrangement member in the gaming machine WA1-1 or WA1-2.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines WA1-1 and WA1-2, gaming machine WA1-3 has an engaging member with a smaller opposing distance between the connecting portion and the installation member than between the main body and the installation member, so that the tip of a tool for cutting the connecting portion can be brought closer to the installation member, making it easier to damage the installation member when the connecting portion is cut.

A gaming machine WA1-4 is any one of the gaming machines WA1-1 to WA1-3, characterized in that the connecting portion is formed with at least one side inclined.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines WA1-1 to WA1-3, the gaming machine WA1-4 has a connecting piece with at least one side formed with an inclination, so that when the connecting piece is cut, the tool can be moved along the inclination of the side. This makes it easier to bring the tip of the tool into contact with the mounting member and damage the mounting member.

For example, when using a tool to cut a connecting piece by clamping the connecting piece between a pair of blades (with the pair of blades abutting both sides), the tool can be rotated along the slope of the side as the connecting piece is cut, and as the tool rotates, the tip of the tool can be easily brought into contact with the mounting member.

A gaming machine WA1-5 is any one of the gaming machines WA1-1 to WA1-4, characterized in that the connecting portion includes a first portion and a second portion in which the distance between both sides is smaller than that of the first portion, and the opposing distance between the second portion and the arrangement member is smaller than the opposing distance between the first portion and the arrangement member.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines WA1-1 to WA1-4, the gaming machine WA1-5 has a smaller distance between the two sides of the second part than the first part, so that the connecting part can be easily cut by cutting the second part.

In this case, the opposing distance between the second part and the arrangement member is smaller than the opposing distance between the first part and the arrangement member, so the tip of the tool for cutting the second part can be brought closer to the arrangement member, making it easier to damage the arrangement member when the second part is cut.

In addition, by making the opposing distance between the second portion and the installation member smaller than the opposing distance between the first portion and the installation member (i.e., by extending the second portion toward the installation member), the difference in cross-sectional area between the first portion and the second portion can be suppressed accordingly. Therefore, when the engaging member is made of a resin material, its moldability can be ensured.
<Concept of the invention using board boxes W4100 to W6100 as examples>
A gaming machine WA2-1 is provided with a first member and a second member, an engagement member formed to be engageable with at least the first member, and an arrangement member arranged on the first member and the second member, wherein the engagement member has a main body portion, an engagement portion that engages with the first member, and a connecting portion that connects the main body portion and the engagement portion, and the engagement portion of the engagement member has a protrusion that protrudes toward the arrangement member.

A gaming machine is known that includes a first member, a second member, an engagement member that is formed so as to be able to engage with at least the first member, and an attachment member that is attached to the first member and the second member (JP Patent Publication No. 2011-244900).

Here, the removed installation member may be reinstalled. In this case, it is preferable to be able to check the state of the installation member, but the gaming machine described above still has room for improvement in terms of making it possible to check the state of the installation member.

The present invention was made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above, and aims to provide an amusement machine that makes it possible to check the state of the installed components.

In the gaming machine WA2-1, the main body and the engagement part are connected by a connecting part, so the engagement part can be separated from the engagement member (main body) by cutting the connecting part. This allows the engagement member (main body) to be removed from the first member and the second member.

In this case, since the engaging member has a protrusion that protrudes toward the arrangement member, when an attempt is made to release the engagement with the first member by operating the engaging portion without cutting the connecting portion, the protrusion can damage the arrangement member. In other words, regardless of whether the engagement is released or not, if the engaging portion is operated improperly, a trace can be left on the arrangement member. This makes it possible to confirm the condition of the arrangement member (whether the arrangement member is new, reused, or has been the subject of improper operation) based on the presence or absence of the trace on the arrangement member.

In addition, the formation of traces on the mounting members can prevent the mounting members from being reused.

If there are no traces on the mounting member, it can be determined that the mounting member is highly likely to be new. If there are traces on the mounting member, it can be determined that the traces were formed on the mounting member when the engaging member was removed from the first and second members, and that the mounting member was removed from the first and second members and re-installed (reused) on the same or different first and second members, or that the mounting member is a mounting part seat where only the engaging member was removed from the first and second members in order to perform unauthorized operations on the first and second members or stored items, and where the traces were formed when the engaging member was removed.

A gaming machine WA2-2 is characterized in that the protrusion is positioned on the outer edge side of the engagement portion in the gaming machine WA2-1.

In addition to the effects of the gaming machine WA2-1, the gaming machine WA2-2 has a protrusion positioned on the outer edge of the engagement portion, which makes it easier to visually confirm the traces of the installation member even when the engagement member is engaged with the first member. In other words, it makes it easier to check the condition of the installation member (whether the installation member is new, reused, or has been the subject of fraudulent operation).

A gaming machine WA2-3 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine WA2-1 or WA2-2, a recess is formed at a position corresponding to the protrusion in the portion of the first member where the mounting member is disposed.

According to gaming machine WA2-3, in addition to the effects of gaming machines WA2-1 and WA2-2, a recess is formed in the portion of the first member where the mounting member is mounted, so that a space can be formed between the mounting member and the first member, and since the recess is formed in a position corresponding to the protrusion, when the engagement with the first member is released by operating the engaging portion (elastic deformation) without cutting the connecting portion, the recess (space) can be utilized (allowing the tip of the protrusion to be received in the recess) to easily damage the mounting member with the protrusion. In other words, if the engaging portion is operated improperly, it is easy to leave a mark on the mounting member.

A gaming machine WA2-3, characterized in that the engaging member is removable from the first member by displacing a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction with the engaging portion operated in a direction approaching the placement member, and the recess is formed at least in a range that corresponds to the protrusion when the engaging member is displaced the predetermined distance in the predetermined direction with the engaging portion operated in a direction approaching the placement member.

In the gaming machine WA2-4, in addition to the effects of the gaming machine WA2-3, the engaging member can be removed from the first member by displacing a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction with the engaging portion operated in a direction approaching the arrangement member, and the recess is formed at least in the range that corresponds to the protrusion when the engaging member is displaced a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction with the engaging portion operated in a direction approaching the arrangement member, so that the damage range of the arrangement member can be secured.

In other words, when the engagement between the first member and the engaging member is released by operating the engaging portion without cutting the connecting portion, the engaging member is displaced in a predetermined direction with the tip of the protrusion received in the recess, so that the tip of the protrusion received in the recess can continue to damage the mounting member while the engaging member is displaced a predetermined distance in the predetermined direction. This ensures that the mounting member can be damaged within a certain range.

A gaming machine WA2-3, characterized in that the engaging member is removable from the first member by displacing a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction with the engaging portion operated in a direction approaching the placement member, and the recess is formed only in the front half of the range that corresponds to the protrusion when the engaging member is displaced the predetermined distance in the predetermined direction with the engaging portion operated in a direction approaching the placement member.

