JP2024071592A - Gaming Machines - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a gaming machine that provides good light-emitting effects. [Solution] A transparent cylindrical member 6521 is configured to be able to receive light from an illumination board 6570 in different ways, so that even if the distance based on the illumination board 6570 is different, the effect of the illumination can be prevented from decreasing (changing). Therefore, it is possible to improve the light-emitting effect while reducing costs. Various modes are exemplified as the mode of the transparent cylindrical member 6521. For example, it may be a light-transmitting member made of a colorless or colored transparent member, a white member formed by hardening a milky white resin or the like, or a member that projects a display on the member itself similar to a transparent liquid crystal. [Selected Figure] Figure 260

Description

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

In gaming machines such as pachinko machines, LED light enters from the edge of a plate-shaped member and exits from the surface (Patent Document 1).

JP 2015-159875 A

However, the above-mentioned conventional gaming machines have a problem in that there is room for improvement in terms of the presentation effect of the light-emitting effects. The present invention has been made to solve the problems exemplified above, and aims to provide a gaming machine that provides good presentation effects of the light-emitting effects.

To achieve this objective, the gaming machine described in claim 1 comprises a light emitting means configured to be able to emit light, and a light receiving means configured to receive light, the light receiving means comprising a first light receiving means that receives the light irradiated from the light emitting means in a first manner, and a second light receiving means that receives the light irradiated from the light emitting means in a manner different from the first manner.

The gaming machine described in claim 2 is the gaming machine described in claim 1, in which the light receiving means is configured to change the way it is illuminated in stages in response to differences in distance from the light emitting means.

The gaming machine described in claim 3 is the gaming machine described in claim 1 or 2, and includes a storage means for storing the light emitting means and a light emitting substrate on which the light emitting means is disposed, the storage means includes a partitioning means for partitioning an area disposed opposite one surface of the light emitting substrate, and the light receiving means is configured so that the way it is illuminated changes for each area partitioned by the partitioning means.

The gaming machine described in claim 1 can provide good lighting effects.

The gaming machine described in claim 2 has the same effect as the gaming machine described in claim 1, and can change the light emission state in stages based on the positional relationship of the light emitting means.

The gaming machine described in claim 3 has the same effect as the gaming machine described in claim 1 or 2, and can effectively divide the performance range.

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 a front perspective view of the operation device. 6(a) is a partial front view of the pachinko machine, and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the pachinko machine taken along line VIb-VIb in FIG. 6(a). 7A is a partial front view of the pachinko machine, and FIG. 7B is a partial cross-sectional view of the pachinko machine taken along line VIIb-VIIb in FIG. 7A. 8 is a front perspective view of the operating device as seen in the direction of arrow VIII in FIG. 6 . 8 is a front perspective view of the operating device as seen in the direction of arrow IX in FIG. 7 . FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the operation device. FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the operation device. FIG. 14(a) is a front view of the tilting device, (b) is a side view of the tilting device as viewed in the direction of arrow XIVb in FIG. 14(a), and (c) is a cross-sectional view of the tilting device along line XIVc-XIVc in FIG. 14(a). FIG. FIG. 13 is an exploded rear perspective view of the lid of the tilting device. 17A is a front view of the drive device, and FIG. 17B is a side view of the drive device as viewed in the direction of arrow XVIIb in FIG. 17A. FIG. FIG. 18A is a side view of the left disc cam as viewed in the direction of the arrow XXa in FIG. 18, and FIG. 18B is a side view of the left disc cam as viewed in the direction of the arrow XXb in FIG. 4A and 4B are front views of the release member and the rotating claw member. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). A partial cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along line XXXIX-XXXIX in Figure 38. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 13A is a side view of a slide claw member in the second embodiment, FIG. 13B is a side view of a rotating plate member, and FIG. 13C is a side view of a release member. 4A and 4B are side views of the release member, the rotating plate member, and the slide claw member. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along a line corresponding to line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along a line corresponding to line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along a line corresponding to line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). FIG. 13 is a side view of the tilting device according to the third embodiment. 1A and 1B are side views of the operation device. 1A and 1B are side views of the operation device. FIG. 13 is a side view of the tilting device according to the fourth embodiment. 1A and 1B are side views of the operation device. 1A and 1B are side views of the operation device. FIG. 13 is an exploded front perspective view of an operating device according to a fifth embodiment. FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded front oblique view of the lower frame member and the vibration device. 59(a) is a side view of the lower frame member, (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the lower frame member taken along line LIXb-LIXb in FIG. 59(a), and (c) is a partial top view of the lower frame member taken in the direction of arrow LIXc in FIG. 59(a). 59(a) and (b) are cross-sectional views of the vibration device taken along line LXa-LXa in FIG. 59(a). 59(a) and (b) are cross-sectional views of a transmission device 5410 and a housing member 5430 taken along line LIXb-LIXb in FIG. 59(a). FIG. 4A is a front perspective view of a right disc cam, and FIG. 4B is a rear perspective view of the right disc cam. FIG. 65(a) is a front view of the right disc cam as viewed in the direction of the arrow LXVa in FIG. 62, (b) is a cross-sectional view of the right disc cam along the line LXVb-LXVb in FIG. 65(a), and (c) is a cross-sectional view of the right disc cam along the line LXVc-LXVc in FIG. 65(a). 66(a) is a front view of the right disc cam as seen in the direction of the arrow LXVa in FIG. 62, and FIG. 66(b) is a cross-sectional view of the right disc cam along the line LXVIb-LXVIb in FIG. 66(a). 67(a) is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along a line corresponding to line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6(a), and FIG. 67(b) is a partial rear view of the operating device as viewed in the direction of arrow LXVIIb in FIG. 67(a). 68(a) is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along a line corresponding to line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6(a), and (b) is a partial rear view of the operating device as viewed in the direction of arrow LXVIIIb in FIG. 68(a). FIG. 13 is an exploded front perspective view of a drive device according to a sixth embodiment. FIG. 4 is a front exploded perspective view of a disk member, a ring member, and a second transmission member of the left disk cam. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along a line corresponding to line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along a line corresponding to line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along a line corresponding to line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6( a ). 13A is a front view of a right disc cam in the seventh embodiment, and FIG. 13B is a rear view of the right disc cam. 74(a) is a cross-sectional view of the right disc cam taken along line LXXVa-LXXVa in FIG. 74(a), and FIG. 74(b) is a partial side view of the right disc cam as viewed in the direction of arrow LXXVb in FIG. 74(a). 76(a) is a front view of the ring member, (b) is a rear view of the ring member, and (c) is a side view of the ring member as viewed in the direction of arrow LXXVIc in FIG. 76(a). 77(a) is a front view of the engaging member, and (b) is a side view of the engaging member as viewed in the direction of arrow LXXVIIb in FIG. 77(a). 78(a) is a front view of the right disc cam, (b) is a side view of the right disc cam as viewed in the direction of arrow LXXVIIIb in Figure 78(a), (c) is a front view of the right disc cam, (d) is a side view of the right disc cam as viewed in the direction of arrow LXXVIIId in Figure 78(c), (e) is a front view of the right disc cam, and (f) is a side view of the right disc cam as viewed in the direction of arrow LXXVIIIf in Figure 78(e). 7A and 7B are partial cross-sectional views of the operating device taken along a line corresponding to line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6. 7A and 7B are partial cross-sectional views of the operating device taken along a line corresponding to line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along a line corresponding to line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6. 7A and 7B are partial cross-sectional views of the operating device taken along a line corresponding to line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6. 7A and 7B are partial cross-sectional views of the operating device taken along a line corresponding to line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along a line corresponding to line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device taken along a line corresponding to line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6. FIG. 23 is a front view of a pachinko machine according to an eighth embodiment. This is a front oblique view of a pachinko machine showing the inner frame opened (deployed) relative to the outer frame. This is a front oblique view of a pachinko machine showing the state (deployed) in which the inner frame is open relative to the outer frame and the back pack is open relative to the inner frame. This is a front oblique view of a pachinko machine showing the inner frame closed against the outer frame and the front frame open (deployed). This is a front view of the pachinko machine with the front frame removed. 1 is an exploded rear perspective view of the front frame, showing components arranged below the window portion of the front frame in exploded view; FIG. 1 is an exploded front perspective view of the front frame, showing the components arranged below the window portion of the front frame in an exploded view; FIG. 1A is an exploded rear perspective view of the front frame, and FIG. 1B is a front perspective view of the binding movable member, showing the released state and the fixed state of the binding movable member side by side. 94(a) is a partial rear view of the front frame showing the lower left corner of the front frame, and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the front frame taken along line XCIVb-XCIVb in FIG. 94(a). 95(a) is a partial rear view of the front frame showing the lower left corner of the front frame, and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the front frame taken along line XCVb-XCVb in FIG. 95(a). 96(a) is a schematic rear view showing the binding movable member and the harness, (b) is a schematic top view of Figure 96(a), (c) is a schematic rear view showing the binding movable member and the harness, and (d) is a schematic top view of Figure 96(c). 13A and 13B are schematic top views of the front frame, inner frame, binding movable member and harness, which diagrammatically illustrate the binding movable member and harness. FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged front view of the first bending region. FIG. This is an exploded rear perspective view of the front frame. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. 112(a) is a side view of the right panel unit, and (b) is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the right panel unit taken along line CXIIb-CXIIb in FIG. 112(a). 113(a) is a side view of the right panel unit, and (b) is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the right panel unit taken along line CXIIIb-CXIIIb in FIG. 113(a). 1A is a side view of the right panel unit, FIG. 1B is a rear view of the right panel unit, and FIG. 1C is a side view of the right panel unit. 115(a) is a schematic side view of the light-guiding member, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the light-guiding member taken along line CXVb-CXVb in FIG. 115(a). FIG. 4 is a partial rear view of the right panel unit. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the speaker assembly. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the speaker assembly. 1A is a rear view of the front assembly, and FIG. 1B is a front view of the rear assembly. (a) is a rear view of the speaker assembly, (b) is a cross-sectional view of the speaker assembly taken along line CXXIVb-CXXIVb in Figure 124(a), (c) is a top view of the speaker assembly taken along the direction of arrow CXXIVc in Figure 124(a), and (d) is a partial bottom view of the speaker assembly taken along the direction of arrow CXXIVd in Figure 124(a). 124(a) is a partial cross-sectional view of the front assembly, rear assembly, upper frame member, main body frame and upper edge plate member taken along line CXXVa-CXXVa in Figure 124(a), and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the front assembly, rear assembly, upper frame member, main body frame and upper edge plate member taken along line CXXVb-CXXVb in Figure 124(a). FIG. 2 is an exploded front oblique view of the game board and inner frame. (a) is a rear view of the game board, and (b) is a front view of the inner frame. 127(a) and (b) are cross-sectional views of the inner frame taken along line CXXVIIIa-CXXVIIIa in FIG. 127(b). 1A and 1B are side views of a board support device and a game board, each of which is a schematic diagram showing the board support device and the game board. 4A is a front perspective view of the board surface support device, and FIG. 4B is a rear perspective view of the board surface support device. 4A is a front perspective view of the board surface support device, and FIG. 4B is a rear perspective view of the board surface support device. FIG. FIG. 4A and 4B are side views of the board surface support device. 4A and 4B are side views of the board surface support device. A partial cross-sectional view of the pachinko machine taken along line CXXXVI-CXXXVI in Figure 86. A partial cross-sectional view of the pachinko machine taken along line CXXXVI-CXXXVI in Figure 86. A partial cross-sectional view of the pachinko machine taken along line CXXXVI-CXXXVI in Figure 86. A partial cross-sectional view of the pachinko machine taken along line CXXXVI-CXXXVI in Figure 86. FIG. FIG. 1A is a front perspective view of the ball launching unit, and FIG. 1B is a rear perspective view of the ball launching unit. 1A and 1B are exploded front perspective views of a ball launching unit. 1A to 1C are front views of the ball launching unit showing the state of balls being sent out by the ball sending device in chronological order. FIG. (a) is a front view of the ball launching unit, and (b) is a partial top view of the ball launching unit as viewed in the direction of arrow CXLVIb in Figure 146 (a). 147(a) is a front view of the ball launching unit, and (b) is a front perspective view of the cutting metal member, showing the relationship between the thread and the cutting metal member in the state shown in FIG. 147(a). A partial front view of the ball launching unit, inner rail and outer rail after the ball is launched. FIG. This is an exploded front oblique view of the performance operation unit. This is an exploded front oblique view of the performance operation unit. This is an exploded rear oblique view of the performance operation unit. FIG. A cross-sectional view of the petal movement device taken along line CLIV-CLIV in Figure 153. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the petal movement device. FIG. 1A is an exploded front perspective view of the petals, the flat plate member, and the slide member, and FIG. 1B is an exploded rear perspective view of the petals, the flat plate member, and the slide member. FIG. FIG. FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a slide member and a drive motor. 4A and 4B are rear perspective views of a slide member and a drive motor. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of a central shaft rotation device and a loose fitting device. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the central shaft rotation device and the loose fitting device. FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the petal operating device, the driving arm member, and the driven arm member. FIG. An exploded front oblique view of the back panel, side base material, and second performance member. An exploded front oblique view of the drive side arm member, slide plate, and second performance member. 1 is a front view of the petal movement device, the forward and backward movement unit, and the back panel. FIG. 13 is a rear view of the petal operating device and the forward/backward operating unit. FIG. 1 is a front view of the petal movement device, the forward and backward movement unit, and the back panel. FIG. 13 is a rear view of the petal operating device and the forward/backward operating unit. FIG. 1 is a front view of the petal movement device, the forward and backward movement unit, and the back panel. FIG. 13 is a rear view of the petal operating device and the forward/backward operating unit. FIG. (a) is a front oblique view of the petal movement device, (b) is a front view of the petal movement device, (c) is a front view showing the petal movement device in a transparent manner with the central shaft rotation device omitted, and (d) is a front view of the slit member and rotating plate. (a) is a front view of the rotating plate, (b) is a rear view of the petal movement device, (c) is a rear view of the petals and flat plate member, and (d) is a rear oblique view of the petal movement device. (a) is a front oblique view of the petal movement device, (b) is a front view of the petal movement device, (c) is a front view showing the petal movement device in a transparent manner with the central shaft rotation device omitted, and (d) is a front view of the slit member and rotating plate. (a) is a front view of the rotating plate, (b) is a rear view of the petal movement device, (c) is a rear view of the petals and flat plate member, and (d) is a rear oblique view of the petal movement device. (a) is a front oblique view of the petal movement device, (b) is a front view of the petal movement device, (c) is a front view showing the petal movement device in a transparent manner with the central shaft rotation device omitted, and (d) is a front view of the slit member and rotating plate. (a) is a front view of the rotating plate, (b) is a rear view of the petal movement device, (c) is a rear view of the petals and flat plate member, and (d) is a rear oblique view of the petal movement device. FIG. 13 is a front perspective view of a passage formation unit in a ninth embodiment. FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the passage forming unit. FIG. 2 is a front view of the ball launching unit. FIG. 2 is a front view of the ball launching unit. FIG. 23 is a front perspective view of a passage formation unit according to a tenth embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the passage forming unit. FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the passage forming unit. A front view of the inner frame and dish passage forming member in the 11th embodiment. FIG. FIG. 13A and 13B are partial enlarged front views of the foul ball passage. A partial front enlarged view of the foul ball passage. FIG. 23 is a rear perspective view of the loose fitting device according to the twelfth embodiment. 1A and 1B are front views of a petal movement device. 5A and 5B are partially enlarged front views of a slit member and a slide member. FIG. 1A and 1B are front views of a petal movement device. FIG. FIG. 23 is a partially enlarged front view of a slit member and a slide member in a modification of the twelfth embodiment. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged front view of a slit member and a slide member. FIG. 23 is a front oblique view of the operating device according to the thirteenth embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the operation device. 1A and 1B are front perspective views of an operating device. (a) is a front view of the operating device, (b) is a side view of the operating device as viewed in the direction of arrow CCIIIb in Figure 203(a), (c) is a bottom view of the operating device, (d) is a partial cross-sectional view of the operating device along line CCIIId-CCIIId in Figure 203(a), and (e) is a cross-sectional view of the operating device along line CCIIIe-CCIIIe in Figure 203(a). 87(a) and (b) are partial cross-sectional views of the inner frame in the fourteenth embodiment taken along a line corresponding to line CXXXVI-CXXXVI in FIG. 86. 15A is a partial rear view of the front frame in the fifteenth embodiment, and FIGS. 15B and 15C are rear views of the fraud detection device. 206(a) is a partial rear view of a right panel unit in the sixteenth embodiment, (b) is a partial enlarged oblique view of a light-guiding member that typically represents an upwardly facing concave portion recessed in the light-guiding member in region CCVIb of Figure 206(a), (c) is a partial enlarged oblique view of a light-guiding member that typically represents a downwardly facing concave portion recessed in the light-guiding member in region CCVIc of Figure 206(a), (d) is a partial enlarged oblique view of a light-guiding member that typically represents a downwardly facing concave portion recessed in the light-guiding member in region CCVId of Figure 206(a), and (e) is a partial enlarged oblique view of a light-guiding member that typically represents an upwardly facing concave portion recessed in the light-guiding member in region CCVIe of Figure 206(a). FIG. 23 is a front view of a pachinko machine according to the seventeenth embodiment. FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a pachinko machine. FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a pachinko machine. FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a pachinko machine. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. 207(a) and (b) are partial cross-sectional views of the operating device taken along line CCXVa-CCXVa in FIG. 207. 207(a) and (b) are partial cross-sectional views of the operating device taken along line CCXVa-CCXVa in FIG. 207. FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the operation device. FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the operation device. FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the operation device. FIG. 4A is a front perspective view of the left front cover and the right front cover, and FIG. 4B is a rear perspective view of the left front cover and the right front cover. An exploded front oblique view of the lower tray unit. This is an exploded rear oblique view of the lower tray unit. An exploded front oblique view of the lower tray unit. This is an exploded rear oblique view of the lower tray unit. 4A is a schematic cross-sectional view of a right-side reinforcing rib, and FIG. 4B is a schematic cross-sectional view of a left-side reinforcing rib. (a) is a top view of the lower tray unit, and (b) is a front view of the lower tray unit. (a) is a bottom view of the lower tray unit, and (b) is a rear view of the lower tray unit. (a) is a right side view of the lower tray unit as viewed in the direction of arrow L, and (b) is a left side view of the lower tray unit as viewed in the direction of arrow R. A rear view of the lower tray unit. (a) is a cross-sectional view of the lower tray unit taken along line CCXXXIIIa-CCXXXIIIa in Figure 229(a), (b) is a cross-sectional view of the lower tray unit taken along line CCXXXIIIb-CCXXXIIIb in Figure 229(a), and (c) is a cross-sectional view of the lower tray unit taken along line CCXXXIIIc-CCXXXIIIc in Figure 229(a). This is a cross-sectional view of the lower tray unit along line CCXXXIV-CCXXXIV in Figure 229 (a). FIG. FIG. This is an exploded front oblique view of the upper performance device. This is an exploded rear perspective view of the upper performance device. This is an exploded front oblique view of the upper performance device. This is an exploded rear perspective view of the upper performance device. 1A is a front view of the rear unit, and FIG. 1B is a front view of the illumination board. FIG. FIG. 241A is a partial cross-sectional view of the partition member, the illuminated board, the rear support member, and the acoustic device taken along the line CCXLIVa-CCXLIVa in FIG. 241, and FIG. 241B is a partial cross-sectional view of the partition member, the illuminated board, the rear support member, and the acoustic device taken along the line CCXLIVb-CCXLIVb in FIG. 241. 241, (a) is a partial cross-sectional view of the partition member, the illuminated board, the rear support member, and the acoustic device taken along the line CCXLVa-CCXLVa in Figure 241, and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the partition member, the illuminated board, the rear support member, and the acoustic device taken along the line CCXLVb-CCXLVb in Figure 241. 241, (a) is a partial cross-sectional view of the partition member, the illuminated board, the rear support member, and the acoustic device taken along line CCXLVIa-CCXLVIa in FIG. 241, and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the partition member, the illuminated board, the rear support member, and the acoustic device taken along line CCXLVIb-CCXLVIb in FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the upper performance device. A cross-sectional view of the rear unit taken along line CCXLVIII-CCXLVIII in Figure 241 (a). FIG. FIG. 4A is a front view of a partition unit and a guided unit, and FIG. 4B is a rear view of the partition unit and the guided unit. 1A is a front view of a partition unit, and FIG. 1B is a rear view of the partition unit. 4A is a front view of the board guide unit, and FIG. 4B is a rear view of the board guide unit. (a) is a cross-sectional view of the partition unit and the guided unit taken along line CCLIVa-CCLIVa in Figure 251(b), (b) is a cross-sectional view of the partition unit and the guided unit taken along line CCLIVb-CCLIVb in Figure 251(b), and (c) is a cross-sectional view of the partition unit and the guided unit taken along line CCLIVc-CCLIVc in Figure 251(b). FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of a partition unit and a guided unit. FIG. 4 is an exploded rear perspective view of a partition unit and a guided unit. 4A is a front view of the optical transmission unit and the outer frame member, and FIG. 4B is a rear view of the optical transmission unit and the outer frame member. 1A is an exploded front perspective view of an optical transmission unit and an outer frame member, and FIG. 1B is an exploded rear perspective view of the optical transmission unit and the outer frame member. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the optical transmission unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the optical transmission unit. (a) is a front view of a transparent cylindrical member, (b) is a top view of the transparent cylindrical member, (c) is a bottom view of the transparent cylindrical member, (d) is a right side view of the transparent cylindrical member as viewed in the direction of arrow L, and (e) is a rear view of the transparent cylindrical member. (a) is a front view of the optical transmission unit, (b) is a top view of the optical transmission unit, (c) is a bottom view of the optical transmission unit, (d) is a right side view of the optical transmission unit as viewed in the direction of arrow L, and (e) is a rear view of the optical transmission unit. A partial cross-sectional view of the rear unit, acoustic device, and optical transmission unit taken along line CCLXIII-CCLXIII in Figure 241. 1A is a schematic front view showing the arrangement of a first illumination section, and FIG. 1B is a schematic front view showing the arrangement of light visible through an optical transmission unit. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. (a) is a front view of the base member and the illuminated board, (b) is a left side view of the base member, (c) is a right side view of the base member, (d) is a top view of the base member, (e) is a bottom view of the base member, and (f) is a cross-sectional view of the base member and the illuminated board taken along line CCLXIXf-CCLXIXf in Figure 269(a). FIG. FIG. 1A is a front perspective view of a light receiving member, FIG. 1B is a front view of the light receiving member, and FIG. 1C is a front perspective view of the light receiving member. 272(a) is a partial enlarged view of the light receiving member in the range CCLXXIIIa of FIG. 272(a), and FIG. 272(b) is a partial enlarged view of the light receiving member in the range CCLXXIIIb of FIG. 272(b). 1A is a rear perspective view of a light receiving member, FIG. 1B is a rear view of the light receiving member, and FIG. 1C is a rear perspective view of the light receiving member. 274(b), (a) is a cross-sectional view of the horizontal presentation device taken along line CCLXXVa-CCLXXVa in FIG. 274(b), and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the light receiving member taken along line CCLXXVb-CCLXXVb in FIG. 274(b). FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of a flat plate member, a curved plate member, and a cover member. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of a flat plate member, a curved plate member, and a cover member. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the flat plate member, the curved plate member, and the cover member. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the flat plate member, the curved plate member, and the cover member. (a) is a cross-sectional view of the base member, illuminated board, and light-receiving member taken along line CCLXXXa-CCLXXXa in Figure 272(b), (b) is a cross-sectional view of the base member, illuminated board, and light-receiving member taken along line CCLXXXb-CCLXXXb in Figure 272(b), and (c) is a cross-sectional view of the base member, illuminated board, and light-receiving member taken along line CCLXXXc-CCLXXXc in Figure 272(b). A schematic diagram of a base member, an illumination board, and a light receiving member, showing a cross section of Figure 280(a). FIG. 23 is a front view of a pachinko machine according to the 18th embodiment. FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a pachinko machine. 284(a) is a cross-sectional view of the performance device taken along line CCLXXXIVa-CCLXXXIVa in Figure 282, and (b) is a schematic diagram of the illumination board of the performance device as viewed in the direction of arrow CCLXXXIVb in Figure 284(a). A side view of the cover in the 19th embodiment. This is a cross-sectional view of the lower tray unit in the 20th embodiment taken along a line corresponding to line CCXXXIIIb-CCXXXIIIb in Figure 229.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, with reference to Figs. 1 to 44, 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 13 of the pachinko machine 10, and Fig. 3 is a rear view of the pachinko machine 10.