According to the gaming machine WA2-5, in addition to the effects of the gaming machine WA2-3, the engaging member can be removed from the first member by displacing a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction with the engaging portion operated in a direction approaching the arrangement member, and the recess is formed only in the front half of the range that corresponds to the protrusion when the engaging member is displaced a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction with the engaging portion operated in a direction approaching the arrangement member, so that it is possible to ensure the damage range of the arrangement member and to prevent the engaging member from being illegally removed from the first member.

In other words, when the engagement between the first member and the engaging member is released by operating the engaging portion without cutting the connecting portion, the engaging member is displaced in a predetermined direction with the tip of the protrusion received in the recess, so that while the first half of the engaging member is displaced a predetermined distance in the predetermined direction, the tip of the protrusion received in the recess can continue to damage the mounting member. This ensures a certain range of damage to the mounting member.

On the other hand, after the engagement member has been displaced a predetermined distance in the predetermined direction, the tip of the protrusion received in the recess can be engaged with the end of the recess, thereby restricting the displacement of the engagement member in the predetermined direction and preventing the engagement member from being illegally removed from the first member.
<Concept of the invention using board boxes Wa100 to Wc100, Wi100 as examples>
Gaming machine WB1-1 is characterized in that in a gaming machine comprising a first member and a second member, an engagement member formed to be engageable with at least the first member, and an arrangement member arranged on the first member and the second member, the engagement member comprises a main body portion and an engagement portion formed to be separable from the main body portion and engaged with the first member, and the arrangement state of the arrangement member is changeable using the main body portion from which the engagement portion is separated.

A gaming machine is known that includes a first member, a second member, an engagement member that is formed so as to be able to engage with at least the first member, and an attachment member that is attached to the first member and the second member (JP Patent Publication No. 2011-244900).

The gaming machine described above still has room for improvement in terms of changing the arrangement of the arrangement members.

The present invention was made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above, and aims to provide an amusement machine that allows the arrangement state of the arrangement members to be suitably changed.

According to the gaming machine WB1-1, the engagement member comprises a main body and an engagement portion formed separable from the main body and engaged with the first member, and the main body from which the engagement portion is separated is used to form the arrangement state of the arrangement portion so that it is possible to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member, eliminating the need to carry a tool (e.g., a utility knife) for changing the arrangement state of the arrangement member. In addition, the main body of the engagement member is relatively large and easy to grip, making it easy to perform the task of changing the arrangement state of the arrangement member. This allows the arrangement state of the arrangement member to be conveniently changed.

Gaming machine WB1-2 is characterized in that in gaming machine WB1-1, the engagement member includes a connecting portion that connects the main body portion and the engagement portion, the main body portion includes a change means that is disposed at a position corresponding to a predetermined area of the arrangement member, and when the connecting portion is cut off, the main body portion is displaceable relative to the first member and the second member up to a position where the change means at least abuts against the predetermined area of the arrangement member.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WB1-1, gaming machine WB1-2 has the following advantages: the main body and the engaging part are connected by a connecting part, and the engaging part can be separated from the engaging member (main body) by cutting the connecting part. This allows the engaging member (main body) to be removed from the first member and the second member.

In this case, the main body includes a change means disposed at a position corresponding to the predetermined region of the arrangement member, and when the connecting portion is cut, the main body is displaceable relative to the first and second members to a position where the change means at least abuts against the predetermined region of the arrangement member. Therefore, after the connecting portion is cut and before the main body is removed from the first and second members, the main body can be displaced to at least abut the change means against the predetermined region of the arrangement member (changing the arrangement state of the arrangement member). In other words, there is no need to separately perform the work of cutting the connecting portion and removing the main body from the first and second members and the work of changing the arrangement state of the arrangement member using the removed main body (change means), and these tasks can be efficiently performed as a series of tasks, so that the arrangement state of the arrangement member can be easily changed.

In addition, because the change means is disposed at a position corresponding to a predetermined region of the arrangement member, it is possible to prevent the worker's hands from touching the change means. This prevents the worker from being injured by the change means during the manufacture or transportation of the engagement member, during the attachment (detachment) of the engagement member to the first member and the second member, or during disposal of the main body portion from which the engagement portion has been separated by cutting the connecting member.

In addition, since the modification means is formed in the main body, the rigidity of the main body can be increased.

Gaming machine WB1-3 is characterized in that the modification means of the main body of the gaming machine WB1-2 is formed at least partially inclined with respect to the specified area of the mounting member.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WB1-2, gaming machine WB1-3 has a change means for the main body that is formed with at least a portion inclined relative to the specified area of the arrangement member, making it easier to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member when the main body is displaced and the change means is at least abutted against the specified area of the arrangement member.

Gaming machine WB1-4 is characterized in that in gaming machine WB1-1, the engagement member has a connecting portion that connects the main body portion and the engagement portion, and the main body portion has a change means that is formed so as to be able to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member and is arranged at a position opposite the engagement portion.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WB1-1, gaming machine WB1-4 has the following advantages: the main body and the engaging part are connected by a connecting part, and the engaging part can be separated from the engaging member (main body) by cutting the connecting part. This allows the engaging member (main body) to be removed from the first member and the second member.

The main body portion is provided with a change means that is formed so as to be able to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member and is disposed at a position opposite the engagement portion, so that when the engagement portion is separated from the engagement member (main body portion), it becomes possible to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member using the change means.

In this case, the change means is disposed at a position opposite the engagement portion, and the change means becomes usable when the engagement portion is separated from the engagement member (main body portion). Therefore, before the engagement portion is separated from the engagement member (main body portion), the worker's hands can be prevented from touching the change means. This can prevent the worker from being injured by the change means during the manufacture and transportation of the engagement member, and during the installation of the engagement member to the first and second members.

In addition, since the modification means is formed in the main body, the rigidity of the main body can be increased.

In the gaming machine WB1-4, at least one of the first member and the second member has an abutment portion, the main body has an abutment portion formed so as to be able to abut against the abutment portion, and when the abutment portion abuts against the abutment portion, the change means at least abuts against a predetermined area of the arrangement member. Gaming machine WB1-5.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WB1-4, gaming machine WB1-5 has the following advantages: when the abutting portion abuts against the abutted portion, the change means at least abuts against a predetermined area of the arrangement member; therefore, when using the change means to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member (at least abutting the change means against the predetermined area of the arrangement member), the effort required to find the location of the predetermined area of the arrangement member can be reduced.

Gaming machine WB1-6 is characterized in that the contacted portion in the gaming machine WB1-5 is formed so that the contacted portion that is in contact with the contacted portion can be displaced along the contacted portion, and when the contacted portion is displaced along the contacted portion, the change means is displaced along a predetermined area of the arrangement member.

According to gaming machine WB1-6, in addition to the effects of gaming machine WB1-5, when the abutment portion is displaced along the abutted portion, the change means is displaced along a specified area of the arrangement member, making it easier to use the abutted portion as a guide to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member (cutting a specified area of the arrangement member with the change means).
<Concept of the invention using board boxes We100 to Wg100 as an example>
Gaming machine WB2-1 is characterized in that, in a gaming machine comprising a first member and a second member, an engagement member formed to be engageable with at least the first member, and an arrangement member arranged on the first member and the second member, the engagement member comprises a main body portion and an engagement portion formed to be separable from the main body portion and engageable with the first member, and the arrangement state of the arrangement member is changeable using the engagement portion separated from the main body portion.