As shown in Figure 1, the pachinko machine 10 has an outer frame 11, whose outer shell 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 13 (see FIG. 2) having 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 13. 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 13, 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 13.

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 and electrical parts, and has a window 14c formed in a roughly elliptical shape at its approximate center. A glass unit 16 having two glass plates is disposed on the rear side of the front frame 14, and the front of the game board 13 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 13 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 formed in a roughly box-like shape with an open top for storing balls that could not be stored in the upper tray 17. On the right side of the lower tray 50, an operating handle 51 and an operating device 300 are provided, which are operated by the player to shoot the ball into the front of the game board 13. The operating device 300 will be described later.

The operating handle 51 contains a touch sensor 51a for permitting the operation of the ball launching unit 112a, a launch stop switch 51b for stopping the launch of balls while the switch is being pressed, and a variable resistor (not shown) for detecting 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 13 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 turned 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 (not shown) is attached to the left side of the lower tray 50.

As shown in FIG. 2, the game board 13 is constructed by assembling a number of nails (not shown) and a windmill (not shown) for guiding balls, as well as rails 61 and 62, a general winning opening 63, a first winning opening 64, a second winning opening 640, a variable winning device 330, a through gate 67, a variable display unit 80, etc., on a base plate 60 machined into a roughly square shape when viewed from the front, and the peripheral portion is attached to the back side of the inner frame 12 (see FIG. 1). The base plate 60 is made of a light-transmitting resin material, and is formed so that the player can see various structures arranged on the back side of the base plate 60 from the front side. 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 60 by router processing, and are fixed from the front side of the game board 13 with tapping screws or the like.

The central front portion of the game board 13 can be seen from the front side of the inner frame 12 through the window portion 14c (see Figure 1) of the front frame 14. The configuration of the game board 13 will be described below, mainly with reference to Figure 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 13, and an inner rail 61 formed of 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 13, and the game board 13 and the glass unit 16 (see Figure 1) surround the front and back, forming a game area in front of the game board 13 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 shot balls flow down) that is partitioned in front of the game board 13 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 13. 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 13 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.

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 probability of winning 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 probability of winning the second symbol may be changed to be increased compared to normal.

In the play area, there are arranged a plurality of general winning holes 63 through which 5 to 15 balls are paid out as prize balls when a ball enters the winning hole. In addition, a variable display unit 80 is arranged in the center of the play area. 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 while synchronizing with the variable display in the first pattern display device 37A, 37B, triggered by the winning (initial winning) in the first winning hole 64 and the second winning hole 640, 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 86 is arranged in the variable display unit 80 so as to surround the outer periphery of the third pattern display device 81.

The third symbol display device 81 is configured with a large 9-inch liquid crystal display, and the display contents are controlled by the display control device 114 (see FIG. 4), so that, for example, three symbol rows, top, middle, and bottom, are displayed. Each symbol row is configured with a plurality of 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 devices 37A and 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 devices 37A and 37B. Note that the third symbol display device 81 may be configured using, for example, reels 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 gates 67 are attached to the game board 13 in the left and right areas of the variable display unit 80, and are configured to allow a portion of the ball launched onto the game board 13 to pass through. When a ball passes through the through gates 67, a winning lottery for the second symbol is held. After the winning lottery, a variable display is performed on the second symbol display device, and if the winning lottery results in a winning lottery, a "○" symbol is displayed as the stopping symbol of the variable display, and if the winning lottery results in a losing lottery, a "X" symbol is displayed as the stopping symbol 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 second pattern change display may be performed by switching on and off a plurality of lamps in the second pattern display device as in this embodiment, or may be performed using a part of the first pattern display device 37A, 37B and the third pattern display device 81. Similarly, the second pattern reserve lamp may be turned on by a part of the third pattern display device 81. The maximum number of reserved balls for the passage of the ball 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). The number of through gates 67 installed is not limited to two, but may be one, for example. The installation position of the through gate 67 is not limited to the left or right of the variable display unit 80, but may be below the variable display unit 80, for example. Since the number of reserved balls is indicated by the first pattern display devices 37A, 37B, the second pattern reserve lamp may not be turned on.

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 13 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 below the first winning hole 64 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 turns on, and when the second 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 37B.

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 a jackpot being won 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 won when a jackpot is reached 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 an electric device like the second winning slot 640, and the ball is always capable of winning.

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

On the other hand, during the special bonus period or the time-saving period, the electric device 640a associated with 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, and aiming for a 15R special bonus jackpot by winning at the second winning slot 640.

In addition, in the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment, since 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.

A variable winning device 330 (see FIG. 11) is provided below the first winning port 64, and a specific winning port 65a is provided in the approximate center of the device. 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 a jackpot. After that, the game state transitions to a special game state (jackpot) in which balls are 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 may be 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, forming a game state as a special game state. Also, 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 lower right side of the first winning opening 64 or the lower left side of the first winning opening 64, but may be, for example, to the left of the variable display unit 80.

The right corner of the lower side of the game board 13 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 13 is provided with an outlet 71. Balls that flow down the game area and do not win in any of the winning holes 63, 64, 65a, 640 are guided through the outlet 71 to a ball discharge path (not shown). The outlets 71 are arranged in pairs on the left and right of the specific winning hole 65a.

The game board 13 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 of the specific winning port 65a to the front side around the lower edge of the opening and closing plate as an axis, and a solenoid for driving the electric role device, 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 operation 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, and the like. The other devices 228 include a drive motor 342 and a voice coil motor 352.

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 device 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, etc., 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.

Figure 5 is a front perspective view of the operation device 300. As shown in Figure 5, the operation device 300 is disposed in the left-right center of the inner frame 12 when viewed from the front (i.e., the left-right center of the pachinko machine 10).

The operating device 300 is equipped with a tilting device 310 that can be tilted by being pushed in by the player, and is disposed in an area defined by a storage recess 17a that is recessed in the front-to-rear direction along the outer frame of the upper tray 17. When the player tilts (rotates) the tilting device 310, a signal is input to the pachinko machine 10 (see FIG. 1).

A gap is provided between the tilting device 310 and the storage recess 17a that is at least large enough for the player's fingers to fit comfortably in. This allows the player to prepare to operate the tilting device 310 by placing their fingertips on the rear side of the top surface of the tilting device 310 (see Figure 7).

In addition, because the player holds the operating handle 51 with his/her right hand, the tilt device 310 is often operated with the left hand. Therefore, the following explanation will be given under the assumption that the player will operate the tilt device 310 with his/her left hand.

Figure 6(a) is a partial front view of the pachinko machine 10, Figure 6(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the pachinko machine 10 taken along line VIb-VIb in Figure 6(a), Figure 7(a) is a partial front view of the pachinko machine 10, and Figure 7(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the pachinko machine 10 taken along line VIIb-VIIb in Figure 7(a).

In Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, the vicinity of the operation device 300 of the pachinko machine 10 is partially illustrated. Note that Fig. 6 illustrates a state in which the tilting device 310 is arranged in a first state (initial state in this embodiment) in which the operation surface 312a1 faces up and down, and Fig. 7 illustrates a state in which the tilting device 310 is arranged in a second state in which the operation surface 312a1 faces upward and backward by rising from the first state around the axis portion 314. Note that Fig. 7 illustrates an example of a player's hand operating the tilting device 310 with an imaginary line.

The tilting device 310 is configured to be automatically operable between the first state and the second state by the driving force of the driving device 340. Details of the driving device 340 will be described later.

An example of the operation of the tilting device 310 will be described below. The tilting device 310 is operated by the player, for example, when a specific display (for example, a display saying "Press the button") appears on the third pattern display device 81 (see FIG. 2).

For example, when the tilt device 310 is pressed by dropping the hand forcefully downward, as when pressing a button that moves up and down, the position of the operation surface 312a1 shifts toward the front depending on the degree of tilt, and the palm of the hand and the operation surface 312a1 are likely to rub against each other. This gives the player a sense of discomfort, and makes it possible to prevent the player from performing the pressing operation by dropping the hand forcefully downward.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, by placing the fingertips near the shaft 314 of the tilting device 310 and lowering the palm of the hand downward using the fingertips as a fulcrum, the user can comfortably press and operate the tilting device 310 while keeping the palm integrated with the operation surface 312a1.

Therefore, the player can be guided to operate the device by lowering the palm of the hand downward using the fingertips as a fulcrum, rather than dropping the hand forcefully downward. This reduces the degree of impact applied to the tilt device 310 by the player's operation, and reduces the possibility of the tilt device 310 being damaged.

With reference to Figures 8 and 9, differences in how the tilt device 310 appears from the player's viewpoint will be described. Figure 8 is a front perspective view of the operation device 300 as viewed in the direction of arrow VIII in Figure 6, and Figure 9 is a front perspective view of the operation device 300 as viewed in the direction of arrow IX in Figure 7. Note that in Figures 8 and 9, the shape of the pachinko machine 10 is partially illustrated with imaginary lines. Also, in Figure 9, an example of a player's hand pressing in to operate the tilt device 310 is illustrated with imaginary lines.

As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the operation surface 312a1 of the tilting device 310 is visible from the player's viewpoint in the first state, but in the second state, its area is reduced to the point where it is not visible (the operation surface 312a1 is directed outward from the player's viewpoint). This allows the tilting device 310 to look significantly different between the first and second states.

In this embodiment, the protective lens member 311i is configured so that the area gradually increases during the process of changing from the first state to the second state, and accordingly the amount of light from the LED device 341f (see FIG. 12) arranged inside the operating device 300 is gradually perceived as increasing, so the difference in the amount of light (degree of brightness) that is visible to the player between the first state and the second state increases, and the appearance of the tilt device 310 can be significantly changed between the first state and the second state.

An example of the operation of the tilting device 310 will be described. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, by placing the outer side of the little finger near the axis 314 (see FIG. 7) of the tilting device 310 and lowering the palm downward with the outer side of the little finger as a fulcrum (by rotating the wrist as an axis), the tilting device 310 can be comfortably pressed and operated while keeping the palm integrated with the operation surface 312a1.

Therefore, instead of dropping the hand forcefully downward, the player can be guided to perform the operation by lowering the palm downward using the outer side part of the little finger as a fulcrum. This reduces the degree of impact applied to the tilting device 310 by the player's operation, and reduces the possibility of damaging the tilting device 310.