A gaming machine is known that includes a first member, a second member, an engagement member that is formed so as to be able to engage with at least the first member, and an attachment member that is attached to the first member and the second member (JP Patent Publication No. 2011-244900).

The gaming machine described above still has room for improvement in terms of changing the arrangement of the arrangement members.

The present invention was made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above, and aims to provide an amusement machine that allows the arrangement state of the arrangement members to be suitably changed.

According to the gaming machine WB2-1, the engagement member includes a main body and an engagement portion that is formed so as to be separable from the main body and engages with the first member, and the engagement portion that is separated from the main body is formed so as to be able to change the arrangement state of the arrangement portion, which eliminates the need to carry a tool (e.g., a utility knife) for changing the arrangement state of the arrangement member. In addition, the engagement portion of the engagement member is relatively small and interference with the surroundings of the arrangement member (the first member or the second member) can be suppressed, which makes it easy to perform the task of changing the arrangement state of the arrangement member. This makes it possible to conveniently change the arrangement state of the arrangement member.

Gaming machine WB2-2 is characterized in that in gaming machine WB2-1, the engagement member has a connecting portion that connects the main body portion and the engagement portion, and the engagement portion has a change means that is formed so as to be able to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member and is arranged at a position opposite the main body portion.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WB2-1, gaming machine WB2-2 has the following advantages: the main body and the engaging part are connected by a connecting part, and the engaging part can be separated from the engaging member (main body) by cutting the connecting part. This allows the engaging member (main body) to be removed from the first member and the second member.

The engagement portion is provided with a change means that is formed so as to be able to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member and is disposed at a position opposite the main body portion, so that by separating the engagement portion from the engagement member (main body portion), it becomes possible to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member using the change means.

In this case, the change means is disposed at a position opposite the main body, and the change means becomes usable when the engagement portion is separated from the engagement member (main body), so that the worker's hands can be prevented from touching the change means before the engagement portion is separated from the engagement member (main body). This can prevent the worker from being injured by the change means during the manufacture and transportation of the engagement member, and during the installation of the engagement member to the first and second members.

Gaming machine WB2-3 is characterized in that in gaming machine WB2-1, the engagement member has a connecting portion that connects the main body portion and the engagement portion, and the engagement portion has a change means that is formed so as to be able to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member and is protruded toward the arrangement member.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WB2-1, gaming machine WB2-3 has the following advantages: the main body and the engaging part are connected by a connecting part, and the engaging part can be separated from the engaging member (main body) by cutting the connecting part. This allows the engaging member (main body) to be removed from the first member and the second member.

The engagement portion is provided with a change means that is formed so as to be able to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member and that protrudes toward the arrangement member, so that by separating the engagement portion from the engagement member (main body portion), it becomes possible to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member using the change means.

In this case, the change means protrudes toward the installation member (i.e., is disposed at a position facing the installation member), and the change means becomes usable when the engagement portion is separated from the engagement member (main body portion). Therefore, the change means can be prevented from being touched by the hands of an operator before the engagement portion is separated from the engagement member (main body portion). This can prevent an operator from being injured by the change means during the manufacture or transportation of the engagement member, and during the installation of the engagement member to the first and second members.

In addition, since the engaging means protrudes from the engaging portion toward the arrangement member, when an attempt is made to release the engagement with the first member by operating the engaging portion without cutting the connecting portion, the engaging means can damage the arrangement member. In other words, regardless of whether the engagement is released or not, if the engaging portion is operated improperly, a trace can be left on the arrangement member. This makes it possible to confirm the condition of the arrangement member (whether the arrangement member is new, reused, or has been the subject of improper operation) based on the presence or absence of the trace on the arrangement member.

In addition, the formation of traces on the mounting members can prevent the mounting members from being reused.

In gaming machine WB2-2 or WB2-3, at least one of the first member or the second member has an abutment portion, the engagement portion has an abutment portion formed so as to be able to abut against the abutment portion, and when the abutment portion abuts against the abutment portion, the change means at least abuts against a predetermined area of the arrangement member. Gaming machine WB2-4.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WB2-2 or WB2-3, gaming machine WB2-4 has the following advantages: when the abutting portion abuts against the abutted portion, the change means at least abuts against the specified area of the arrangement member; therefore, when using the change means to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member (at least abutting the change means against the specified area of the arrangement member), the effort required to find the location of the specified area of the arrangement member can be reduced.

In the gaming machine WB2-4, the contact portion is formed so that the contact portion that contacts the contact portion can be displaced along the contact portion, and when the contact portion is displaced along the contact portion, the change means is displaced along a predetermined area of the arrangement member. In the gaming machine WB2-5,

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WB2-4, gaming machine WB2-5 displaces the change means along a specified area of the arrangement member when the contact portion is displaced along the contacted portion, making it easier to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member (cutting a specified area of the arrangement member with the change means) by using the contacted portion as a guide.

Gaming machine WB2-6 is characterized in that in gaming machine WB2-1, the engaging member has a connecting portion that connects the main body portion and the engaging portion, the engaging portion has a change means that is formed so that the arrangement state of the arrangement member can be changed, and the change means is formed by the connecting portion being cut.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WB2-1, gaming machine WB2-6 has the following advantages: the main body and the engaging part are connected by a connecting part, and the engaging part can be separated from the engaging member (main body) by cutting the connecting part. This allows the engaging member (main body) to be removed from the first member and the second member.

The engaging portion is provided with a change means that is formed so as to be able to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member, and the change means is formed by a cut connecting portion, so that by separating the engaging portion from the engaging member (main body portion), it becomes possible to change the arrangement state of the arrangement member using the change means.

In this case, the engaging portion of the engaging member is relatively small, and the connecting portion is even smaller than the engaging portion, so interference with the surroundings of the arrangement member (first member or second member) can be suppressed, and it is easy to form a shape (e.g., a sharp shape) suitable for changing the arrangement state of the arrangement member. This makes it easier to perform the task of changing the arrangement state of the arrangement member.

In addition, because the modification means becomes usable when the engaging portion is separated from the engaging member (main body portion) (i.e., the severed connecting portion becomes the modification means), the operator's hands can be prevented from touching the modification means before the engaging portion is separated from the engaging member (main body portion). This prevents the operator from being injured by the modification means during the manufacture and transportation of the engaging member, and during the installation of the engaging member to the first and second members.

Gaming machine WB2-7 is characterized in that the connecting portion in the gaming machine WB2-6 includes a one-side connecting portion that connects one end of one side of the engagement portion to the main body portion, and an other-side connecting portion that connects the other end of the one side of the engagement portion opposite to the one side to the main body portion.

According to the gaming machine WB2-7, the connecting portion includes a one-side connecting portion that connects an end of one side of the engaging portion to the main body portion, and an other-side connecting portion that connects an end of the other side of the engaging portion opposite to the one side to the main body portion. Therefore, the one-side connecting portion is used on one side of the predetermined region of the arrangement member to displace the engaging portion to one side, and the other-side connecting portion is used on the other side of the predetermined region of the arrangement member to displace the engaging portion to the other side, thereby changing the arrangement state of the predetermined region. In other words, even without changing the orientation of the engaging portion by changing its grip, the arrangement state can be changed (cut) from the end on one side of the predetermined region to the end on the other side while suppressing interference with surrounding members (first member or second member). Therefore, the arrangement state of the arrangement member in the predetermined region can be changed efficiently.

Gaming machine WB2-8 is characterized in that the connecting portion of the gaming machine WB2-6 or WB2-7 has a portion with a reduced cross-sectional area between the side connected to the main body portion and the side connected to the engagement portion.

According to the gaming machine WB2-8, in addition to the effects of the gaming machines WB2-6 and WB2-7, the connecting portion has a predetermined portion where the cross-sectional area is reduced between the side connected to the main body portion and the side connected to the engagement portion, so that the connecting portion can be easily cut by cutting the predetermined portion. Also, it is easy to form a shape (for example, a sharp shape) suitable for changing the arrangement state of the arrangement member in the cut connecting portion (predetermined portion).
<Concept of the invention using the board box Wd100 as an example>
Gaming machine WB3-1 is characterized in that, in a gaming machine comprising a first member and a second member, an engagement member formed to be engageable with at least the first member, and an arrangement member arranged on the first member and the second member, the engagement member comprises a main body portion and an engagement portion formed to be separable from the main body portion and engaged with the first member, the main body portion and the engagement portion separated from the main body portion are formed to be connectable, and the arrangement state of the arrangement member is changeable using the engagement portion connected to the main body portion.

A gaming machine is known that includes a first member, a second member, an engagement member that is formed so as to be able to engage with at least the first member, and an attachment member that is attached to the first member and the second member (JP Patent Publication No. 2011-244900).

The gaming machine described above still has room for improvement in terms of changing the arrangement of the arrangement members.

The present invention was made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above, and aims to provide an amusement machine that allows the arrangement state of the arrangement members to be suitably changed.

According to the gaming machine WB3-1, the engagement member includes a main body and an engagement portion that is formed so as to be separable from the main body and engages with the first member, the main body and the engagement portion separated from the main body are formed so as to be connectable, and the engagement portion connected to the main body is formed so as to be able to change the arrangement state of the arrangement portion, so that it is not necessary to carry a tool (e.g., a utility knife) for changing the arrangement state of the arrangement member. In addition, the main body of the engagement member is relatively large and easy to grip, while the engagement portion of the engagement member is relatively small and is able to suppress interference with the periphery of the arrangement member (the first member or the second member), making it easy to perform the task of changing the arrangement state of the arrangement member. Therefore, the arrangement state of the arrangement member can be changed in an advantageous manner.

Gaming machine WB3-2 is characterized in that the engaging portion of the gaming machine WB3-1 is connected to the main body portion at a portion that engages with the first member.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WB3-1, gaming machine WB3-2 has the following advantages: The engaging portion is connected to the main body at the portion that engages with the first member, so there is no need to provide a separate portion for connecting to the main body. In other words, the portion that engages with the first member can also be used as the portion that connects to the main body. This simplifies the shape of the engaging portion.

In gaming machine WB3-1 or WB3-2, the engaging member has a regulation portion formed on the main body portion so that the posture of engaging with the first member can be regulated, and the main body portion is characterized in that the regulation portion is connected to the engaging portion.

According to gaming machine WB3-3, in addition to the effects of gaming machines WB3-1 and WB3-2, the engaging member has a regulation portion formed on the main body portion so as to be able to regulate the posture of engaging with the first member, and the regulating portion of the main body portion is connected to the engaging portion, so there is no need to provide a separate portion on the main body portion for coupling with the engaging portion. In other words, the portion (regulating portion) that regulates the posture of the engaging member can also be used as the portion that is coupled to the engaging portion. Therefore, the shape of the engaging portion can be simplified.
<Concept of the invention using the board box Wj100 as an example>
Gaming machine WC1-1 is characterized in that in the gaming machine comprising a first member and a second member, an engagement member formed to be engageable with at least the first member, and an arrangement member arranged on the first member and the second member, the engagement member comprises a main body portion and an engagement portion formed to be separable from the main body portion and engageable with the first member, the engagement portion is formed to be displaceable in a predetermined direction when engaged with the first member, and the first member or the second member comprises a suppression means formed to be capable of suppressing displacement of the engagement portion in a direction in which the engagement with the first member is released in response to the engagement member displaced in the predetermined direction.

A gaming machine is known that includes a first member, a second member, an engagement member that is formed so as to be able to engage with at least the first member, and an attachment member that is attached to the first member and the second member (JP Patent Publication No. 2011-244900).

The gaming machine described above still has room for improvement in preventing the engagement members from being illegally removed.

The present invention was made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above, and aims to provide an amusement machine that can prevent the engagement member from being illegally removed.

According to the gaming machine WC1-1, by separating (cutting) the engagement portion from the main body portion, the engagement member (main body portion) can be removed from the first member and the second member even when the engagement portion is engaged with the first member.

Here, there is a risk that unauthorized removal of the engaging member from the first and second members may be performed by displacing (elastically deforming) the engaging portion in a direction that disengages it from the first member, thereby disengaging the first member from the engaging portion. However, the engaging member is formed so that it can be displaced in a predetermined direction when the engaging portion is engaged with the first member, and the first or second member is provided with a suppression means formed so that it can suppress displacement of the engaging portion in a direction that disengages it from the first member when the engaging member is displaced in the predetermined direction, thereby preventing unauthorized removal of the engaging member from the first and second members.

A gaming machine WC1-2, in which the first member or the second member in the gaming machine WC1-1 is provided with a restricting means for restricting the displacement of the engaging member in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction from a position where the restricting means can restrict the displacement of the engaging portion.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WC1-1, gaming machine WC1-2 has a restricting means for restricting displacement of the engaging member in a direction opposite to a predetermined direction from a position where displacement of the engaging portion can be restricted by the restricting means, so that unauthorized release of the engagement between the engaging portion and the first member can be restricted. As a result, unauthorized removal of the engaging member from the first member and the second member can be restricted.

Gaming machine WC1-3 is characterized in that in gaming machine WC1-2, the restricting means is formed to be able to engage with the engaging portion of the engaging member displaced in the predetermined direction, and by engaging with the engaging portion, the restricting means is able to restrict the engaging member from being displaced in the direction opposite to the predetermined direction.

According to gaming machine WC1-3, in addition to the effects of gaming machine WC1-2, the restricting means is formed to be able to engage with the engaging portion of the engaging member displaced in a predetermined direction, and by engaging with the engaging portion, it is possible to restrict the displacement of the engaging member in the direction opposite to the predetermined direction. Therefore, simply by displacing the engaging member in the predetermined direction, a state can be created in which the displacement of the engaging member is restricted by the restricting means, improving the workability of the work of assembling the engaging member.