Next, the operation device 300 will be described with reference to Figs. 10 and 11. Fig. 10 is a front perspective view of the operation device 300, and Fig. 11 is a rear perspective view of the operation device 300. As shown in Fig. 10, the operation device 300 is supported so that the tilting device 310 can rotate around a shaft portion 314 disposed at the rear end.

As shown in FIG. 11, a voice coil motor 352 that applies a straight impact to the tilting device 310 and detection sensors 324L, 324R that detect the pushing operation from the first state are disposed outside the lower frame member 320 that surrounds the tilting device 310 from below.

In this way, by arranging the sensor that detects the position of the tilting device 310, the voice coil motor that provides the driving force, etc., on the outside of the lower frame member 320, the tilting device 310 can be housed in the lower frame member 320 by using a large area inside the lower frame member 320. This makes it possible to ensure a large amount of movement of the tilting device 310.

12 is a front exploded perspective view of the operating device 300, and FIG. 13 is a rear exploded perspective view of the operating device 300. As shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, the operating device 300 includes a tilting device 310 having ring members BR1 disposed at the left and right ends at the rear end (the end at the back of the page in FIG. 12), a lower frame member 320 having a lower bearing portion 323 that supports the ring member BR1 of the tilting device 310 from below and that determines the pushing end of the tilting device 310, and a member that supports the ring member BR1 of the tilting device 310 from above, has a recessed portion that is disposed opposite the lower frame member 320, and has a large opening in the center, It mainly comprises an upper frame member 330 that is fastened to the lower frame member 320 in such a manner that the tilting member 310 is positioned between the upper frame member 330 and the lower frame member 320, and determines the position of the tilting device 310 in the second state; a drive unit 340 that is fastened to the underside of the lower frame member 320 and transmits a driving force to the tilting device 310 via an arm member 345 that constitutes a link mechanism with the tilting device 310; and a protective cover device 350 that is fastened to the drive unit 340 and protects the drive unit 340 by covering it from three sides, the left and right directions and the rear.

The lower frame member 320 is a cup-shaped member with the left and right portions of the bottom surface sloping downwards as they approach the front, and is mainly composed of a bottom plate portion 321 that slopes downwards as it approaches the front, a horizontal portion 322 composed of a plate-like member arranged horizontally at the upper end of the back side of the bottom plate portion 321, a lower bearing portion 323 that is a semicircular receiving portion that opens upward near the rear end of the horizontal portion 322 and receives the shaft portion 314 of the tilting device 310 from below, a left detection sensor 324L and a right detection sensor 324R that are arranged in a pair on the left and right sides below the bottom plate portion 321, and an opening portion 325 that is an opening that is opened by cutting the portion located below the horizontal portion 322 at the center position of the bottom plate portion 321 in the left-right direction.

The bottom plate portion 321 determines the end of movement of the tilting device 310 by abutting against the tilting device 310, and has multiple openings through which parts of the tilting device 310 can pass through the bottom plate portion 321.

The bottom plate portion 321 mainly comprises a transmission hole 321a drilled in the center of the front side, a detection hole 321b drilled along the detection grooves of the left and right detection sensors 324L and 324R, and insertion holes 321c drilled symmetrically on the left and right of the opening 325.

The transmission hole 321a is positioned in front of the voice coil motor 352 of the protective cover device 350, and is formed with a size that allows the protruding protrusion 311j of the tilting device 310 to pass through. By driving the voice coil motor 352 with the protruding protrusion 311j of the tilting device 310 protruding below the bottom plate portion 321, a linear driving force can be applied to the tilting device 310.

The detection hole 321b is a through hole configured to allow the detection pieces 311gL, 311gR protruding from the underside of the tilting device 310 to pass through. The detection pieces 311gL, 311gR protruding from the detection hole 321b are arranged in the detection grooves of the detection sensors 324L, 324R, making it possible to detect the attitude of the tilting device 310.

The insertion hole 321c is configured to a size that allows the shaft portion 311c arranged on the flange of the tilting device 310 and the arm member 345 of the driving device 340 to be inserted therethrough, and the through hole is formed to a position that avoids interference with the arm member 345 when the driving device 340 is operated.

The horizontal portion 322 forms a plane that fastens the lower frame member 320 and the drive unit 340, and is provided with a locking portion 322a that extends upward from its upper surface and has a U-shaped cross section with an open portion on the front side.

The locking portion 322a is a portion that locks one end of the torsion spring 315 of the tilting device 310 so that it does not move backward. When the locking portion 322a locks the torsion spring 315, the biasing force of the torsion spring 322a acts in a direction that moves the tilting device 310 to the second state.

The detection sensors 324L and 324R are photocoupler type sensors that detect the position of the tilting device 310. The detection sensors 324L and 324R are positioned so that the distance (position of the detection groove) from the bottom plate portion 321 of the lower frame member 320 is equal on the left and right.

A photocoupler type sensor refers to a sensor that has a light-projecting part that projects light and a light-receiving part that receives the light from the light-projecting part, and is arranged in an approximately U-shape with a gap (slit, detection groove) into which the part to be detected can be inserted.

The opening 325 is a through hole that allows the LED device 341f of the drive device 340, the rotating claw members 347, etc. to enter inside the lower frame member 320. Therefore, its left-right width is made larger than the left-right width of the pair of rotating claw members 347.

On the other hand, in terms of the vertical width, the drive unit 340 is configured to position the LED device 341f so that it protrudes upward toward the front (see FIG. 17(b)). By pushing the drive unit 340 upward after the LED device 341f passes through the opening 325, the LED device 341f can be positioned above the opening 325, and the vertical width of the opening 325 can be made shorter than the vertical width including the distance from the LED device 341f to the rotating claw member 347.

The upper frame member 330 mainly comprises an opening 331 that is large enough to catch the extension portion 311h that extends from the lower end surface of the tilting device 310 toward the front side, and an upper bearing portion 332 that is arranged opposite the lower bearing portion 323 of the lower frame member 320, is configured in a semicircular shape with an open bottom, and supports the ring member BR1 of the tilting device 310.

The protective cover device 350 is mainly composed of a main body cover 351 that is configured to be separable in the vertical direction and is configured to cover three directions except the front side and is fastened and fixed to the lower end of the drive device 340, a voice coil motor 352 that is supported on the bottom plate of the main body cover 351 and is arranged on the front side with its vibration surface facing diagonally upward toward the front, and a left detection sensor 353L and a right detection sensor 353R that are detection sensors having a detection groove on the upper side of the bottom plate of the main body cover 351.

In addition, FIG. 12 shows the main body cover 351 partially torn to make the right detection sensor 353R, which is located on the opposite side of the left detection sensor 353L from the center, visible.

In the assembled state (see FIG. 10), the voice coil motor 352 is disposed in a position in which the vibration surface is approximately parallel to the bottom plate portion 321 of the lower frame member 320. As a result, when the tilting device 310 extends downward through the transmission hole 321a, the voice coil motor 352 is driven, and the driving force can be efficiently transmitted to the tilting device 310.

The detection sensors 353L, 353R are photocoupler type sensors that detect the phase of the disc cams 344L, 344R of the drive device 340. They are arranged in such a way that the disc cams 344L, 344R of the drive device 340 are arranged inside the detection grooves of the detection sensors 353L, 353R. They can detect whether the detection holes 344eL, 344eR of the disc cams 344L, 344R are arranged in the detection grooves of the detection sensors 353L, 353R, and detect that the disc cams 344L, 344R are arranged in a specific phase.

In this embodiment, the left and right disk cams 344L, 344R of the drive unit 340 have detection holes 344eL, 344eR at different phases, so there are two specific phases that can be detected by the detection sensors 353L, 353R.

Next, the tilting device 310 will be described with reference to Figures 14 to 16. Figure 14(a) is a front view of the tilting device 310, Figure 14(b) is a side view of the tilting device 310 as viewed in the direction of arrow XIVb in Figure 14(a), and Figure 14(c) is a cross-sectional view of the tilting device 310 taken along line XIVc-XIVc in Figure 14(a). Figure 15 is an exploded front perspective view of the tilting device 310, and Figure 16 is an exploded rear perspective view of the lid 312 of the tilting device 310.

As shown in Figures 14 to 16, the tilting device 310 mainly comprises a case body 311 consisting of a box-shaped body with fan-shaped sides and openings at the top and bottom, a lid 312 fastened to the case body 311 in a manner that covers the upper opening of the case body 311, a spherical lens member 313 fastened to the front end of the lid 312 and hanging down, an axis portion 314 arranged in a manner that it is sandwiched between the rear end portions of the case body 311 and the lid 312, a torsion spring 315 wound around the axis portion 314, and a ring-shaped ring member BR1 that inseparably fastens the case body 311 and the lid 312 at the rear end portions of the case body 311 and the lid 312.

The case body 311 has a bottom plate portion 311a that is inclined downward from the back side to the front side in the first state, an opening portion 311b that is opened in the center of the bottom plate portion 311a, a cylindrical shaft portion 311c that extends from flanges that protrude downward along the left and right edges of the opening portion 311b to the left and right center side, a recessed portion 311d that is a recess with a semicircular cross section that supports the shaft portion 314 at the rear end, an insertion groove 311e that is a groove that is positioned so that both arms 315a of the torsion spring 315 can be inserted, and a hook-shaped groove 311c that supports the torsion spring 31 5, a pair of left and right detection pieces 311gL and 311gR (see FIG. 15) extending downward from the bottom plate 311a, an extension 311h extending a predetermined distance forward from the front end of the bottom plate 311a, a protective lens member 311i that is disposed above the front end of the bottom plate 311a and is shaped along an arc centered on the shaft 314 and is made of a light-transmitting material, and a protruding protrusion 311j that protrudes downward from the center in the left-right direction at the front end of the bottom plate 311a.

The bottom plate portion 311a is the portion that comes into surface contact with the bottom plate portion 321 of the lower frame member 320 when the tilting device 310 is pushed downward by the player.

The opening 311b is configured as an opening through which the LED device 341f of the drive unit 340 and the arm member 345 of the drive unit 340 can be inserted.

The shaft portion 311c is a cylindrical member that is inserted into the guide hole 345b of the arm member 345 (see FIG. 17(b)) of the driving device 340, and serves as a part that transmits the driving force between the driving device 340 and the shaft portion 311c.

The left detection piece 311gL and the right detection piece 311gR are inserted into the detection grooves of the left detection sensor 324L and the right detection sensor 324R (see FIG. 15) of the lower frame member 320, respectively, and the left detection piece 311gL has a longer protruding length than the right detection piece 311gR.

In this embodiment, the left detection piece 311gL is protruded in comparison with the right detection piece 311gR so that the angle from the tip of the right detection piece 311gR to the tip of the left detection piece 311gL, centered on the shaft 314, is approximately 3° (the rotation angle by which the tilting device 310 rotates from the first state (see FIG. 22) to the end of the push-in position (see FIG. 23)).

The extension portion 311h is a portion that protrudes from the lower end portion of the protective lens member 311i toward the front side, and is configured in such a manner that, in the assembled state (see FIG. 10), it protrudes to a position where it is engaged with the opening 331 of the upper frame member 330.

The protective lens member 311i is configured to have a curved shape when viewed from above (see FIG. 14(a)) and also when viewed from the left and right (see FIG. 14(c)), so it is configured to easily release (dissipate) the load when the player presses the tilting device 310. This can improve the durability of the tilting device 310.

The protruding protrusion 311j protrudes at a right angle from the underside of the bottom plate 311a and has a smaller cross-sectional shape than the transmission hole 321a of the lower frame member 320. When the player pushes in the tilting device 310 (see Figure 29), it is inserted into the transmission hole 321a and its tip protrudes below the lower frame member 320.

As shown in FIG. 16, the cover 312 mainly comprises a top plate member 312a having an operation surface 312a1, an intermediate plate member 312b fastened to the underside of the top plate member 312a, and a cylindrical member 312c that fixes the intermediate plate member 312b to the top plate member 312a and has a cylindrical shape large enough to surround the LED device 341f in the first state (see FIG. 6).

The cylindrical member 312c is arranged in such a way that, while improving the strength of the lid 312 by providing axial rigidity, in the first state (see FIG. 6), the positional relationship of the cylindrical member 312c keeps the light irradiated from the LED device 341f toward the tilting device 310 inside the cylindrical member 312c, while in the second state (see FIG. 7), such limitation is lifted, allowing the light from the LED device 341f to be irradiated over a wide area.

The lens member 313 is made of a light-transmitting material, with upper and lower ends extending forward in a flange shape, the extended ends being configured to match the curved shape of the protective lens member 311i, and a spherical shell portion 313a formed in the center in a spherical shell shape.

The torsion spring 315 is wound around the shaft 314 with a pair of left and right twisted portions, and includes two arms 315a extending rearward from the left and right outer ends of the twisted portions, and a central portion 315b connecting the pair of twisted portions.

Next, the drive unit 340 will be described with reference to Figures 17 and 18. Figure 17(a) is a front view of the drive unit 340, Figure 17(b) is a side view of the drive unit 340 as viewed in the direction of arrow XVIIb in Figure 17(a), and Figure 18 is an exploded front perspective view of the drive unit 340.

As shown in Figures 17 and 18, the drive unit 340 includes a main body member 341 that forms a framework by bending a plate-shaped sheet metal member, a drive motor 342 that is fastened and fixed to the main body member 341 and generates a driving force, a transmission shaft rod 343 that transmits the driving force of the drive motor 342, a pair of disc cams 344 (left disc cam 344L, right disc cam 344R) that are fixed non-rotatably to both ends of the transmission shaft rod 343, an arm member 345 that is journaled on a connecting pin 344d of the disc cam 344, and a shaft portion 341c of the main body member 341 that is journaled on a connecting pin 344d of the disc cam 344. It mainly comprises a release member 346 that is supported on the same axis as the release member 346 and abuts against the first protrusion 344c1 and the second protrusion 344c3 of the disc cam 344 in the rotational direction, a rotating claw member 347 that is supported coaxially with the release member 346 and moves relative to it as the release member 346 rotates, a first spring SP1 that is a coil spring-like spring member that generates a biasing force in a direction that causes the rotating claw member 347 to fall downward, and a second spring SP2 that is a torsion spring-like spring member that generates a biasing force between the release member 346 and the rotating claw member 347 in a direction that causes them to move away from each other.

The main body member 341 mainly comprises a motor housing 341a bent backwards on the left and right sides to form a U-shape when viewed from above, a shaft support hole 341b that is drilled at the same position in the plate portion that faces the motor housing 341a and supports the disk cam 344, a shaft portion 341c that is protruding in the left and right direction at a position shifted toward the front side from the shaft support hole 341b in a manner that has an axis parallel to the axis of the shaft support hole 341b, an extension portion 341d that extends from the motor housing 341a below the shaft portion 341c, a lighting support portion 341e that extends from the motor housing 341a toward the front and an LED device 341f that is located at the upper end of the lighting support portion 341e and has an LED light source disposed inside.

The LED device 341f has a triangular member on its upper surface that refracts light (a portion that refracts light). This allows the light of the LED device 341f to be emitted evenly both upward and forward.

The drive motor 342 is equipped with a fixing member 342a that is fastened to the motor housing portion 341a on the inside of the U-shape of the motor housing portion 341a.

The fixed member 342a supports the rotating gear of the drive motor 342 and also supports the transmission shaft rod 343 in such a manner that the transmission gear 343b meshes with the rotating gear.

The arm member 345 mainly comprises a support hole 345a that is bored in a circular shape at one end and is supported by the connecting pin 344d of the disk cam 344, and a guide hole 345b that is bored in a rectangular shape at the other end and through which the shaft 311c (see Figure 15) of the tilting device 310 is inserted.

The guide hole 345b is formed at a position where the end opposite the shaft support hole 345a abuts against the shaft portion 311c in the first state of the tilting device 310, and the opposite end is formed at a position sufficient to allow the disc cam 344 to rotate one or more revolutions.

The transmission shaft rod 343 will be described with reference to Figure 19. Figure 19 is an exploded front perspective view of the transmission shaft rod 343. The transmission shaft rod 343 mainly comprises a cylindrical member 343a to which disc cams 344 (see Figure 18) are fixed at both ends, a transmission gear 343b that is journalled on the cylindrical member 343a and engages with the rotating gear of the drive motor 342, a movable clutch 343c that can switch whether or not to transmit driving force between the transmission gear 343b and the cylindrical member 343a by moving in the axial direction, and a coil spring 343d that presses the movable clutch 343c against the transmission gear 343b.

The cylindrical member 343a has fixing parts 343a1 and 343a2 with a D-shaped cross section that fix the disk cam 344 at both ends, and the fixing part 343a2 on the right side is formed longer toward the center than the fixing part 343a1 on the left side. Here, in detail, the fixing part 343a2 is formed with a length that allows the movable clutch 343c to move to a position where it does not interfere with the transmission gear 343b when it moves against the biasing force of the coil spring 343d.

The transmission gear 343b includes a circular through hole 343b1 through which the cylindrical member 343a is inserted, and a clutch portion 343b2 in which irregularities are formed along the axial direction at a circumferential position of the axial center from a surface arranged opposite the movable clutch 343c.

Since the insertion hole 343b1 is a perfect circle, the transmission gear 343b can rotate (freely rotate) relative to the cylindrical member 343a even when the cylindrical member 343a is fixed.

The movable clutch 343c includes an angle fixing hole 343c1 with a D-shaped cross section through which the cylindrical member 343a is inserted, and a clutch part 343c2 in which unevenness is formed along the axial direction at a circumferential position of the axial center from a surface arranged opposite the transmission gear 343b and which is configured to be engageable with the clutch part 343b2.

In this embodiment, the clutch parts 343b2 and 343c2 are composed of a mountain-shaped convex part and a concave part with a top angle of approximately 100°.

Since the angle fixing hole 343c1 has a D-shaped cross section, the movable clutch 343c cannot rotate relative to the cylindrical member 343a. Therefore, the driving force transmitted from the drive motor 342 to the transmission gear 343b is transmitted to the cylindrical member 343a via the movable clutch 343c by the engagement between the clutch portion 343b2 of the transmission gear 343b and the clutch portion 343c2 of the movable clutch 343c. This makes it possible to rotate the disc cam 344 (see FIG. 18) by rotating the drive motor 342.

The movable clutch 343c is normally positioned close to the transmission gear 343b by the biasing force of the coil spring 343d, and the engagement relationship between the clutch parts 343b2 and 343c2 is maintained. On the other hand, when an axial load is applied to the movable clutch 343c, it is configured to be movable along the fixed part 343a2 in a manner that moves away from the transmission gear 343b.

The disc cam 344 will be described with reference to Figure 20. Note that the left disc cam 344L and the right disc cam 344R are roughly mirror images of each other, and the only difference is the position of the detection holes 344eL and 344eR. Therefore, only the left disc cam 344L will be described, and the description of the right disc cam 344R will be omitted.

Figure 20(a) is a side view of the left disc cam 344L as viewed in the direction of the arrow XXa in Figure 18, and Figure 20(b) is a side view of the left disc cam 344L as viewed in the direction of the arrow XXb in Figure 18. Note that Figures 20(a) and 20(b) show the state in which the drive device 340 is in the first initial state as shown in Figure 18.

As shown in Figures 20(a) and 20(b), the left disk cam 344L is a member having portions projecting from both sides of a circular disk, and mainly comprises a central shaft portion 344a projecting inward in a cylindrical shape at the center of the disk, a circular rib 344b projecting inward as a ring-shaped rib centered on the central shaft portion 344a, an engagement rib 344c projecting inward as a rib of lower height than the circular rib 344b on the outside of the circular rib 344b and having portions projecting outward in the radial direction at two locations, a connecting pin 344d projecting outward in a cylindrical shape between the circular rib 344b and the engagement rib 344c and connected to the arm member 345 (see Figure 18), and a detection hole 344eL drilled near the outer periphery.

The right disc cam 344R differs only in that the detection hole 344eR is positioned at an angle of 60° to the detection hole 344eL, and is otherwise configured to have a mirror image of the shape of the left disc cam 344L.

The central shaft portion 344a has an inner periphery with a D-shaped cross section that engages with both ends of the cylindrical member 343a (see FIG. 19), and an outer periphery that is fitted into the shaft support hole 341b (see FIG. 18). In other words, the disc cam 344 is rotatably supported in the shaft support hole 341b.

The circular rib 344b is provided in a protruding position so that it can abut against the left and right wall surfaces of the motor housing portion 341a (see FIG. 18) when the disc cam 344 is supported in the support hole 341b. This makes it possible to prevent the disc cam 344 from becoming misaligned.

In the first initial state, the engagement rib 344c mainly comprises a first protruding portion 344c1 that protrudes radially outward at a position shifted 80° in the backward rotation direction (clockwise in FIG. 20(a)) from the position where the detection hole 344eL is disposed, a first retracting portion 344c2 that retracts radially inward at a position shifted by angle θ1 (angle θ1 = 50° in this embodiment) from the first protruding portion 344c1, a second protruding portion 344c3 that protrudes radially outward again at a position shifted by angle θ2 (angle θ2 = 150° in this embodiment) from the first protruding portion 344c1, and a second retracting portion 344c4 that retracts radially inward at a position shifted by angle θ3 (angle θ3 = 20° in this embodiment) from the second protruding portion 344c3.

In the first initial state of the drive device 340, the connecting pin 344d is positioned at a position that is farthest away from the shaft portion 311e of the tilting device 310 in the first state (see FIG. 22). In other words, the connecting pin 344d is disposed on the opposite side of the central shaft portion 344a to the shaft portion 311e of the tilting device 310 in the first state.

The release member 346 and the rotary claw member 347 will be described with reference to Figure 21. Note that the release member 346 and the rotary claw member 347 are arranged in a pair on the left and right, and since their configurations are the same on the left and right, only one will be described.

Figures 21(a) and 21(b) are front views of the release member 346 and the rotating claw member 347. Note that Figure 21(a) illustrates a large angle state in which the rotating claw member 347 has rotated to the end position in the biasing direction of the second spring SP2 relative to the release member 346, and Figure 21(b) illustrates a small angle state in which the rotating claw member 347 has rotated to the end position against the biasing force of the second spring SP2 relative to the release member 346.

The state in which the release member 346 rotates upon contact with the disc cam 344 is between the large angle state and the small angle state (the protruding pin 346b is positioned at the middle position of the long guide hole 347b) (see Figure 35).

As shown in Figures 21(a) and 21(b), the release member 346 is formed from a roughly rectangular plate member, and mainly comprises an axle support hole 346a that is supported by the axle portion 341c (see Figure 18), a protruding pin 346b that is protruding in the plate thickness direction in an arc shape centered on the central axis of the axle support hole 346a, an insertion hole 346c through which the end of the second spring SP2 is inserted, and an engagement portion 346d that is configured as a portion that protrudes with the maximum diameter from the axle support hole 346a.

The engaging portion 346d is configured to be able to come into contact with the engaging rib 344c (see FIG. 20) of the disc cam 344 in the assembled state (see FIG. 10). In this embodiment, the outer periphery of the engaging portion 346d is curved, allowing for smooth contact with the engaging rib 344.

The rotating claw member 347 is formed from a roughly rectangular plate member, and mainly comprises a shaft support hole 347a that is supported by the shaft portion 341c (see FIG. 18), a guide elongated hole 347b that is drilled along an arc shape centered on the central axis of the shaft support hole 347a so as to be able to guide the protruding pin 346b of the release member 346 (drilled with a size that includes the movement trajectory of the protruding pin 346b on the inside), an insertion hole 347c through which the end of the second spring SP2 is inserted, a hook-shaped portion 347d that protrudes downward in a hook-like shape at the end opposite the shaft support hole 347a, and a pull-down hole 347e that is drilled so as to be able to insert the end of the first spring (see FIG. 18).

In this embodiment, in the large angle state shown in FIG. 21(a), the release member 346 is positioned at the end position in the backward rotation direction (clockwise direction in FIG. 21(a)) relative to the rotating claw member 347. Therefore, in the large angle state, when a load is applied in the downward direction to the engaging portion 346d, the release member 346 and the rotating claw member 347 rotate together in the backward rotation direction, whereas in the large angle state, when a load is applied in the upward direction to the engaging portion 346d, only the release member 346 rotates, and the position of the rotating claw member 347 can be maintained until the small angle state shown in FIG. 21(b) is reached.

Next, an example of the operation of the operation device will be described. First, with reference to Figures 22 to 24, an example of the operation will be described in which a player performs a pushing operation when the tilting device 310 is placed in the first state. Note that in the following explanation of the example of the operation, the illustration of the lid 312 will be simplified to make it easier to understand.

Figures 22 to 24 are cross-sectional views of the operating device 300 taken along line XXII-XXII in Figure 6(a). Note that Figure 22 shows the state in which the tilt device 310 is in the first state, Figure 23 shows the state in which the player has pushed the tilt device 310 from the state shown in Figure 22 to its final position, and Figure 24 shows the state after the tilt device 310 has returned from the state shown in Figure 23 to the first state. Also, Figures 22 to 24 show an example of the player's hand repeatedly tapping the tilt device 310.

As shown in FIG. 22, the tilting device 310 receives a biasing force in the backward rotation direction (clockwise in FIG. 22) from the torsion spring 315, and the bottom plate portion 311a is hooked onto the hook-shaped portion 347d of the rotating claw member 347. This maintains the tilting device 310 in the first state. That is, in the first state, a biasing force in the backward rotation direction (clockwise in FIG. 22) is constantly acting on the tilting device 310.

In the state shown in FIG. 22, the left detection piece 311gL is inserted into the detection groove of the left detection sensor 324L (ON state), while the right detection piece 311gR is positioned in front of the detection groove of the right detection sensor 324R (OFF state, see FIG. 11).

As shown in Figure 23, when the player pushes in the tilting device 310, the tilting device 310 rotates about 3° in the forward rotation direction (counterclockwise in Figure 23). In this state, the left detection piece 311gL is inserted into the detection groove of the left detection sensor 324L (ON state), and similarly, the right detection piece 311gR is inserted into the detection groove of the right detection sensor 324R (ON state).

Therefore, by determining the change in the detection state of the left detection sensor 324L and the right detection sensor 324R, it is possible to determine that the tilt device 310 has been pushed in from the first state by the player.

When the tilting device 310 is operated by tapping repeatedly, the state shown in FIG. 22 and the state shown in FIG. 23 are repeated alternately. However, depending on the time interval between taps by the player, the torsion spring 315 may not be able to return the tilting device 310 in time, and the tilting device 310 may end up being pushed in at an intermediate position, which may cause the player to feel uncomfortable.

Conventionally, this could be addressed by increasing the spring constant of the torsion spring 315, but in this embodiment, increasing the spring constant of the torsion spring 315 requires increasing the driving force of the drive motor 342 (see FIG. 18) that presses down the tilting device 310 against the biasing force of the torsion spring 315, which necessitates an increase in the size of the drive motor 342. This causes problems such as increased product costs and the inability to save space.

In contrast, in this embodiment, when the tilting device 310 is pressed in, a voice coil motor 352 capable of producing effects through vibration motion is disposed in a position facing the protruding protrusion 311j of the tilting device 310.

As shown in FIG. 24, by driving the voice coil motor 352 in the extension direction from the state shown in FIG. 23, the return operation of the tilting device 310 can be performed quickly without increasing the spring constant of the torsion spring 315.

If the voice coil motor 352 were to always be driven when the tilt device 310 was pressed, for example, when a player pressed and held down the tilt device 310, the voice coil motor 352 would be driven, placing an unnecessary burden on the player, which could cause the player to feel uncomfortable.

In contrast, in this embodiment, when the left detection sensor 324L is in the ON state, the number of times that the right detection sensor 324R switches between the ON state and the OFF state in a specified period is calculated, and when this number is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the voice coil motor 352 is driven, thereby improving the load that resets the tilt device 310 only when the player performs a rapid-fire operation. This allows the player to operate the tilt device 310 comfortably.

25 to 30, a case where the tilting device 310 starts a reciprocating motion (tilting motion) up and down from the first state (first operation mode) will be described. 25 to 30 are cross-sectional views of the operating device 300 taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6(a).

25 shows the state in which the tilting device 310 is in the first state, FIG. 26 shows the state in which the disc cam 344 has rotated in the forward direction by a predetermined amount from the state shown in FIG. 25 and the posture of the rotating claw member 347 has changed, FIG. 27 shows the state in which the disc cam 344 has rotated in the forward direction by a predetermined amount from the state shown in FIG. 26 and the posture of the rotating claw member 347 has returned to its original state, FIG. 28 shows the state in which the tilting device 310 rotates back and forth, FIG. 29 shows the state in which the player has pushed the tilting device 310 to the end position from the state shown in FIG. 28, and FIG. 30 shows the state in which the disc cam 344 has rotated in the forward direction by a predetermined amount from the state shown in FIG. 29 and has reached the second initial state in which the second protrusion portion 344c3 of the engagement rib 344c abuts against the engagement portion 346d of the release member 346. In addition, in Figure 28, the position of the tilt device 310 in the state shown in Figure 27 is shown by an imaginary line, and in Figure 29, an example of a player's hand pressing and operating the tilt device 310 is shown by an imaginary line.

As shown in FIG. 25, when the tilting device 310 is in the first state, the upper end (prism portion) of the LED device 341f is housed inside the cylindrical member 312c of the lid 312. Therefore, while the amount of light irradiated in the radial direction of the cylindrical member 312c is limited by the thickness of the cylindrical member 312c, a large amount of light irradiated in the axial direction can be ensured. This provides the effect of the cylindrical member 312c improving the strength as a rib of the lid 312, and the effect of adjusting the light irradiation intensity of the LED device 341f when the tilting device 310 is in the first state.

As shown in FIG. 26, when the disc cam 344 is rotated in the forward rotation direction (counterclockwise direction in FIG. 26) from the state shown in FIG. 25 in which the tilting device 310 is in the first state and the drive device 340 is in the first initial state, the first protrusion 344c1 of the disc cam 344 pushes down the engagement portion 346d of the release member 346, causing the release member 346 to rotate in the backward rotation direction (clockwise direction in FIG. 26), and accordingly the rotating claw member 347 rotates in the backward rotation direction to a position where it is disengaged from the bottom plate portion 311a of the tilting device 310.

The change in the position of the release member 346 continues until the disk cam 344 rotates to a state in which the first retraction portion 344c2 of the engagement rib 344c faces the engagement portion 346d, during which the tilting device 310 rises due to the biasing force of the torsion spring 315 (rotating clockwise in Figure 26).

At this time, in the state shown in Figures 25 and 26, the shaft portion 311c of the tilting device 310 is positioned at one end position of the guide hole 345b of the arm member 345 (the end position farther from the rotation axis of the disc cam 344), and the upward movement of the tilting device 310 is restricted by the arm member 345, so that the upward movement of the tilting device 310 corresponds to the rotation angle of the disc cam 344.

As shown in FIG. 27, when the disc cam 344 rotates in the forward rotation direction (counterclockwise direction in FIG. 27) and the first retraction portion 344c2 of the disc cam 344 passes the engagement portion 346d of the release member 346, the release member 346 and the rotating claw member 347 rotate in the forward rotation direction (counterclockwise direction in FIG. 27) due to the biasing force of the first spring SP1, and the rotating claw member 347 returns to a state in which it can engage with the tilting device 310 (the state shown in FIG. 25). At this time, the biasing force of the second spring SP2 acts in a direction to increase the angle between the release member 346 and the rotating claw member 347 (the upper angle in FIG. 27), so the release member 346 and the rotating claw member 347 rotate while maintaining the state shown in FIG. 26 (large angle state).

In this state, the cover 312 retracts above the LED device 341f, and the area of the protective lens member 311i that is visible from the player's viewpoint increases compared to the tilt device 310 in the first state, so that the light from the LED device 341f can be irradiated in the forward direction (toward the player). Therefore, by changing the position of the tilt device 310, the direction of the light irradiated from the LED device 341f can be changed, improving the light presentation effect.

In this state, the right detection sensor 353R of the protective cover device 350 is turned ON, making it possible to detect the starting point of the up-down reciprocating movement.

As shown in FIG. 28, by repeatedly rotating the disc cam 344 a predetermined amount in the forward direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 28) from the state shown in FIG. 27 and then rotating the disc cam 344 the same amount in the backward direction (clockwise in FIG. 28), the tilt device 310 can be repeatedly moved up and down within the range of angle D1 shown in FIG. 28. This can change the way the tilt device 310 appears to the player, and can increase the player's attention to the operating device 300.

In addition, the area of the portion of the protective lens member 313 that protrudes above the upper frame member 331 changes in response to the repeated up and down movement of the tilting device 310 within the range of angle D1. Therefore, the amount of light that is visible through the protective lens member 313 out of the light irradiated from the LED device 341f can be changed in response to the movement of the tilting device 310. This allows the brightness of the tilting device 310 to be changed, and the player's attention to the operating device 300 can be increased.

In the state shown in FIG. 28, the spherical shell portion 313a of the lens member 313 is disposed on the front side of the LED device 341f (left side of FIG. 28), so the range of light emitted from the LED device 341f can be expanded not only in the front-back and up-down directions, but also in the left-right direction (perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 28).

According to this embodiment, as described above, when the tilting device 310 is placed in the first state, the light of the LED device 341f travels upward, and the irradiation range is narrowed by the cylindrical member 312c (see FIG. 25). In contrast, when the tilting device 310 moves upward from the first state, the light of the LED device 341f is also irradiated in the direction toward the player (front direction), and the irradiation range is widened by the lens member 313.

In other words, according to this embodiment, not only can the light irradiation direction be changed in accordance with the change in the posture of the tilting device 310, but the light irradiation range can also be changed at the same time. This can increase the attention given to the tilting device 310.

As shown in Figure 29, when the tilting device 310 is moving up and down as in Figure 28, the player can push in and operate the tilting device 310. In the state of Figure 28, the load applied to the tilting device 310 by the arm member 345 is only the load in the direction of lowering the tilting device 310 (even if the arm member 345 moves in the upward direction, the shaft portion 311c simply moves through the guide hole 345b of the arm member 345, and no load is generated).

Therefore, when a player pushes in the tilting device 310 in the state shown in FIG. 28, it is possible to prevent the load from being applied to the player due to the driving force of the drive motor 342 (see FIG. 18). At this time, the player is only subjected to the load from the biasing force of the torsion spring 315. This prevents a large load from being applied to the player when the player pushes in the tilting device 310, allowing the player to operate the operating device 300 comfortably.

As shown in Figure 29, in the process of pushing the tilting device 310 from the state shown in Figure 28 to the end of its pushing, the bottom plate portion 311a of the tilting device 310 pushes the hook portion 347d of the rotating claw member 347, causing the rotating claw member 347 to rotate in the backward rotation direction (clockwise direction in Figure 29), and when the bottom plate portion 311a passes the hook portion 347d by subsequently pushing the tilting device 310, the rotating claw member 347 returns to a position where it can engage with the tilting device 310 (rotates in the forward rotation direction). Therefore, the tilting device 310 is restricted from moving upward by the rotating claw member 347.