Gaming machine WC1-4 is characterized in that the first member or the second member in gaming machine WC1-3 is provided with a shielding means for shielding the regulating means.

According to the gaming machine WC1-4, in addition to the effects of the gaming machine WC1-3, the first member or the second member has a shielding means for shielding the restricting means, so that the engagement between the engaging portion and the restricting means can be prevented from being illegally released. As a result, the engaging member can be prevented from being illegally removed from the first member and the second member.
<Concept of the invention using board boxes Wk100, Wl100, and Wr100 as examples>
Gaming machine WC2-1 is characterized in that in the gaming machine comprising a first member and a second member, an engagement member formed to be able to engage with at least one of the first member or the second member, and an arrangement member arranged on the first member and the second member, at least one of the first member or the second member and the engagement member are engaged with each other at multiple points, and the interaction of the engagement at the multiple points makes it difficult to release the engagement.

A gaming machine is known that includes a first member, a second member, an engagement member that is formed so as to be able to engage with at least the first member, and an attachment member that is attached to the first member and the second member (JP Patent Publication No. 2011-244900).

The gaming machine described above still has room for improvement in preventing the engagement members from being illegally removed.

The present invention was made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above, and aims to provide an amusement machine that can prevent the engagement member from being illegally removed.

In the gaming machine WC2-1, at least one of the first member or the second member and the engaging member are engaged at multiple points, and the interaction between the multiple engagement points makes the engagement difficult to release, so that unauthorized removal of the engaging member from the first member and the second member can be prevented.

In the gaming machine WC2-1, the engaging member comprises a main body, and a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion that are formed so as to be separable from the main body and engage with the first member, the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are formed so that the second engaging portion can engage with the first member after the first engaging member engages with the first member as the engaging member is displaced, and the first member comprises a restricting means for restricting the displacement of the first engaging portion in a direction in which the engagement with the first member is released.

With the gaming machine WC2-2, by separating (cutting) the first and second engagement parts from the main body, the engagement members (main body) can be removed from the first and second members even when the first and second engagement parts are engaged with the first member.

Here, there is a risk that fraudulent removal of the engaging member from the first and second members may be performed by displacing (elastically deforming) the first and second engaging portions in a direction that disengages them from the first member, thereby disengaging the first and second engaging portions. However, according to gaming machine WC2-2, in addition to the effects of gaming machine WC2-1, the first and second engaging portions are formed so that the second engaging portion can engage with the first member after the first engaging member engages with the first member as the engaging member is displaced, and the first member is provided with a restricting means for restricting the displacement of the first engaging portion in a direction that disengages it from the first member, thereby preventing the engaging member from being illegally removed from the first and second members.

In other words, the displacement of the first engaging part in a direction in which the engagement with the first member is released can be restricted by the restricting means, and the displacement of the engaging member in a direction in which the restriction of the displacement of the first engaging part by the restricting means is released can be restricted by the engagement between the first member and the second engaging part. As a result, unauthorized removal of the engaging member from the first member and the second member can be prevented.

Gaming machine WC2-2 is characterized in that the direction of displacement of the engagement member when the first engagement portion engages with the first member and the direction of displacement of the engagement member when the second engagement portion engages with the first member are substantially the same direction. Gaming machine WC2-3.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WC2-2, gaming machine WC2-3 has the following advantages: the direction of displacement of the engaging member when the first engaging portion engages with the first member is substantially the same as the direction of displacement of the engaging member when the second engaging portion engages with the first member; therefore, for example, there is no need to perform a two-step operation of displacing the engaging member in the first direction to engage the first engaging portion, and then displacing the engaging member in the second direction to engage the second engaging portion; instead, the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion can be engaged by only operating in one direction when attaching the engaging member to the first and second members. This simplifies the operation of attaching the engaging member, and improves work efficiency.

Furthermore, in a configuration that requires two-stage operation, if the operator forgets to operate in the second direction, the second engagement portion will not be engaged, and there is a risk that the engagement member will be improperly removed from the first and second members. However, by being able to engage the first and second engagement portions with only one-way operation when attaching the engagement member to the first and second members, it is possible to prevent the operator from forgetting to perform the necessary operation and ensure that the second engagement portion is engaged.

In the gaming machine WC2-1, the engaging member comprises a main body, a first engaging portion formed separably from the main body and engaged with the first member, and a second engaging portion formed separably from the main body and engaged with the second member, and the direction of displacement of the first engaging portion that disengages the first engaging portion from the first member is opposite to the direction of displacement of the second engaging portion that disengages the second engaging portion from the second member. In the gaming machine WC2-4,

According to the gaming machine WC2-4, by separating (cutting) the first and second engagement parts from the main body, the engagement member (main body) can be removed from the first and second members even when the first and second engagement parts are engaged with the first member.

Here, by displacing (elastically deforming) the first and second engaging parts in a direction in which the engagement between the first and second members is released, there is a risk of fraudulently removing the engaging members from the first and second members by releasing the engagement between the first and second members and the first and second engaging parts. However, according to the gaming machine WC2-4, in addition to the effects of the gaming machine WC2-1, the direction of displacement of the first engaging part in which the engagement between the first engaging part and the first member is released is opposite to the direction of displacement of the second engaging part in which the engagement between the second engaging part and the second member is released. Therefore, when one of the first engaging part or the second engaging part is displaced in a direction in which the engagement is released, the displacement of the engaging member accompanying the displacement of the one part displaces the other of the first engaging part or the second engaging part in a direction in which the engagement is maintained. As a result, it is possible to suppress fraudulent removal of the engaging members from the first and second members.

In the gaming machine WC2-1, the engaging member includes a main body and an engaging portion that is formed separable from the main body and engages with the first member, and the engaging portion is engaged with the first member at two points, a first portion and a second portion, and when the engaging portion is displaced in a direction that releases the engagement between the first member and one of the first portion or the second portion, the engaging portion is displaced in a direction that maintains the engagement between the first member and the other of the first portion or the second portion. In the gaming machine WC2-5,

With the gaming machine WC2-5, the engaging portion can be separated (cut off) from the main body portion, allowing the engaging portion (main body portion) to be removed from the first member and the second member even when the engaging portion is engaged with the first member.

Here, by displacing (elastically deforming) the engaging portion in a direction in which the engagement between the first and second portions and the first member is released, there is a risk of fraudulently releasing the engagement between the first member and the engaging portion (the first and second portions) and removing the engaging member from the first and second members, but according to the gaming machine WC2-5, in addition to the effect of the gaming machine WC2-1, when the engaging portion is displaced in a direction in which the engagement between one of the first and second portions and the first member is released, the engaging portion is displaced in a direction in which the engagement between the other of the first and second portions and the first member is maintained, making it difficult to release the engagement between the first member and the engaging portion. As a result, it is possible to suppress fraudulent removal of the engaging member from the first and second members.
<Concept of the invention using board boxes Wo100 to Wq100 as an example>
Gaming machine WD1-1 is characterized in that it includes a gaming machine having a first member, a second member, and an engaging member formed to be engageable with at least the first member, and further includes an attachment member, the engaging member having a main body portion and an engaging portion formed to be separable from the main body portion and engaged with the first member, the mounting member is formed to be attachable to the engaging portion, and the mounting member is formed so that displacement of the engaging portion in a direction to release the engagement between the first member and the engaging portion can be suppressed by the mounting member.