Therefore, after the player presses down on the tilting device 310 from the state in which the tilting device 310 moves up and down as shown in FIG. 28, if the player releases his/her hand, the tilting device 310 can be maintained in the first state.

In the state shown in FIG. 29, the voice coil motor 352 performs a vibration operation (repeats movement in the extension direction and movement in the contraction direction). This allows an effect in which vibration is transmitted to the player who continues to place their hand on the tilt device 310 after pushing the tilt device 310 all the way to the end.

In other words, the voice coil motor 352 can be used to generate a driving force that assists in lifting the tilting device 310 (see FIG. 24) and to create a vibration effect by vibrating the tilting device 310 that is positioned at the end of the push-in position.

As shown in FIG. 30, when the player releases the tilting device 310 and the tilting device 310 returns to the first state, the protruding protrusion 311j of the tilting device 310 sinks into the underside of the lower frame member 320, and the contact with the voice coil motor 352 is released. Therefore, the vibration effect is only effective when the player has pushed the tilting device 310 to the end.

Therefore, compared to gaming machines in which the operation button simply vibrates, when the tilt device 310 is pressed, only the player who operates the tilt device 310 can know whether or not vibration is generated by the voice coil motor 352 at the end of the press.

Here, whether or not the lottery results in a jackpot does not depend on the operation of pushing the tilting device 310. Therefore, some players may not operate the tilting device 310 at all, in which case the value of the tilting device 310 as an operating means is reduced.

In contrast, this embodiment is configured in such a way that the player can feel the vibration of the voice coil motor 352 only by pushing in the tilt device 310.

Here, for example, by controlling the voice coil motor 352 to vibrate when a jackpot is confirmed, the sense of anticipation when the player presses the tilting device 310 can be increased, and the value of the tilting device 310 as a means of reading ahead can be improved. This makes it easier for the player to operate the tilting device 310, and increases the value of the tilting device 310 as a means of operation.

As shown in FIG. 30, the drive unit 340 can be brought into the second initial state by rotating the disc cam 344 a predetermined amount in the forward rotation direction (counterclockwise direction in FIG. 29) from the state shown in FIG. 29 until the second protrusion 344c1 abuts against the engagement portion 346d of the release member 346.

The second initial state is a state in which the engagement rib 344c and the release member 346 abut in the rotational direction, similar to the first initial state. In the first initial state, the first protrusion 344c1 abuts against the engagement rib 344c, while in the second initial state, the second protrusion 344c3 abuts against the engagement rib 344c.

The driving device 340 can be returned from the state shown in FIG. 29 to the first initial state shown in FIG. 25 by rotating the disc cam 344 in the backward rotation direction (clockwise direction in FIG. 29) from the state shown in FIG. 29 until the first protrusion 344c1 of the engagement rib 344c passes the engagement portion 346d and then rotating it in the reverse direction. In this case, a load is applied to the release member 346 in a direction that pushes up the release member 346, and only the release member 346 can be rotated in the forward rotation direction (counterclockwise direction in FIG. 29) while maintaining the position of the rotating claw member 347.

Next, with reference to Figures 31 to 34, a case (second operating mode) in which the tilting device 310 is moved up and down (tilting operation) from a state in which the tilting device 310 is in the first state and the drive device 340 is in the second initial state will be described. In this case, the tilting device 310 starts a reciprocating operation (tilting operation) up and down via the second state.

Figures 31 to 34 are cross-sectional views of the operating device 300 taken along line XXII-XXII in Figure 6(a). Figure 31 shows the state in which the disc cam 344 is rotated forward (counterclockwise in Figure 31) from the state shown in Figure 30, and the release member 346 and the rotating claw member 347 are rotated backward (clockwise in Figure 31). Figure 32 shows the state in which the disc cam 344 is rotated a predetermined amount from the state shown in Figure 31 and the tilting device 310 reaches the second state. Figure 33 shows the state in which the disc cam 344 rotates back and forth from the state shown in Figure 32, and Figure 34 shows the state in which the player pushes the tilting device 310 to the end position from the state shown in Figure 33. Also, in Figure 33, the position of the tilting device 310 in the state shown in Figure 32 is shown by an imaginary line, and in Figure 34, an example of the player's hand pushing the tilting device 310 is shown by an imaginary line.

As shown in Figure 31, when the disc cam 344 is rotated in the forward direction (counterclockwise in Figure 31) from the state shown in Figure 30, the engagement between the rotating claw member 347 and the tilting device 310 is released, and the tilting device 310 moves in the upward direction.

At this time, the guide hole 345b of the arm member 345 extends (has space) in the direction in which the shaft portion 311c of the tilting device 310 moves, so the tilting device 310 is not pulled by the disc cam 344 via the arm member 345, and the tilting device 310 can be raised with low resistance, and the tilting device 310 can be changed from the first state to the second state in a short time.

As shown in FIG. 32, by rotating the disc cam 344 by approximately 10 degrees from the state shown in FIG. 31 (a state in which the tilting device 310 and the rotating claw member 347 are disengaged), the attitude of the disc cam 344 can be set to an attitude in which the tilting device 310 can be placed in the second state (an attitude in which the disc cam 344 is rotated 180 degrees from the first initial state). Therefore, when the tilting device 310 rises at a high speed and attempts to reach the second state from the state shown in FIG. 30 in a short period of time, it is possible to prevent the disc cam 344 from interfering with the state change (the disc cam 344 rotates slowly by the specified angle, and it takes a long time for the tilting device 310 to reach the second state).

As shown in FIG. 33, by repeatedly rotating the disc cam 344 a predetermined amount in the forward direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 32) from the state shown in FIG. 32 and then rotating the disc cam 344 the same amount in the backward direction (clockwise in FIG. 32), the tilt device 310 can be repeatedly moved up and down within the range of angle D2 shown in FIG. 33. This can change the way the tilt device 310 appears to the player, and can increase the player's attention to the operating device 300.

In addition, the area of the portion of the protective lens member 313 that protrudes above the upper frame member 331 changes in response to the repeated up and down movement of the tilting device 310 within the range of angle D2. Therefore, the amount of light that is visible through the protective lens member 313 out of the light irradiated from the LED device 341f can be changed in response to the movement of the tilting device 310. This allows the brightness of the tilting device 310 to be changed, and the player's attention to the operating device 300 can be increased.

In the state shown in FIG. 33, the spherical shell portion 313a of the lens member 313 is disposed on the front side of the LED device 341f (left side of FIG. 33), so the range of light emitted from the LED device 341f can be expanded not only in the front-back and up-down directions, but also in the left-right direction (perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 33).

In other words, according to this embodiment, not only can the light irradiation direction be changed in accordance with the change in the posture of the tilting device 310, but the light irradiation range can also be changed at the same time. This can increase the attention given to the tilting device 310.

The range of angle D2 shown in FIG. 33 is different from the range of angle D1 shown in FIG. 28. That is, in this embodiment, as the manner of up-down movement of the tilting device 310, two types of up-down movement (tilting movement), the up-down movement shown in FIG. 28 and the up-down movement shown in FIG. 33, can be performed immediately after the restriction on the upward movement of the tilting device 310 by the rotating claw member 347 is released. Therefore, two types of manners can be created in which the tilting device 310 in the first state is operated by the driving force of the drive motor 342.

This allows the operating member 310 to have a different meaning (e.g., a different sense of anticipation of a big win) in its operating mode compared to when the operating member 310 performs the same action every time, and can increase the player's attention to the tilting device 310.

As shown in Figure 33, when the tilting device 310 is moving up and down as in Figure 32, the player can push in and operate the tilting device 310. In the state of Figure 33, the load applied to the tilting device 310 from the arm member 345 is only a load in the direction of pulling the tilting device 310 downward (even if the arm member 345 moves in the upward direction, the shaft portion 311c only moves through the guide hole 345b of the arm member 345, and no load is generated that lifts the shaft portion 311c from the arm member 345).

Therefore, when a player pushes in the tilting device 310 in the state shown in FIG. 33, it is possible to prevent the load from being applied to the player due to the driving force of the drive motor 342 (see FIG. 18). At this time, the player is only subjected to the load from the biasing force of the torsion spring 315. This prevents a large load from being applied to the player when the player pushes in the tilting device 310, allowing the player to operate the operating device 300 comfortably.

As shown in Figure 34, in the process of pushing the tilting device 310 to the pushed-in state, the bottom plate portion 311a of the tilting device 310 pushes the hook portion 347d of the rotating claw member 347, causing the rotating claw member 347 to rotate in the backward rotation direction (clockwise direction in Figure 34), and then the tilting device 310 is pushed in so that the bottom plate portion 311a passes the hook portion 347d. The rotating claw member 347 returns to a position where it can engage with the tilting device 310 (rotates in the forward rotation direction). Therefore, the tilting device 310 is restricted from moving upward by the rotating claw member 347.

Therefore, after the player presses down on the tilting device 310 from the state shown in FIG. 33 where the tilting device 310 moves up and down (see FIG. 34), if the player releases his/her hand, the tilting device 310 can be maintained in the first state.

Next, referring to Figures 35 to 37, we will explain the operation of returning the disk cam 344 to the second initial state after the player performs a pushing operation without releasing the restriction of the tilting device 310 by the rotating claw member 347. This method makes it possible to alternate between the two types of up and down movements (tilting movements) of the tilting device 310, or to perform one of them continuously.

35 to 37 are cross-sectional views of the operating device 300 taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 6(a). FIG. 35 shows a state in which the disc cam 344 is rotated in the backward rotation direction (clockwise in FIG. 35) from the state shown in FIG. 34 and the release member 346 is rotated in the forward rotation direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 35). FIG. 36 shows a state in which the rotating cam 344 is rotated in the backward rotation direction (clockwise in FIG. 35) beyond the state shown in FIG. 35 and then rotated in the forward rotation direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 35) to a position where the disc cam 344 abuts against the engagement portion 346d of the release member 346. FIG. 37 shows a state in which the disc cam 344 is rotated in the forward rotation direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 36) from the state shown in FIG. 36 and the left detection sensor 353L of the protective cover device 350 is turned on. In addition, in Figures 35 to 37, an example of a player's hand swinging from above onto the tilting device 310 is shown in imaginary lines.

As shown in Figure 35, when the disk cam 344 is rotated backward (clockwise in Figure 34) from the state shown in Figure 34, the second retraction portion 344c4 of the engagement rib 344c comes into contact with the engagement portion 346d of the release member 346. In this case, the engagement rib 344c pushes up the release member 346, changing the position of the release member 346, but the protruding pin 346b of the release member 346 only moves in the space of the guide elongated hole 347b of the rotating claw member 347, and the rotating claw member 347 is maintained in the position shown in Figure 35.

In other words, by further rotating the disc cam 344 in the rearward direction (clockwise in FIG. 35) from the state shown in FIG. 35, the restriction of the lift of the tilting device 310 by the rotating claw member 347 can be maintained in the process of releasing the engagement between the engagement rib 344c and the release member 346.

From the state shown in FIG. 35, the disk cam 344 is further rotated in the backward direction (clockwise in FIG. 35), and then the rotating cam 344 is rotated in the forward direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 35), thereby bringing the drive unit 340 into the second initial state as shown in FIG. 36.

In this embodiment, since there is no sensor to detect the second initial state, it is difficult to accurately stop the disc cam 344 in the state shown in FIG. 36, but it is possible to go through the second initial state shown in FIG. 36. Therefore, by operating the disc cam 344 from the state shown in FIG. 36, it is possible to perform up and down movement (tilting movement) from the second initial state within the range of angle D2, as described above.

Here, a player who presses the tilt device 310 may keep their hand on the tilt device 310 after pressing it, even if there is no special display such as "long press."

This is an action that occurs, for example, when a person is so focused on the performance that they forget to release the hand that has been pressing down on the tilting device 310. In this case, even if the restriction by the rotating claw member 347 is released, the tilting device 310 does not rise, so even if the disc cam 344 performs a reciprocating motion (forward/reverse switching motion) to move the tilting device 310 up and down (tilting motion) within the range of angle D2, the position of the tilting device 310 cannot be changed. In this case, the rotation of the drive motor 342 is wasted, and if this rotation could be omitted, the life of the drive motor 342 could be extended.

Therefore, in this embodiment, when the disc cam 344 is rotated in the forward direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 36) from the state shown in FIG. 36, while the left side detection sensor 324L (see FIG. 15) of the lower frame member 320 maintains the ON state (while the tilting device 310 is tilted to the first state or below), the disc cam 344 is not rotated in the reverse direction, and is controlled to stop the rotation of the disc cam 344 (stop driving the drive motor 342) in the first initial state of the drive device 340 in which the left side detection sensor 353L (see FIG. 14) of the protective cover device 350 is in the ON state, as shown in FIG. 37.

In the states shown in Figures 36 and 37, the tilting device 310 does not rise because the player's hand is placed above the tilting device 310. In this case, the change from the state shown in Figure 36 to the state shown in Figure 37 occurs by rotating the drive motor 342 in one direction.

As a result, as shown in Figures 35 to 37, it is possible to avoid having the drive motor 342 move back and forth (switch between forward and reverse) when the player's hand remains on the upper side of the tilt device 310 and the tilt device 310 cannot be moved up or down, thereby reducing the burden on the drive motor 342 and extending the motor's lifespan.

When the disc cam 344 is rotated a predetermined amount (to the state shown in FIG. 31) from the state shown in FIG. 36, if the left side detection sensor 324L (see FIG. 15) remains ON, the disc cam 344 may not be rotated as is, but may be controlled to immediately rotate in the reverse direction to return to the state shown in FIG. 36. This allows the drive unit 340 to be quickly returned to the second initial state, and unnecessary load is not placed on the drive unit 340, thereby extending the motor life of the drive motor 342 (see FIG. 18).

With reference to Figures 38 and 39, we will explain the measures taken to prevent damage to the drive device 340. Figure 38 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device 300 taken along line XXII-XXII in Figure 6(a), and Figure 39 is a partial cross-sectional view of the operating device 300 taken along line XXXIX-XXXIX in Figure 38. Note that in Figure 38, the player's hands are shown in imaginary lines grabbing and fixing the tilt device 310 when it is in the second state, and in Figure 39, the upper member of the main body cover 351 is omitted from illustration.

As shown in Figure 38, when a player grabs and fixes the tilting device 310, the movement of the arm member 345 is restricted, so the disc cam 344 cannot be rotated from the position shown in Figure 38. Therefore, when the drive motor 342 (see Figure 39) starts to rotate, a high load is generated between the drive motor 342 and the transmission gear 343b, and if left unattended, the drive motor 342 (see Figure 18) may break down.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the transmission gear 343b is configured to be able to rotate freely relative to the transmission shaft rod 343a that fixes the disc cam 344, so that the drive motor 342 can be prevented from breaking down.

That is, as shown in FIG. 39, when the drive motor 342 starts driving with the disc cam 344 fixed, the transmission gear 343b is urged in the rotational direction, so that power is transmitted via the clutch portions 343b2 and 343c2, and the movable clutch 343c moves in a direction away from the transmission gear 343b. This disengages the transmission gear 343b from the movable clutch 343c, allowing the transmission gear 343b to spin freely. This makes it possible to prevent the drive motor 342 from breaking down.

When the player is not gripping the tilting device 310, the tilting device 310 will go through the first state if the disc cam 344 is rotated once due to the configuration of the operation device 300. Therefore, in this embodiment, if the left side detection sensor 324L of the lower frame member 320 does not turn ON (the tilting device 310 does not go into the first state) while the drive motor 342 is rotated a predetermined angle (e.g., 360°), it is determined that the player is intentionally performing an unnecessary operation of gripping and fixing the tilting device 310, and the rotation of the drive motor 342 is stopped while a message is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 to notify the player to stop the gripping action.

This makes it possible to select the cases where the player is intentionally performing an incorrect operation and, only at that time, to notify the player to stop the incorrect operation, and also to stop the drive motor 342 early on to prevent breakdowns.

When the transmission gear 343b and the movable clutch 343c separate and a phase shift occurs, the initial phase of the drive motor and the initial phase of the disk cam 344, which has the same phase as the movable clutch 343c, shift. Therefore, if the drive motor 342 is controlled continuously (by the number of steps, etc.) from the state before the phase shift occurred, the disk cam 344 cannot be operated accurately (the phase shift cannot be corrected).

In contrast, in this embodiment, by detecting that the left side detection sensor 353L of the protective cover member 350 has entered the ON state, it is possible to determine that the drive unit 340 has entered the first initial state, and by resuming control of the drive motor 352 with this state as the initial position (resetting the initial phase of the drive motor 342), control can be performed with the phase of the drive motor 342 and the phase of the disc cam 344 once again aligned, even after a phase shift occurs between the transmission gear 343b and the movable clutch 343c.

This prevents a mismatch between the operation that the tilting device 310 is intended to perform by controlling the rotation of the drive motor 342 and the operation that the tilting device 310 actually performs when the tilting device 310 is operated to perform a performance. Therefore, even after a phase mismatch occurs between the transmission gear 343b and the movable clutch 343c, the tilting device 310 can be operated appropriately to perform a performance.

As shown in FIG. 39, the movable clutch 343c is configured to rotate freely relative to the transmission gear 343b regardless of the direction of rotation of the transmission gear 343b. The necessity for this will be explained below.

Figures 40, 41, 42, and 43 are cross-sectional views of the operating device 300 taken along line XXII-XXII in Figure 6(a). Note that Figure 40 illustrates a state in which the disc cam 344 has rotated 180 degrees in the forward rotation direction (arrow CCW direction) from the state shown in Figure 38, and Figure 41 illustrates a state in which the disc cam 344 has further rotated in the arrow CCW direction from the state shown in Figure 40. Also, Figure 42 illustrates a state in which the disc cam 344 has rotated 180 degrees in the backward rotation direction (arrow CW direction) from the state shown in Figure 38, and Figure 43 illustrates a state in which the disc cam 344 has further rotated in the arrow CW direction from the state shown in Figure 42.

As shown in Figure 41, when the disc cam 344 rotates in the direction of the arrow CCW, the tilting device 310 moves up through the first state shown in Figure 40 toward the second state. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 43, when the disc cam 344 rotates in the direction of the arrow CW, the tilting device 310 is configured to remain in the first state shown in Figure 42 and maintain that state.

This is not only because the engagement rib 344c operates in a manner that moves away from the release member 346 as it moves from the state shown in FIG. 42 to the state shown in FIG. 43, but also because when the disc cam 344 rotates in the direction of the arrow CW, the fixation by the rotating claw member 347 is not released even if the engagement rib 344c abuts against the release member 346. That is, when the disc cam 344 rotates in the direction of the arrow CW, the engagement rib 344c abuts against the release member 346 from below, but in this case, the release member 346 is lifted up by the engagement rib 344c, and no load is generated in the direction pushing up the rotating claw member 347. Therefore, the fixation by the rotating claw member 347 is not released.

When the operation of the tilting device 310 is viewed from the player's perspective, the operations from FIG. 38 to the first state shown in FIG. 40 and FIG. 42 appear to be the same, but the movement from the first state onwards becomes a different operation as shown in either FIG. 41 or FIG. 43.

For example, the difference in the operation after the tilting device 310 reaches the first state may be caused by controlling the drive motor 342 (see FIG. 39); however, the difference in the change in the drive sound caused by the change in the rotation speed of the drive motor 342 may make the player aware of the type of control being performed, allowing the player to understand the performance that is about to be performed, which may reduce the player's interest. Also, if the operation of suddenly stopping the tilting device 310 is performed by suddenly stopping the drive motor 342, the burden placed on the drive motor 342 becomes large, and the durability of the drive motor 342 may be reduced.

In contrast, according to this embodiment, when the tilting device 310 moves from the state shown in FIG. 38 toward the first state and the subsequent operation of the tilting device 310 is changed, only the direction of rotation of the drive motor 342 changes, so it is possible to make it difficult for the player to grasp the direction of rotation from the drive mode (vibration, sound, etc.). Therefore, for example, when the expectation of the performance changes depending on whether the tilting device 310 rises from the first state or the tilting device 310 is maintained in the first state, it is possible to prevent the player from grasping the change in expectation while the tilting device 310 is moving toward the first state. This can improve attention to the operation of the tilting device 310.

On the other hand, when the tilting device 310 reaches the first state and the drive motor 342 rotates further, the player can grasp the change in the expectation of the presentation by checking whether the tilting device 310 rises up or remains in the first state, so the player can be encouraged to watch the movement of the tilting device 310 when it reaches the second state (see Figure 38) and is moved by the drive motor 342 toward the first state.

In other words, when the tilting device 310 is in the second state, the player can be prevented from gripping the tilting device 310, and therefore it is possible to prevent the tilting device 310 and the drive device 340 from being overloaded due to the player operating the drive motor 342 incorrectly.

In addition, since there is no need to suddenly stop the drive motor 342 (see FIG. 39) in order to produce the effect of suddenly stopping the tilting device 310, it is possible to eliminate the burden placed on the drive motor 342 when the drive motor 342 is suddenly stopped, and it is possible to improve the durability of the drive motor 342.

Next, referring to Figure 44, we will explain a case where the tilting device 310 moves up and down without being restricted by the rotating claw member 347 even when the player presses down on the tilting device 310 (third operating mode).

Figure 44 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device 300 taken along line XXII-XXII in Figure 6(a). Note that Figure 44 illustrates a state in which the disc cam 344 has been rotated a predetermined amount in the forward direction (counterclockwise in Figure 44) from the first initial state of the drive device 340 (see Figure 25), and also illustrates with imaginary lines the outline of the tilt device 310 after the disc cam 344 has been rotated in the backward direction (clockwise in Figure 44) at an angle such that the first protrusion 344c1 does not pass through the engagement portion 346d of the release member 346.

As shown in FIG. 44, when the release member 346 is pressed down by the first protrusion 344c1 of the disc cam 344, the disc cam 344 is rotated back and forth while maintaining a positional relationship in which the first protrusion 344c1 and the first retraction portion 344c2 do not pass through the engagement portion 346d of the release member 346, so that the tilting device 310 can be moved back and forth up and down while maintaining the position of the release member 346.

In this case, the posture of the rotating claw member 347 is maintained in a state rotated in the backward direction (clockwise in Figure 44) in accordance with the change in posture of the release member 346, so when the tilting device 310 moves up and down in the manner shown in Figure 44, even if the player pushes in the tilting device 310, the tilting device 310 and the rotating claw member 347 do not engage, and when the player releases his or her hand, the tilting device 310 moves upward from the first state (the position where the tilting device 310 is restricted from rising when the rotating claw member 347 engages with the tilting device 310) and continues to move up and down.

For this reason, for example, by providing a difference in presentation between the first and second operation modes described above and the third operation mode shown in FIG. 44 as the operation modes of the tilt device 310, it is possible to give a different meaning to the operation of the operating device 300 than in the past. That is, according to this embodiment, the player presses in the tilt device 310 and then releases the tilt device 310, and only then can the player know whether the tilt device 310 has been moving up and down in the first or second operation mode, or in the third operation mode.

As a difference in presentation, if a difference is provided in which the expectation of a jackpot is higher when the tilting device 310 moves up and down in the first or second operation mode (when the tilting device 310 is pressed down and then released, and the tilting device 310 is maintained in the first state) than when the tilting device 310 moves up and down in the third operation mode (when the tilting device 310 continues to move up and down even after the tilting device 310 is pressed down and then released), the player can have the opportunity to recognize the expectation of whether or not a jackpot will occur not only when pressing the tilting device 310, but also when releasing the hand from the tilting device 310, so that more opportunities can be provided for the player to pay attention to the operation device 300. This can increase the attention paid to the operation device 300.

Next, the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 45 to 49. In the first embodiment, the state of the rotating claw member 347 is maintained when the release member 346 is pushed up. However, in the second embodiment, the operating device 2300 is configured such that the drive unit 2340 includes a sliding claw member 2348, and the sliding claw member 2348 slides when the release member 2346 is pushed up. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted. First, the differences from the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 45 and 46.

Figure 45(a) is a side view of the slide claw member 2348 in the second embodiment, Figure 45(b) is a side view of the rotating plate member 2347, and Figure 45(c) is a side view of the release member 2346.

Figures 46(a) and 46(b) are side views of the release member 2346, the rotating plate member 2347, and the sliding claw member 2348, showing the interlocking of the release member 2346, the rotating plate member 2347, and the sliding claw member 2348.

Figure 46 (a) shows a large angle state in which the rotating plate member 2347 has rotated to the end position in the biasing direction of the second spring SP2 relative to the release member 2346, and Figure 46 (b) shows a small angle state in which the rotating plate member 2347 has rotated to the end position against the biasing force of the second spring SP2 relative to the release member 2346. Note that the state in which the release member 2346 rotates by contacting the disc cam 344 is between the large angle state and the small angle state (the protruding pin 346b is positioned at the middle position of the long guide hole 347b) (see Figure 48).

As shown in Figures 45 and 46, the driving device 2340 (see Figure 47) mainly includes a release member 2346, a rotating plate member 2347, and a sliding claw member 2348 that is disposed on the opposite side of the release member 2346 across the rotating plate member 2347 and is configured to be able to slide along an arcuate path centered on the rotation axis of the tilting device 2310 (see Figure 47) as functional members that are pivotally supported by the shaft portion 341c (see Figure 47). Note that in the release member 2346, the rotating plate member 2347, and the sliding claw member 2348, components that have the same functions as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 45(a), the sliding claw member 2348 mainly comprises a curved portion 2348a formed from a curved shape in such a manner that it is slidably fitted into the rail portion 2347f, a hook-shaped portion 2348b that protrudes forward (to the left in FIG. 45) in a hook-like shape from the upper end of the curved portion 2348a, a reinforcing portion 2348c that is arranged in a layered manner in the thickness direction of the curved portion 2348a and the hook-shaped portion 2348b (perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 47(a)) and is formed from a curved plate shape that is wider than the curved portion 2348a, and a protruding pin 2348d that protrudes in a cylindrical shape from the lower end of the reinforcing portion 2348c toward the release member 2346.

The width of the curved portion 2348a is set to be slightly shorter than the separation width of the rail portion 2347f. Therefore, when the curved portion 2348a of the sliding claw member 2348 is fitted inside the rail portion 2347f, it is configured to be slidable relative to the rotating plate member 2347.

The hook-shaped portion 2348b has a shape similar to that of the hook-shaped portion 347d of the first embodiment, and a magnetic material is disposed on its underside. This magnetic material is a magnetic material for generating a magnetic force that attracts the bottom plate portion 2311a of the tilting device 2310 described later.

The reinforcing portion 2348c is a portion that faces the surface of the rotating plate member 2347 opposite the surface that faces the sliding claw member 2348 in the assembled state (see FIG. 46), and is formed wider than the curved portion 2348a, thereby reinforcing the sliding claw member 2348.

The protruding pin 2348d is a cylindrical member that is inserted into the functional long hole 2346e of the release member 2346, and is composed of a metal rod that is inserted and fixed to the main plate portion 2348e. When the release member 2346 rotates relative to the rotating plate member 2347, the protruding pin 2348d is pressed against the side of the functional long hole 2346e, and the sliding claw member 2348 slides.

The rotating plate member 2347 has a shaft support hole 347a, a guide elongated hole 347b, an insertion hole 347c, a pull-down hole 347e, as well as a rail portion 2347f that guides the sliding movement of the slide claw member 2348 and a support elongated hole 2347g through which the protruding pin 2348d of the slide claw member 2348 is inserted.

The rail portion 2347f is formed from a pair of plate-shaped portions extending from the upper end of the rotating plate member 2347, and the opposing side surfaces of the pair of plate-shaped portions are formed from a curved shape along an arc centered on the shaft portion 314 (see Figure 47) when the rotating plate member 2347 is positioned at the end position in the forward rotation direction (counterclockwise in Figure 46).

Like rail portion 2347f, support elongated hole 2347g is formed from a curved shape along an arc centered on shaft portion 314 (see FIG. 47). When slide claw member 2348 is slid with protruding pin 2348d inserted into support elongated hole 2347g, slide claw member 2348 can be supported by rail portion 2347f and support elongated hole 2347g, and wobbling of slide claw member 2348 can be suppressed.

The release member 2346 has a shaft support hole 346a, a protruding pin 346b, an insertion hole 346c, an engagement portion 346d, and a functional elongated hole 2346e that is a long hole drilled in the thickness direction.

The functional long hole 2346e is configured as a long hole slightly wider than the diameter of the protruding pin 2348d of the slide claw member 2348, and mainly comprises a first long hole portion 2346e1 configured as a curved shape along an arc centered on the shaft support hole 346a, and a second long hole portion 2346e2 extending from one end of the first long hole portion 2346e in a direction inclined toward the opposite direction of the shaft support hole 346a.

As shown in FIG. 46, when the release member 2346 rotates relative to the rotating plate member 2347 and changes state between the large angle state and the small angle state, the sliding claw member 2348 slides along the curved shape of the rail portion 2347f.

The functional slot 2346e is configured as a slot that is slightly wider than the diameter of the protruding pin 2348d, so there is no time delay with respect to the movement of the release member 2346, and the movement speed of the release member 2346 is directly reflected in the movement speed of the protruding pin 2348d.

In other words, if the release member 2346 is rotated quickly, the sliding claw member 2348 will slide quickly, whereas if the speed at which the release member 2346 is rotated is slowed down, the operating speed of the sliding claw member 2348 will also be slowed down.

As shown in FIG. 46(a), in the large angle state, even if the sliding claw member 2348 is pulled in the sliding direction, the first arc portion 2346e1 is shaped along an arc centered on the pivot hole 346a, so the load applied from the protruding pin 2348d to the functional long hole 2346e is directed in a linear direction passing through the pivot hole 346a. Therefore, no force is generated to rotate the release member 2346, and the sliding claw member 2348 can be prevented from sliding.

In other words, in this embodiment, although the sliding claw member 2347 may slide when the release member 2346 rotates, the sliding claw member 2347 will not slide when pulled in the large angle state. Therefore, as in the first embodiment, when the tilting device 2310 is placed in the first state, the sliding claw member 2348 can be engaged with the tilting device 2310 to restrict the lifting of the tilting device 2310.

Figures 47 to 49 are drawings illustrating the change in the posture of the tilting device 2310 in time series, and are cross-sectional views of the operating device 2300 taken along a line corresponding to line XXII-XXII in Figure 6(a). Note that Figure 47 illustrates a state in which the second retraction portion 344c4 of the disc cam 344 is disposed below the engagement portion 346d of the release member 2346, Figure 48 illustrates a state in which the disc cam 344 is rotated in the backward rotation direction (clockwise in Figure 47) from the state shown in Figure 47, and the engagement portion 346d of the release member 2346 is pushed up, and Figure 49 illustrates a state in which the disc cam 344 is rotated in the backward rotation direction (clockwise in Figure 48) from the state shown in Figure 48, and the release member 2346 is returned by the biasing force of the second spring SP2.

In this embodiment, the bottom plate portion 2311a of the tilting device 2310 is fixed to the upper side surface near the lower edge of the opening 311b and is equipped with a magnet portion 2311a1 made of a magnetic material.

In the state shown in FIG. 47, the magnet portion 2311a1 and the hook portion 2348b are attracted to each other by magnetic force. When the player pushes in the tilting device 2310 from this state, the tilting device 2310 changes its position, causing the magnet portion 2311a1 and the hook portion 2348b to release their attraction, so no large load is applied from the tilting device 2310 to the sliding claw member 2348.

As shown in FIG. 48, when the release member 2346 is pushed up, the sliding claw member 2348 slides upward in conjunction with the movement. At this time, the magnet portion 2311a1 and the hook portion 2348b are attracted to each other by magnetic force, so when the release member 2346 moves quickly, the tilting device 2310 also moves quickly.

Therefore, by sliding the sliding claw member 2348 at a speed different from the speed at which the tilting device 2310 rotates in the upward direction due to the biasing force of the torsion spring 315, the sliding claw member 2348 can be rotated in the backward rotation direction (clockwise in Figure 48) to move the tilting device 2310 upward at a speed different from the upward movement when the restriction on the upward movement of the tilting device 2310 is released (fourth operating mode). In other words, the speed at which the tilting device 2310 moves in the upward direction can be changed.

As shown in FIG. 49, when the engagement between the disc cam 344 and the release member 2346 is released, the release member 2346 rotates backward (clockwise in FIG. 48) due to the biasing force of the second spring SP2. This returns the slide claw member 2348 to the first state.

By enabling the operation modes shown in Figs. 47 to 49, the tilting device 2310 can be operated in four operation modes, in addition to the first to third operation modes described in the first embodiment. The more operation modes there are, the easier it becomes for a player to use the operation device 2300 as a means of predicting the outcome by associating the operation mode with the expectation of a jackpot, and this can increase the attention the operation device 2300 receives from players.

In addition, according to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 48, when the tilting device 2310 is raised by the lifting of the sliding claw member 2348, the tilting device 2310 is lifted by magnetic attraction between the hook-shaped portion 2348b of the sliding claw member 2348 and the magnet portion 2311a1 of the tilting device 2310. Therefore, by ensuring a large magnetic force, the load applied to the tilting device 2310 can be increased compared to when the tilting device 2310 is lifted by the biasing force of the torsion spring 315.

In other words, normally, when a player places his/her hand on the top of the tilting device 2310, the weight of the hand prevents the tilting device 2310 from rising when the restriction by the sliding claw member 2348 is released (even if the force of the torsion spring 315 is not large enough to lift the weight of the hand), if the magnetic force is large enough to lift the weight of the hand, the tilting device 2310 can be raised in a manner that lifts the player's hand in the state shown in FIG. 48.

This allows for a difference in the load in the upward direction (the force that tries to maintain the position of the tilting device 2310 against the downward load) when the tilting device 2310 is raised. Therefore, a player who places his/her hand on the top of the tilting device 2310 before pushing the tilting device 2310 can feel the difference in the load.

For example, by associating the difference in load with the expectation of a jackpot, players can more easily use the operation device 2300 as a means of predicting what will happen next, thereby increasing the attention the operation device 2300 commands from players.

Next, the third embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 50 to 52. In the first embodiment, the detection sensors 324L, 324R are capable of detecting whether the tilt device 310 is in the first state or in a state pressed in by the player. However, the operation device 3300 in the third embodiment is configured in such a manner that the detection sensors 324L, 324R are capable of detecting whether the tilt device 3310 is in an intermediate state between the first state and a state pressed in by the player, or in a state pressed in by the player. 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 50 is a side view of the tilting device 3310 in the third embodiment. As shown in Figure 50, the tilting device 3310 includes a right detection piece 311gR extending downward from the bottom plate portion 311a of the case body 3311, and a left detection piece 3311gL extending at the same position as the left detection piece 311gL in the first embodiment (a position opposite the right detection piece 311gR with respect to a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis of the tilting device 3310 and located at the center position in the rotation axis direction). The left detection piece 3311gL has a longer extension length than the right detection piece 311gR, and a shorter extension length than the left detection piece 311gL in the first embodiment.