A gaming machine is known that includes a first member, a second member, and an engagement member that is formed to be able to engage with at least the first member (JP Patent Publication No. 2011-244900).

The gaming machine described above still has room for improvement in preventing the engagement members from being illegally removed.

The present invention was made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above, and aims to provide an amusement machine that can prevent the engagement member from being illegally removed.

With the gaming machine WD1-1, the engaging portion can be separated (cut off) from the main body portion, allowing the engaging portion (main body portion) to be removed from the first member and the second member even when the engaging portion is engaged with the first member.

Here, there is a risk that unauthorized removal of the engaging member from the first and second members may be performed by displacing (elastically deforming) the engaging portion in a direction that disengages it from the first member, thereby disengaging the first member from the engaging portion. However, the mounting member is formed so that it can be attached to the engaging portion, and is formed so that the mounting member can suppress displacement of the engaging portion in a direction that disengages the first member from the engaging portion, thereby preventing unauthorized removal of the engaging member from the first and second members.

On the other hand, even if an attachment member is attached to the engagement portion, it is possible to separate (cut) the engagement portion from the main body portion, so in normal operations, the engagement member (main body portion) can be easily removed from the first and second members by separating (cutting) the engagement portion.

A gaming machine WD1-2 is characterized in that, when the engaging portion is displaced in a direction to release the engagement with the first member in the gaming machine WD1-1, the first surface side of the engaging portion is brought close to the first member, and when the mounting member is attached to the engaging portion, a part of the mounting member is disposed between the first surface of the engaging portion and the first member.

According to the gaming machine WD1-2, in addition to the effects of the gaming machine WD1-1, when the engaging portion is displaced in a direction to release the engagement with the first member, the first surface side of the engaging portion is brought closer to the first member, and when the attachment member is attached to the engaging portion, a part of the attachment member is disposed between the first surface of the engaging portion and the first member, so that the distance over which the engaging portion can be displaced in a direction to release the engagement with the first member can be shortened by the amount of the part of the attachment member that is disposed. As a result, it is difficult to release the engagement between the first member and the engaging portion, and therefore it is possible to inhibit the engaging member from being illegally removed from the first member and the second member.

Gaming machine WD1-3 is characterized in that the attachment member is formed so as to be attachable to the engagement portion engaged with the first member in gaming machine WD1-2.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine WD1-2, gaming machine WD1-3 has an attachment member that is formed so that it can be attached to the engagement portion that is engaged with the first member. Therefore, when engaging the engagement portion with the first member, the displacement of the engagement portion is not hindered by a part of the attachment member. Therefore, the engagement portion can be smoothly engaged with the first member (i.e., the engagement member is attached to the first member and the second member). Also, the engagement allowance between the first member and the engagement portion can be increased, making it easier to prevent the engagement between the first member and the engagement portion from being released.

A gaming machine WD1-4 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine WD1-2 or WD1-3, it includes an attachment member that is attached to the first member and the second member, and a part of the attachment member to which the engagement portion is attached is formed as a protrusion that protrudes from the first surface, and the protrusion protrudes toward the attachment member that is attached to the first member.

According to the gaming machine WD1-4, in addition to the effects of the gaming machine WD1-2 or WD1-3, it has an arrangement member arranged on the first member and the second member, and a part of the mounting member to which the engagement part is attached is formed as a protrusion protruding from the first surface, and the protrusion protrudes toward the arrangement member arranged on the first member. Therefore, when an attempt is made to release the engagement between the first member and the engagement part without separating (cutting) the engagement part from the main body part (i.e., when an attempt is made to displace the engagement part in a direction that releases the engagement with the first member), the arrangement member can be damaged by the protrusion. In other words, a trace can be formed on the arrangement member. This makes it possible to confirm the condition of the arrangement member (whether the arrangement member is new, reused, or has been the subject of fraudulent operation) based on the presence or absence of the trace on the arrangement member.

In addition, the formation of traces on the mounting members can prevent the mounting members from being reused.

A gaming machine WD1-5 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine WD1-4, a recess is formed at a position corresponding to the protrusion in the portion of the first member where the mounting member is mounted.

According to gaming machine WD1-5, in addition to the effects of gaming machine WD1-4, a recess is formed in the portion of the first member where the arrangement member is arranged, so that a space can be formed between the arrangement member and the first member, and since the recess is formed in a position corresponding to the protrusion, when attempting to release the engagement between the first member and the engagement member without separating (cutting) the engagement member from the main body (i.e., when attempting to displace the engagement member in a direction that releases the engagement with the first member), the recess (space) can be utilized (making it possible for the tip of the protrusion to be received in the recess) to make it easier to damage the arrangement member with the protrusion. In other words, when the engagement portion is operated improperly, it is easier to make a mark on the arrangement member.

Gaming machine Z1 is characterized in that in any of gaming machines A1 to A10, B1 to B10, C1 to C11, D1 to D12, E1 to E11, WA1-0 to WA1-5, WA2-1 to WA2-5, WB1-1 to WB1-6, WB2-1 to WB2-8, WB3-1 to WB3-3, WC1-1 to WC1-4, WC2-1 to WC2-5 and WD1-1 to WD1-5, the gaming machine is a slot machine. Among them, the basic configuration of a slot machine is "a gaming machine equipped with a variable display means for dynamically displaying a string of identification information consisting of a plurality of identification information and then definitively displaying the identification information, and equipped with a special game state generating means for generating a special game state advantageous to the player, the dynamic display of the identification information being started due to the operation of a start operating means (e.g., an operating lever) and stopped due to the operation of a stop operating means (a stop button) or after a predetermined time has passed, and requiring that the definitive identification information at the time of stopping be a specific identification information." In this case, typical examples of gaming media include coins, medals, etc.

Gaming machine Z2 is a pachinko gaming machine in any one of gaming machines A1 to A10, B1 to B10, C1 to C11, D1 to D12, E1 to E11, WA1-0 to WA1-5, WA2-1 to WA2-5, WB1-1 to WB1-6, WB2-1 to WB2-8, WB3-1 to WB3-3, WC1-1 to WC1-4, WC2-1 to WC2-5, and WD1-1 to WD1-5. Among them, the basic configuration of a pachinko gaming machine includes an operation handle, a ball is launched into a predetermined play area in response to the operation of the operation handle, and the identification information dynamically displayed on the display means is fixed and stopped after a predetermined time, with the necessary condition being that the ball enters (or passes through) an operating port arranged at a predetermined position in the play area. In addition, when a special game state occurs, a variable winning device (specific winning port) located at a specific position within the game area opens in a specific manner, allowing balls to win, and a value (including not only prize balls but also data written to a magnetic card, etc.) is awarded according to the number of winning balls.