51(a) and 51(b) are side views of the operating device 3300. In FIG. 51(a), the tilting device 3310 is in the first state, and in FIG. 51(b), the tilting device 3310 is in the middle of being pushed in. In FIG. 51(a) and 51(b), for ease of understanding, the outlines of the lower frame member 320, the upper frame member 330, and the protective cover device 350 are shown with imaginary lines, while the detection sensors 324L, 324R and the voice coil motor 352 are shown with solid lines, and the overlapping portions of the detection sensors 324L, 324R and the detection pieces 3311gL, 311gR are shown diagrammatically.

As shown in FIG. 51(a), when the tilting device 3310 is in the first state, the left detection piece 3311gL is not inserted into the left detection sensor 324L and the right detection piece 311gR is not inserted into the right detection sensor 324R (the left detection sensor 324L is in the OFF state and the right detection sensor 324R is in the OFF state).

As shown in FIG. 51(b), when the tilting device 3310 is in the middle of being pushed from the first state to the end of the push-in operation, the left detection piece 3311gL is inserted into the left detection sensor 324L, while the right detection piece 311gR is not inserted into the right detection sensor 324R (the left detection sensor 324L is ON and the right detection sensor 324R is OFF).

By detecting the change in state of each of these detection sensors 324L, 324R, when the tilting device 3310 is in a state halfway between the first state and a state where it is pushed to the end of its pushing, it can be detected whether it is in the middle of being pushed in or in the middle of returning.

In other words, if the left detection sensor 324L is ON and the right detection sensor 324R is OFF, the tilting device 3310 is in a state halfway between the first state and a state where it is pushed to the end of its push-in period. However, by detecting that the left detection sensor 324L is OFF and the right detection sensor 324R is in a state that has changed from the OFF state, it can be determined that the tilting device 3310 is in a state halfway through a push-in operation.

52(a) and 52(b) are side views of the operating device 3300. Note that FIG. 52(a) illustrates the state in which the tilting device 3310 is pushed in to the end of the push-in, and FIG. 52(b) illustrates the state in which the tilting device 3310 is moving from the end of the push-in to the first state. Also, in FIG. 51(a) and FIG. 51(b), for ease of understanding, the outlines of the lower frame member 320, the upper frame member 330, and the protective cover device 350 are illustrated with imaginary lines, while the detection sensors 324L, 324R and the voice coil motor 352 are illustrated with solid lines, and the overlapping portions of the detection sensors 324L, 324R and the detection pieces 3311gL, 311gR are illustrated diagrammatically.

As shown in FIG. 52(a), when the tilting device 3310 is pushed in to the end, the left detection piece 3311gL is inserted into the left detection sensor 324L and the right detection piece 311gR is inserted into the right detection sensor 324R (the left detection sensor 324L is ON and the right detection sensor 324R is ON).

As shown in FIG. 52(b), when the tilting device 3310 is in a state between the first state and the state where it is positioned at the end of the push-in, the left detection piece 3311gL is inserted into the left detection sensor 324L, while the right detection piece 311gR is not inserted into the right detection sensor 324R (the left detection sensor 324L is ON and the right detection sensor 324R is OFF).

If the left detection sensor 324L is ON and the right detection sensor 324R is OFF, the tilting device 3310 is in a state halfway between the first state and a state where it is pushed to the end of its thrust. However, by detecting that the left detection sensor 324L is ON and the right detection sensor 324R has changed from the ON state, it can be determined that the tilting device 3310 is in a state halfway back to the first state.

Here, when transmitting the driving force of the voice coil motor 352 to the tilting device 3310 to provide an auxiliary load for lifting the tilting device 3310, it is possible to provide a load for lifting the tilting device 3310 more effectively by colliding the voice coil motor 352 with the tilting device 3310 while the tilting device 3310 is ascending, rather than colliding the voice coil motor 352 with the tilting device 3310 while the tilting device 3310 is descending.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 52(b), the operating direction of the tilting device 3310 is determined from the detection history of each detection sensor 324L, 324R, and the voice coil motor 352 is driven when the tilting device 3310 is in the middle of rising and has not yet reached the first state, thereby effectively transmitting the driving force of the voice coil motor 352 to the tilting device 3310 and improving the rising speed of the tilting device 3310.

Here, if the biasing force of the torsion spring 315 is reduced to reduce the driving force of the drive motor 342 (see FIG. 18), the rising speed of the tilting device 3310 after the tilting device 3310 is pushed in from the first state will be slowed down. In this case, even if the player operates the tilting device 3310 by tapping repeatedly, the lifting action of the tilting device 3310 will not follow the movement of the player's hand, and the player will not be able to perform the repeated tapping operation comfortably.

In contrast, according to this embodiment, by effectively using the driving force of the voice coil motor 352, the speed at which the tilting device 3310 rises can be improved compared to when the tilting device 3310 is raised only by the biasing force of the torsion spring 315, so that repeated tapping of the tilting device 3310 can be performed comfortably.

Next, the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 53 to 55. In the first embodiment, the detection sensors 324L, 324R can detect whether the tilt device 310 is in the first state or in a state pressed by the player. However, the operation device 4300 in the fourth embodiment detects the operating speed of the tilt device 4310 during the change from the second state to the first state, and changes the driving method of the voice coil motor 352 based on the detection result. 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 53 is a side view of the tilting device 4310 in the fourth embodiment. As shown in Figure 53, the tilting device 4310 has a front detection piece 4311k that is provided in a plate-like protrusion from the front side of the protruding protrusion portion 311j of the case body 4311.

The front detection piece 4311k is configured to be able to pass through the detection grooves (slits) of the upper detection sensor 4321d and the lower detection sensor 4321e (see FIG. 54) arranged on the bottom plate portion 4321 of the lower frame member 4320, and is a part for determining the operating speed of the tilting device 4310 based on the detection timing of each detection sensor 4321d, 4321e.

54(a) and 54(b) are side views of the operating device 4300 illustrating the time series of the pushing operation of the operating device 4300. In FIG. 54(a), the tilting device 4310 is in the second state, and in FIG. 54(b), the tilting device 4310 is pushed from the state shown in FIG. 54(a) and the front detection piece 4311k passes the lower detection sensor 4321e downward. In addition, in FIG. 54(a) and FIG. 54(b), for ease of understanding, the outlines of the lower frame member 4320, the upper frame member 330, and the protective cover device 350 are illustrated with imaginary lines, while the detection sensors 324L, 324R, 4321d, 4321e, and the voice coil motor 352 are illustrated with solid lines.

As shown in Figures 54(a) and 54(b), the lower frame member 4320 is provided with an upper detection sensor 4321d and a lower detection sensor 4321e on the front side of the bottom plate portion 4321. The upper detection sensor 4321d and the lower detection sensor 4321e are photocoupler type sensors, and are arranged in a position in which the detection groove faces a direction that allows the front detection piece 4311k to pass through. In this embodiment, the upper detection sensor 4321d and the lower detection sensor 4321e are arranged at 20° intervals on an arc orbit centered on the rotation axis of the tilting device 4310.

When the player pushes in the tilt device 4310 from the state shown in FIG. 54(a) to the state shown in FIG. 54(b), the front detection piece 4311k passes through the upper detection sensor 4321d and the lower detection sensor 4321e in order. By detecting the interval between the timing of these passes, it is possible to determine the speed of operation of the tilt device 4310, and based on this determination, it is selected whether or not to drive the voice coil motor 352.

Here, when the tilt device 4310 is pressed from the second position, the pressing length is longer (the period during which acceleration can be applied is longer), and therefore the upper limit of the operating speed of the tilt device 4310 is higher compared to an operating button that is pressed for a shorter length. Therefore, if there is no means of deceleration, it is necessary to make the tilt device 4310 sturdy as a safety measure for when the player presses it with all their strength, which creates the problem that the tilt device 4310 tends to be heavy.

In addition, an elastic spring can be built in to apply a biasing force to the tilting device 4310 only when the tilting device 4310 is positioned near the end of the push-in period, and the biasing force of the elastic spring can be used to decelerate the tilting device 4310. However, in this case, for players with weak strength or players who choose to push the device gently, the constant large reaction force near the push-in position can be a burden to the push-in operation, making them more likely to feel tired, and there is a risk that they will not be able to push the tilting device 4310 comfortably.

In contrast, in this embodiment, whether or not to drive the voice coil motor 352 is determined based on the timing interval at which the upper detection sensor 4321d and the lower detection sensor 4321e switch between the ON and OFF states, thereby preventing a strong reaction force from being applied to the tilting device 4310 when it is not necessary.

That is, for example, if the timing interval at which the upper detection sensor 4321d and the lower detection sensor 4321e switch between the ON state and the OFF state is longer than a predetermined period (e.g., 1 second), the voice coil motor 352 is not driven, whereas if the timing interval is shorter than the predetermined period, the voice coil motor 352 is driven.

As a result, when the operating speed of the tilting device 4310 is slow, the reaction force felt by the player from the tilting device 4310 is only the biasing force generated by the torsion spring 315, and the tilting device 4310 can be easily pushed in even with a weak force.

Furthermore, when the operating speed of the tilting device 4310 is high, not only the biasing force generated by the torsion spring 315 but also the driving force generated by the voice coil motor 352 can be applied at the end of the push as a reaction force against the tilting device 4310. Therefore, the operating speed of the tilting device 4310 can be suppressed.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 54(b), the voice coil motor 352 is driven before the protruding protrusion 311j of the tilting device 4310 protrudes downward from the lower frame member 4320, and the movable member of the voice coil motor 352 is pushed out in advance toward the side closer to the tilting device 4310.

This makes it possible to reduce the impact on the tilting device 4310 compared to when the tilting device 4310 and the voice coil motor 352 collide while the movable member of the voice coil motor 352 is being pushed out.

55(a) and 55(b) are side views of the operating device 4300. Note that FIG. 55(a) illustrates a state in which the tilting device 4310 is being pushed from the first state to the end of the push-in, and FIG. 55(b) illustrates a state in which the tilting device 4310 has reached the end of the push-in.

In addition, in Figures 55(a) and 55(b), for ease of understanding, the outer shapes of the lower frame member 4320, the upper frame member 330, and the protective cover device 350 are shown with imaginary lines, while the detection sensors 324L, 324R, 4321d, 4321e, and the voice coil motor 352 are shown with solid lines.

As shown in FIG. 55(a), when the tilting device 4310 is pushed in at high speed from the second state, the protruding protrusion 311j of the tilting device 4310 comes into contact with the voice coil motor 352 while the tilting device 4310 is in the middle of reaching the end of the push-in from the first state.

By pushing the tilting device 4310, the direction in which the protruding protrusion 311j moves the voice coil motor 352 is the direction along the extension direction D41 of the voice coil motor 352, so the force of the pushing operation can be used to move the voice coil motor 352 in the contraction direction. Therefore, while the movement of the tilting device 4310 continues, the driving force of the voice coil motor 352 can be used to apply a load in the direction of pushing up the tilting device 4310, and the tilting device 4310 can be decelerated.

At this time, the voice coil motor 352 is designed to apply load by electromagnetic force, rather than by friction, as in a disc brake, so damage to components is suppressed and durability can be ensured.

In the state shown in FIG. 55(a), the protruding protrusion 311j of the tilting device 4310 and the voice coil motor 352 are already in contact, so by gradually increasing the current flowing through the voice coil motor 352 from the state shown in FIG. 55(a) (the left detection sensor 324L is ON), the reaction force applied from the voice coil motor 352 to the tilting device 4310 can be gradually increased.

This makes it possible to suppress the reaction force felt by the player when the protruding protrusion 311j of the tilting device 4310 comes into contact with the voice coil motor 352, while improving the deceleration effect when the tilting device 4310 moves from the first state to the end of the push-in position.

As shown in FIG. 55(b), when the tilting device 4310 is positioned at the end of the push-in position, the right detection sensor 324R is turned ON. In this state, the tilting device 4310 abuts against the lower frame member 4320 in the rotational direction and stops descending. Therefore, it is not necessary to decelerate the tilting device 4310 by the voice coil motor 352.

In this embodiment, in the state shown in FIG. 55(b), the voice coil motor 352 performs a vibration operation (repeats movement in the extension direction and movement in the contraction direction). This allows an effect in which vibration is transmitted to the player who keeps his/her hand on the tilt device 4310 after pushing the tilt device 4310 to its end.

In other words, the voice coil motor 352 can be used to reduce the speed of the pushing operation of the tilting device 4310 and to vibrate the tilting device 4310 located at the pushing end position to create a vibration effect.

Next, the operation device 5300 in the fifth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 56 to 68.

In the first embodiment, the case was described where the voice coil motor 352 was vibrated to transmit vibrations to the player who pushes in the tilting device 310. However, the operating device 5300 in the fifth embodiment is configured in such a way that the lower frame member 5320 is provided with a drive motor 5411 that rotates a weight member 5412 that is arranged at an eccentric position of its center of gravity, and transmits vibrations to the player who touches the lower frame member 5320 based on the rotation of the drive motor 5411. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted. First, the differences in configuration from the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 56 and 57.

Figure 56 is an exploded front perspective view of the operating device 5300 in the fifth embodiment, and Figure 57 is an exploded rear perspective view of the operating device 5300.

As shown in Figures 56 and 57, in the operating device 5300, the lower frame member 320 is replaced with a lower frame member 5320, the drive unit 340 is replaced with a drive unit 5340, and the voice coil motor 352 is omitted from the protective cover member 350, as compared to the operating device 300 in the first embodiment. The tilting device 310 and the upper frame member 330 are configured similarly to those in the first embodiment.

A vibration device 5400 equipped with a drive motor 5411 is disposed on the lower frame member 5320, and a disk cam 5344 that is fixed to the transmission shaft rod 5343 with one touch is disposed on the drive device 5340. First, the vibration device 5400 will be described with reference to Figures 58 to 61, and then the disk cam 5344 will be described.

Figure 58 is an exploded front perspective view of the lower frame member 5320 and the vibration device 5400. As shown in Figure 58, the vibration device 5400 mainly includes a transmission device 5410 that rotates the fan-shaped weight member 5412, a flexible member 5420 that houses the transmission device 5410 and the drive motor 5411 of the transmission device 5410 and is made of a flexible material, and a housing member 5430 that is formed in a bottomed dish shape with an open top, houses the weight member 5412 and the flexible member 5420 in separate compartments, and is fastened and fixed to the bottom plate portion 5321 of the lower frame member 5320.

The transmission device 5410 mainly comprises a drive motor 5411 formed from a rotary electric motor, and a weight member 5412 having a fan-shaped outer shape and a portion corresponding to the center of the fan supported on the rotation shaft of the drive motor 5411.

The drive motor 5411 has a pair of fixing parts 5411a arranged on the left and right sides of the side from which the shaft protrudes, and formed into a flange shape from a metal material.

The weight member 5412 has a radius of Ra and is supported eccentrically with the rotation shaft of the drive motor 5411. Therefore, when the drive motor 5411 is driven to rotate, the position of the center of gravity of the weight member 5412 fluctuates, and the weight member 5412 is configured in such a way that it can vibrate together with the drive motor 5411.

The flexible member 5420 mainly comprises a main body 5421 into which the drive motor 5411 is inserted along the axial direction and which is formed in the shape of a cylindrical container with a bottom on the side opposite the side into which the drive motor 5411 is inserted; rib-like legs 5422 which, in the assembled state, are provided as a pair of ribs on the left, right and bottom of the radial direction of the main body 5421; a posture maintaining section 5423 which connects the rib-like legs 5422 provided as a pair of protruding legs on the left and right sides of the open section of the main body 5421 and into which the fixing section 5411a is embedded; and protruding legs 5424 which are provided as a pair of columns protruding upward from the top surface of the main body 5421.

The depth of the container shape of the main body 5421 is the same as the axial length of the drive motor 5411. Therefore, when the drive motor 5411 is fully inserted into the main body 5421, the end face on the shaft side of the drive motor 5411 and the end face on the opening side of the main body 5421 are formed on the same plane. In this state, the fixing part 5411a is embedded in the posture maintaining part 5423.

The rib-like legs 5422 are formed on the left and right sides and the lower side of the main body 5421, but because the posture maintaining parts 5423 are arranged on the left and right sides, the deformation resistance of the rib-like legs 5422 on the left and right sides is greater than that of the rib-like legs 5422 on the lower side.

The protruding leg portion 5424 is provided in a protruding column shape, which makes it easier to concentrate the load at one point when it comes into contact with the tilting device 310 described below. Therefore, when the flexible member 5420 is deformed by tilting the tilting device 310, the resolution of the degree of deformation of the flexible member 5420 relative to the tilting angle of the tilting device 310 can be finer.

In an assembled state, the housing member 5430 mainly comprises a first housing section 5431 in which the drive motor 5411 and the flexible member 5420 are housed, a second housing section 5432 that is provided adjacent to the first housing section 5431 and that houses the weight member 5412, and a recessed groove 5433 that is recessed downward from the top surface on the connection surface between the first housing section 5431 and the second housing section 5432.

The depth of the first storage section 5431 is determined by inserting the flexible member 5420 until the lower rib-like leg section 5422 touches the bottom, and then releasing the load applied during insertion (assembly load released state) to allow the protruding leg section 5424 to protrude from the top surface.