Gaming machine Z3 is characterized in that in any of gaming machines A1 to A10, B1 to B10, C1 to C11, D1 to D12, E1 to E11, WA1-0 to WA1-5, WA2-1 to WA2-5, WB1-1 to WB1-6, WB2-1 to WB2-8, WB3-1 to WB3-3, WC1-1 to WC1-4, WC2-1 to WC2-5, and WD1-1 to WD1-5, said gaming machine is a fusion of a pachinko gaming machine and a slot machine. In particular, the basic configuration of the combined gaming machine is as follows: "A gaming machine equipped with variable display means which dynamically displays an identification information string consisting of a plurality of identification information and then definitively displays the identification information, variation of the identification information is started due to operation of a start operation means (e.g., an operation lever), the dynamic display of the identification information is stopped due to operation of a stop operation means (e.g., a stop button) or after a predetermined time has passed, and which is equipped with special game state generating means which generates a special game state advantageous to the player, with the necessary condition that the definitive identification information at the time of stopping is a specific identification information, which uses balls as gaming media, requires a predetermined number of balls to start the dynamic display of the identification information, and is configured so that a large number of balls are paid out when the special game state is generated."
＜Other＞
A gaming machine is known that includes a first member and a second member, an engagement member formed to be able to engage with at least the first member, and an attachment member attached to the first member and the second member (for example, Patent Document 1: JP 2011-244900 A).
In the gaming machine described above, there is still room for improvement in terms of changing the arrangement state of the arrangement members.
The present technical idea has been made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above, and aims to provide a gaming machine that allows the arrangement state of the arrangement members to be suitably changed.
<Means>
In order to achieve this objective, the gaming machine of this technical idea comprises a first member and a second member, an engagement member formed to be engageable with at least the first member, and an arrangement member arranged on the first member and the second member, the engagement member having a main body portion and an engagement portion formed to be separable from the main body portion and engaged with the first member, the main body portion and the engagement portion separated from the main body portion are formed to be connectable, and the arrangement state of the arrangement member is formed so that the engagement portion connected to the main body portion can be used to change.
The gaming machine of Technical Concept 2 is the gaming machine according to Technical Concept 1, wherein the engaging portion is connected to the main body at a portion that engages with the first member.
A gaming machine of technical idea 3 is a gaming machine described in technical idea 1 or 2, in which the engagement member has a determining portion formed on the main body portion so as to be able to determine the posture at which it engages with the first member, and the determining portion of the main body portion is connected to the engagement portion.
＜Effects＞
According to the gaming machine described in Technical Concept 1, the arrangement state of the arrangement members can be suitably changed.
According to the gaming machine described in Technical Concept 2, in addition to the effects achieved by the gaming machine described in Technical Concept 1, the shape of the engaging portion can be simplified.
According to the gaming machine described in Technical Concept 3, in addition to the effects achieved by the gaming machine described in Technical Concept 1 or 2, the shape of the engagement portion can be simplified.
<Code>
10 Pachinko Machine (Amusement Machine)
16 Glass unit (front side surface forming means)
81 Third pattern display device (display device)
A60 base plate (flow means)
A400 First Operation Unit (Performance Means)
A400b Rotational motion unit (displacement means)
A414 Guide slot (part of degree change means, form change means)
A423a belt (endless belt)
A427 Connection mechanism (contact part)
A430 Base plate member (shaft side means, displacement means)
A440 Moving member (part of the component means, first component means, part of the relative displacement means)
A444 Functional slot (part of shape changing means)
A448 Columnar protrusion (placement part)
A449 Wiring (Electrical Wiring)
A450 direction switching member (part of the component means, second component means, part of the relative displacement means)
A460 Decorative member (part of component means, second component means, part of relative displacement means)
A500 second operation unit (performance means)
A500b Rotational motion unit (displacement means)
A514 Guide slot (part of degree change means, form change means)
A523a belt (endless belt)
A527 Linkage Mechanism (Placement Part)
A530 Base member (shaft side means, displacement means)
A533 Functional slot (part of shape changing means)
A540 Moving member (part of the component means, first component means, part of the relative displacement means)
A546 Column-shaped protruding part (contact part)
A550 direction switching means (part of the constituent means, second constituent means, part of the relative displacement means)
A560 Changing member (part of the constituent means, second constituent means, part of the relative displacement means)
A662 Rotating plate member (displacement means)
A674 Arc-shaped through hole (part of shape changing means)
A710 Frame-shaped member (part of pressing means)
A720 light emitting substrate (first means)
A724 Front light emitting unit (first light emitting means, multiple light emitting units)
A725 Rear light emitting unit (second light emitting means, multiple light emitting units)
A730 Front side plate member (first light receiving means)
A740 Rear side plate member (second light receiving means)
A750 Front cover member (part of pressing means, supporting means)
A753 Fastening part (first protruding part)
A754 Cylindrical fastening part (second protruding part)
A803z Front side member (front side means)
A806 Visibility changeable sheet (direction selection means)
A820 Front light emitting substrate (part of the first means, plate-like member)
A830 Rear light emitting substrate (part of the first means, plate-like member)
A4920 Light guide displacement member (part of direction selection means, plate-like means)
A4930 Covering member (part of direction selection means, plate-like means)
A4933a Light emitting means (light irradiation means)
AJ1 rotating shaft rod (rotating shaft)
AJ2 rotating shaft rod (rotating shaft)
AMT1 drive motor (drive means)
AMT2 drive motor (drive means)
AMT4 drive motor (drive means)
ASE1 detection sensor (detection means)
ATL1 left channel (first channel)
ATL2 right channel (second channel)
W10 Pachinko Machine (Amusement Machine)
W200, W2200, W4200, W7200, Wb200, We200, Wj200, Wl200, Wm200, Wo200, Wq200, Wr200, Wt200, Wv200 Box cover (first member, second member)
Wj214a Rear wall (shielding means)
Wj214b Restricting wall portion (restraining means)
W220 flat surface (contact part)
W223 Both end walls (contact parts)
W224a, W224b recesses
Wj250 second restriction portion (restriction means)
W300, W2300, W4300, W5300, W6300, Wb300, We300, Wj300, Wk300, Wm300, Wn300, Ws300, Wu300 Box base (first member, second member)
Wk312f locking portion (regulating means)
W320, We320 flat surface (contact portion)
W321 Both end walls (contact parts)
W5326, W6326 recess
W500, W2500, W3500, W4500, W5500, W8500, W9500, Wa500, Wb500, Wc500, Wd500, We500, Wf500, Wg500, Wh500, Wi500, Wj500, Wk500, Wl500, Wm500, Wn500, Wo500, Wp500, Wq500, Wu500, Wv500, Ww500, Wx500, Wy500 Protective cover (engagement member)
W501 Lower wall (contact part)
W502 left wall (main body)
W510, W2510, W3510, Wp510, Wq510 Rear wall (main body)
W510 rear wall (contact part)
W520, W2520, W3520, Wp520, Wq520 Front wall (main body)
W520 front wall (contact part)
W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, Wy530a engagement parts
W530a Engagement portion (first engagement portion, second engagement portion)
W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, Wu530b Engagement portion (first portion, second portion)
W530b Engagement portion (first engagement portion, second engagement portion)
W530b1 engagement portion (second engagement portion)
W530b2 engagement portion (first engagement portion)
W531a, We531a, Wf531a connecting piece (connecting part)
We531a connecting piece (modification means, abutment part, connecting part, one side connecting part, other side connecting part)
W531b, W2531b, W3531b, W8531b, W9531b, Ww531b, Wx531b connecting piece (connecting part)
W9531b1 Part 1 (Part 2)
W9531b2 Part 2 (Part 1)
W4534, W5534, Wq534, Wu534, Wv534 protrusions (projections)
Wd540 standing part (regulating part)
Wa550, Wb550, Wy550 Cutting section (changing means)
Wb560, Wd560 guide part (contact part)
Wo580 retaining pin (mounting part)
Wo583 locking part (projection)
WSL seal (installation member)

10. Pachinko machines (amusement machines)
16 Glass unit (front side surface forming means)
81 Third pattern display device (display device)
A60 Base plate (flow means)
A400 First operation unit (performance means)
A400b Rotational motion unit (displacement means)
A414 Guide slot (part of degree change means, form change means)
A423a Belt (endless belt)
A427 Connection mechanism (contact part)
A430 Base plate member (shaft side means, displacement means)
A440 Moving member (part of the component means, first component means, part of the relative displacement means)
A444 Functional slot (part of shape changing means)
A448 Columnar protrusion (placement part)
A449 Wiring (electrical wiring)
A450 Direction switching member (part of the configuration means, second configuration means, part of the relative displacement means)
A460 Decorative member (part of component means, second component means, part of relative displacement means)
A500 Second operation unit (performance means)
A500b Rotational motion unit (displacement means)
A514 Guide slot (part of degree change means, form change means)
A523a Belt (endless belt)
A527 Connection mechanism (placement part)
A530 Foundation member (shaft side means, displacement means)
A533 Functional slot (part of shape changing means)
A540 Moving member (part of the component means, first component means, part of the relative displacement means)
A546 Column-shaped protruding part (contact part)
A550 Direction switching means (part of the configuration means, second configuration means, part of the relative displacement means)
A560 Variable member (part of the constituent means, second constituent means, part of the relative displacement means)
A662 Rotating plate member (displacement means)
A674 Arc-shaped through hole (part of shape changing means)
A710 Frame-shaped member (part of pressing means)
A720 Light-emitting substrate (first means)
A724 Front light emitting unit (first light emitting means, multiple light emitting units)
A725 Rear light emitting unit (second light emitting means, multiple light emitting units)
A730 Front side plate member (first light receiving means)
A740 Rear side plate member (second light receiving means)
A750 Front cover member (part of pressing means, supporting means)
A753 Fastening part (first protruding part)
A754 Cylindrical fastening part (second protruding part)
A803z Front side member (front side means)
A806 Visibility changeable sheet (direction selection means)
A820 Front light emitting substrate (part of the first means, plate-like member)
A830 Rear light emitting substrate (part of the first means, plate-like member)
A4920 Light guide displacement member (part of direction selection means, plate-like means)
A4930 Covering member (part of direction selection means, plate-like means)
A4933a Light emitting means (light irradiating means)
AJ1 Rotating shaft rod (rotating shaft)
AJ2 Rotating shaft rod (rotating shaft)
AMT1 Drive motor (drive means)
AMT2 Drive motor (drive means)
AMT4 Drive motor (drive means)
ASE1 detection sensor (detection means)
ATL1 Left channel (first channel)
ATL2 Right channel (second channel)
W10 Pachinko machine (amusement machine)
W200, W2200, W4200, W7200, Wb200, We200, Wj200, Wl200, Wm200, Wo200, Wq200, Wr200, Wt200, Wv200 Box cover (first member, second member)
Wj214a Rear wall (shielding means)
Wj214b Restriction wall portion (restraint means)
W220 Flat surface (contact part)
W223 Both end walls (contact parts)
W224a, W224b Recess Wj250 Second restriction portion (restriction means)
W300, W2300, W4300, W5300, W6300, Wb300, We300, Wj300, Wk300, Wm300, Wn300, Ws300, Wu300 Box base (first member, second member)
Wk312f Locking portion (restriction means)
W320, We320 Flat surface portion (contact portion)
W321 Both end walls (contact parts)
W5326, W6326 Recess W500, W2500, W3500, W4500, W5500, W8500, W9500, Wa500, Wb500, Wc500, Wd500, We500, Wf500, Wg500, Wh500, Wi500, Wj500, Wk500, Wl500, Wm500, Wn500, Wo500, Wp500, Wq500, Wu500, Wv500, Ww500, Wx500, Wy500 Protective cover (engagement member)
W501 Lower wall (contact part)
W502 Left wall (main body)
W510, W2510, W3510, Wp510, Wq510 Rear wall (main body)
W510 Rear wall (contact part)
W520, W2520, W3520, Wp520, Wq520 Front wall (main body)
W520 Front wall (contact part)
W530a, W2530a, W3530a, Wb530a, We530a, Wf530a, Wg530a, Wj530a, Wl530a, Wo530a, Wp530a, Wq530a, Wv530a, Wy530a Engagement portion W530a Engagement portion (first engagement portion, second engagement portion)
W530b, W2530b, W3530b, Wb530b, Wm530b, Wn530b, Wu530b Engagement portion (first portion, second portion)
W530b Engagement portion (first engagement portion, second engagement portion)
W530b1 Engagement portion (second engagement portion)
W530b2 Engagement portion (first engagement portion)
W531a, We531a, Wf531a Connecting piece (connecting part)
We531a Connecting piece (modification means, abutment portion, connecting portion, one-side connecting portion, other-side connecting portion)
W531b, W2531b, W3531b, W8531b, W9531b, Ww531b, Wx531b Connecting piece (connecting part)
W9531b1 Part 1 (Part 2)
W9531b2 Part 2 (Part 1)
W4534, W5534, Wq534, Wu534, Wv534 Protrusions (protrusions)
Wd540 Standing part (regulating part)
Wa550, Wb550, Wy550 Cutting section (changing means)
Wb560, Wd560 Guide part (contact part)
Wo580 Anti-slip pin (mounting part)
Wo583 Locking part (projection)
WSL Seal (Installation material)

Claims (3)

A gaming machine including a first member and a second member, an engagement member formed to be engageable with at least the first member, and an attachment member attached to the first member and the second member,
The engaging member includes a main body portion and an engaging portion formed separable from the main body portion and engaged with the first member,
A gaming machine characterized in that the main body portion and the engagement portion separated from the main body portion are formed so as to be connectable, and the arrangement state of the arrangement member is formed so as to be changeable using the engagement portion connected to the main body portion. The gaming machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the engaging portion is connected to the main body at a portion that engages with the first member. the engaging member includes a determining portion formed on the main body portion so as to determine a posture at which the engaging member engages with the first member;
3. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the main body has the defining portion connected to the engaging portion.

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