The depth of the second storage section 5432 is such that it is recessed further outward than the rotation trajectory of the weight member 5412 in the assembly load-released state, but is also deep enough to interfere with the rotation trajectory of the weight member 5412 when the player applies load to the protruding leg section 5424 and the flexible member 5420 is deformed (assembly load state).

The width of the groove 5433 is slightly wider than the diameter of the rotating shaft of the drive motor 5411, and the depth extends slightly downward beyond the rotating shaft of the drive motor 5411 in the assembled load state.

Figure 59(a) is a side view of the lower frame member 5320, Figure 59(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the lower frame member 5320 taken along line LIXb-LIXb in Figure 59(a), and Figure 59(c) is a partial top view of the lower frame member 5320 taken in the direction of the arrow LIXc in Figure 59(a). Note that Figure 59(a) shows a partial cross-sectional view of the portion corresponding to the vibration device 5400. Also, Figure 59(a) shows with imaginary lines a first region S51 which is the region occupied by the tilting device 310 when the tilting device 310 is in the first state, and a terminal region S52 which is the region occupied by the tilting device 310 when the tilting device 310 is pushed in three degrees by the player from the first state and placed at the end position of the push.

As shown in FIG. 59(a), the protruding leg portion 5424 is protruding in a direction along a circular orbit formed with the central axis of the arc of the lower bearing portion 323 as the axis of rotation. This makes it possible to maximize the amount of deformation of the protruding leg portion 5424 in response to changes in the angle of the tilting device 310 (see FIG. 56).

As shown in FIG. 59(b), in the assembly load-released state where no load is applied to the protruding leg portion 5424, the weight member 5412 is separated from the second housing portion 5432.

As shown in FIG. 59(c), the protruding legs 5424 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the left-right center line of the lower frame member 5320 when viewed in the extension direction. Therefore, the protruding legs 5424 can be pushed in evenly on the left and right sides by the bottom surface of the tilting device 310, which prevents the flexible member 5420 from tilting left and right when pushed in (tilting left and right on the paper surface of FIG. 59(b)), and the protruding legs 5424 can be pushed in while maintaining the posture of FIG. 59(b).

As shown in FIG. 59(c), the bottom plate 5321 of the lower frame member 5320 has a pair of through holes 5321d drilled therein so that the protruding legs 5424 can be inserted therein. The through holes 5321d have a width dimension in the left-right direction that is slightly larger than the diameter dimension of the protruding legs 5424, so that when the tilting device 310 is pushed in by a player and the lower surface of the tilting device 310 is pressed against the protruding legs 5424, deformation of the protruding legs 5424 in the left-right direction can be suppressed. This suppresses deformation of the shape of the protruding legs 5424, and makes it easier to translate the main body 5421 together with the protruding legs 5424 downward (downward in FIG. 59(b)).

Figures 60(a) and 60(b) are cross-sectional views of the vibration device 5400 taken along line LXa-LXa in Figure 59(a). Note that Figure 60(a) illustrates the assembly load-released state, and Figure 60(b) illustrates the assembly load state after the protruding leg portion 5424 has been pushed into the first storage portion 5431 with the tilting device 310 occupying the terminal region S52 (see Figure 59(a)). Note that the outlines of the second storage portion 5432 and the weight member 5412 are illustrated by imaginary lines.

As shown in Figures 60(a) and 60(b), when a load is applied to the vibration device 5400 from the assembly load-free state to the assembly load state, the protruding leg portion 5424 and the lower rib-like leg portion 5422 are deformed, and the drive motor 5411 and weight member 5412 are displaced downward.

In the assembled load state, as shown in FIG. 60(b), the flexible member 5420 is elastically deformed by being pushed by the tilting device 310 (see FIG. 57). The elastic recovery force of this deformation acts as a force to push back the tilting device 310, and this force becomes stronger as the tilting device 310 approaches the flexible member 5420, so that it is possible to mitigate the impact when the tilting device 310 collides with the lower frame member 5320 (see FIG. 57) when the tilting device 310 is pushed into the end position. In addition, because the load is caused by the elastic recovery force, the load can be generated without time delay even when the tilting device 310 moves at high speed.

Here, if the biasing force of the torsion spring 315 is reduced to reduce the driving force of the drive motor 342 (see FIG. 57), the rising speed of the tilting device 310 after the tilting device 310 is pushed in from the first state (a state in which the tilting device 310 is positioned at the raised end, see FIG. 38) will slow down. In this case, even if the player operates the tilting device 310 repeatedly, the rising movement of the tilting device 310 will not follow the movement of the player's hand, and the player will not be able to perform the repeated operation comfortably.

In contrast, according to this embodiment, by effectively using the elastic recovery force of the flexible member 5420, the speed at which the tilting device 310 rises can be improved compared to when the tilting device 310 is raised only by the biasing force of the torsion spring 315, making it possible to perform repeated tapping operations of the tilting device 310 more comfortably.

As shown in FIG. 60(a), in the assembly load-released state, the weight member 5412 does not come into contact with the inner wall of the second storage section 5432, regardless of its posture. Therefore, even if the drive motor 5411 starts to drive in the assembly load-released state, vibrations due to the weight member 5412 coming into contact with the second storage section 5432 do not occur.

In addition, vibrations of the drive motor 5411 itself and micro-vibrations caused in the drive motor 5411 by the movement of the center of gravity of the weight member 5412 are absorbed by the flexibility of the flexible member 5420 and are prevented from being transmitted to the housing member 5430. This makes it difficult for the player to grasp the timing at which the drive motor 5411 starts to drive.

As shown in FIG. 60(b), in the assembled load state, the main body 5421 of the flexible member 5420 is configured in such a manner that the upper protruding leg portion 5424 and the lower rib-shaped leg portion 5422 are deformed, thereby allowing vertical displacement.

When the flexible member 5420 moves downward, the state of the ribbed legs 5422 arranged on the underside of the main body 5421 changes to a state in which they are more compressed vertically, and the ribbed legs 5422 harden slightly. This weakens the vibration damping effect of the ribbed legs 5422, making it easier to transmit the vibrations generated by the vibration device 5400 to the player.

In addition, the main body 5421 of the flexible member 5420 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the lower rib-like legs 5422 are extended along the axial direction of the cylinder of the main body 5421 and are arranged in a pair on the left and right at uniform intervals from the central axis, so that when the flexible member 5420 moves downward, the radially outer ends of the rib-like legs 5422 are deformed in a manner that moves outward to the left and right (to the side where the resistance is smaller at the connection position between the main body 5421 and the rib-like legs 5422) (see FIG. 60(b)). In this case, the protruding direction of the rib-like legs 5422 arranged on the lower side of the main body 5421 has a left-right component, so that the elastic force of the rib-like legs 5422 can be applied in the left-right direction. Therefore, in the assembled load state, the left-right load that may occur when the weight member 5421 and the second storage section 5432 collide can be partially absorbed by the elastic force of the rib-like legs 5422 on the lower side of the main body 5421. This makes it possible to prevent the drive motor 5411 from shifting left or right.

Figures 61(a) and 61(b) are cross-sectional views of the transmission device 5410 and the housing member 5430 taken along the line LIXb-LIXb in Figure 59(a).

61(a) and 61(b) show the assembled load state, with FIG. 61(a) showing the state where the center of gravity of the weight member 5412 is located above the rotation axis, and FIG. 61(b) showing the state where the center of gravity of the weight member 5412 is located below the rotation axis. Note that FIGS. 61(a) and 61(b) show the state of the vibration device 5400 when the tilting device 310 is pushed in by the player and occupies the terminal area S52.

The operation of the transmission device 5410 based on the rotation of the weight member 5412 will be described. First, in this embodiment, when the center of gravity of the weight member 5412 is located on the upper side in the assembled load state, the rotation shaft of the drive motor 5411 is located at a position where the distance from the lower bottom of the second storage section 5432 is a distance Q1. Note that in this embodiment, the distance Q1 is set to a distance equal to the radius Ra of the weight member 5412 (Q1 = Ra).

In other words, when the weight member 5412 rotates in the assembled load state, its outer peripheral side surface abuts (rubs) against the second housing portion 5432. Therefore, compared to the assembled load-released state, the vibrations caused by the rotation of the weight member 5412 change, and a different type of vibration can be transmitted to the player.

When the weight member 5412 and the second storage section 5432 come into contact with each other, a repulsive force is generated that moves the weight member 5412 upward (upward in FIG. 61(b)). Here, since the weight member 5412 and the second storage section 5432 approach and move away from each other along the movement direction of the tilting device 310 (see FIG. 57), the direction of the repulsive force can be easily directed along the movement direction of the tilting device 310 (upward). This repulsive force causes the flexible member 5420 to move upward together with the drive motor 5411 that supports the weight member 5412, reinforcing the force that pushes the tilting device 310 (see FIG. 57) upward (in the direction along the movement direction of the tilting device 310).

In this way, the force pushing the tilting device 310 (see FIG. 57) upward can be adjusted by combining two separately generated forces: the force generated as the elastic recovery force of the flexible member 5420 and the force generated by the contact between the weight member 5412 and the second storage section 5432.

That is, from when the tilting device 310 starts to contact the protruding leg portion 5424 until it moves toward the terminal region S52 (see FIG. 59(a)), the elastic recovery force of the flexible member 5420 is generated as a force pushing back the tilting device 310, and after the tilting device 310 reaches the terminal region S52, the repulsive force of the weight member 5412 and the second storage portion 5432 is added to the force pushing back the tilting device 310. As a result, the force pushing back the tilting device 310 can be particularly increased near the terminal region S52, so that the tilting device 310 can be easily operated and the impact during the pushing operation can be well mitigated. This adjustment can be performed while maintaining the rotation of the drive motor 5411. Therefore, complex control is not required.

In this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the length of the left detection piece 311gL is different from the length of the right detection piece 311gR (see FIG. 57), and the difference in detection timing is used to determine whether the operating speed of the tilting device 310 (see FIG. 57) is greater than a specific speed (e.g., 40 km/h), and the position of the weight member 5412 is changed depending on this determined operating speed.

For example, if it is determined that the operating speed of the tilting device 310 is greater than a specific speed, it is desirable to increase the load that the flexible member 5420 applies to the tilting device 310 in order to reduce the impact when the tilting device 310 collides with the lower frame member 5320. Therefore, in this embodiment, if it is determined that the operating speed of the tilting device 310 is greater than a specific speed, the weight member 5412 is operated in advance to assume a downward position (see FIG. 61(b)).

This allows the end of the downward movement of the drive motor 5411 to be raised to a position where its rotation axis is raised by a radius Ra upward from the lower end of the inner wall of the second storage section 5432. This allows the movable area of the flexible member 5420 above the drive motor 5411 to be narrowed in the vertical direction compared to when the weight member 5432 is positioned facing upward (see FIG. 61(a)) (when it can be lowered downward from the state shown in FIG. 61(a)).

In other words, when the protruding leg 5424 is pressed down by the tilting device 310 to the same extent, the compression dimension of the part of the flexible member 5420 that is above the drive motor 5411 can be increased. Therefore, the repulsive force applied from the flexible member 5420 to the tilting device 310 can be increased, and the load for braking the tilting device 310 can be increased.

Although not described in this embodiment, by leaving the drive motor 5411 stopped and facing upward (see FIG. 61(a)), the force pushing back the tilting device 310 is generated by the elastic recovery force of the flexible member 5420, and it is possible to prevent the force caused by the contact between the weight member 5412 and the second storage section 5432 from being generated.

Here, the abutment of the components occurs between the transmission device 5410 and the housing member 5430 fastened to the lower frame member 5320, and not with the tilting device 310. This makes it possible to change the vibration transmitted to the player's hand pressing the tilting device 310, and to expand the range of vibration transmission. In other words, the vibration can be transmitted to parts other than those touching the tilting device 310, for example, parts touching the frame of the pachinko machine 10.

In other words, when the player pushes in the tilting device 310, the vibrations can be transmitted to the lower frame member 5320, and the vibrations can be transmitted to the player via the palm of the hand, which is placed on the lower frame member 5320 as a fulcrum for pushing, or part of the side of the hand. This makes it possible to avoid a situation where the vibrations are not transmitted to the player.

As shown in Figures 61(a) and 61(b), the weight member 5412 and the housing member 5430 come into contact with each other and vibration occurs only when the player pushes in the tilting device 310 (see Figure 56) and the vibration device 5400 forms an assembled load state.

Therefore, even if the drive motor 5411 is already in a rotating state, the timing at which vibrations are transmitted to the player can be limited to the timing at which the tilting device 310 is pressed, making it easier to transmit vibrations to the player compared to when vibrations are generated after the player's pressing operation is detected.

In other words, when a player presses the tilting device 310 and then immediately releases it (pulsating the tilting device 310), if vibrations were generated after detecting that the tilting device 310 has been pressed, it may not be possible to generate vibrations before the player releases their hand (vibrations may not start in time), and the player may not be able to experience the effects of the vibrations. In contrast, in this embodiment, the drive motor 5411 is rotating and ready to generate vibrations before the tilting device 310 is pressed, so vibrations can be transmitted at the same time as the tilting device 310 is pressed. This allows the player to experience the effects of the vibrations.

In addition, the flexibility of the flexible member 5420 can prevent vibrations from the main body of the drive motor 5411 from being transmitted to the first storage section 5431. Therefore, even if the drive motor 5411 is driven in advance, it is possible to prevent vibrations from being transmitted to the player even before the tilting device 310 is pushed in.

Therefore, the state in which vibration is transmitted by pushing the tilting device 310 can be achieved by driving the drive motor 5411 in advance before the tilting device 310 is pushed in.

Next, the drive unit 5340 will be described. The difference between the drive unit 5340 and the drive unit 340 in the first embodiment is the disc cam 5344 and the transmission shaft rod 5343. As the rest is the same as the drive unit 340 in the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are used and the description will be omitted.

Figure 62 is an exploded front perspective view of the drive unit 5340. As shown in Figure 62, a long hole recess C1 is formed in the center of a pair of disc cams 5344 consisting of a left disc cam 5344L and a right disc cam 5344R.

Figure 63(a) is a front perspective view of the right disc cam 5344R, and Figure 63(b) is a rear perspective view of the right disc cam 5344R. Note that since the right disc cam 5344R and the left disc cam 5344L are configured to have symmetrical shapes, only the right disc cam 5344R will be described, and a description of the left disc cam 5344L will be omitted.

The right disc cam 5344R differs from the right disc cam 344R in the first embodiment in that a pair of clamping arms A1 that clamp the transmission shaft rod 5343 is disposed at the connection portion with the transmission shaft rod 5343.

That is, the right disc cam 5344R mainly comprises a support cylinder P1 that extends from the disc portion at its center toward the side where the circular rib 344b is disposed, a long hole recess C1 that is recessed from the disc portion in an axially symmetrical long hole shape along the axial direction of the support cylinder P1 to a position that is approximately half the extension distance, and a pair of clamping arms A1 that extend from the axial end of the support cylinder P1 recessed by the long hole recess C1 toward the disc portion along the axial direction.

The support cylinder portion P1 is a portion that supports the cylindrical member 5343a by having its inner diameter equal to the diameter of the cylindrical member 5343a of the transmission shaft rod 5343. The support cylinder portion P1 is a portion that has the same axial arrangement as the area recessed into the long hole recess C1, and has a deformed portion P1a that remains without being recessed into the long hole recess C1.

The deformation portion P1a is a pair of connecting rod portions arranged on either side of the long hole recess C1, and is configured as a portion that elastically deforms when the right disc cam 5344R undergoes axial tilt deformation relative to the transmission shaft rod 5343 (see Figure 62).

The cross-sectional shape of the elongated hole recess C1 is formed with a width dimension slightly longer than the width dimension of the clamping arm A1. Therefore, the clamping arm A1 is configured to be displaceable in a direction perpendicular to the width direction of the cross-sectional shape of the elongated hole recess C1 (longitudinal direction).

The opposing surface of the long hole recess C1 is configured to have a shape that engages with the D-shape of the fixing portion 5343a1 of the cylindrical member 5343a. That is, one side surface is formed from a flat surface, and the other side surface is formed from an arc shape that follows the outer shape of the cylindrical member 5343a. This makes it possible to prevent the cylindrical member 5343a from rotating relative to the disc cam 5344.

The clamping arm A1 has an engagement protrusion A1a that protrudes from the surface of the arm portion that faces the other arm of the pair of arms toward the other arm. When connected to the transmission shaft rod 5343, the engagement protrusion A1a engages with the tip of the cylindrical member 5343a, preventing the cylindrical member 5343a from coming off the disc cam 5344.

The tip shape of the engaging protrusion A1a is configured to match the arc shape of the engaging groove 5343a4 of the cylindrical member 5343a (see FIG. 64). This ensures a longer radial overlap length (left-right length in FIG. 65(b)) when the engaging protrusion A1a is engaged with the engaging groove 5343a4, compared to when the tip shape is flat or the center is a convex curved surface.

The engaging protrusion A1a is positioned in the axial direction so that the side surface close to the connecting pin 344d is flush with the recessed surface C2 (the side surface on the opening side of the long hole recess C1) that is recessed along the axis near the axis and is the side surface of the right disc cam 5344R.

This allows the engagement between the cylindrical member 5343a and the engaging protrusion A1a to be completed on the support cylinder P1 side (lower side in FIG. 63(b)) rather than the recessed surface C2 (see FIG. 65(b)). Therefore, compared to when an e-ring is fitted into the cylindrical member 5343a on the outside of the recessed surface C2 (upper side in FIG. 63(b)), the length by which the cylindrical member 5343a protrudes from the recessed surface C2 can be shortened by the thickness of the e-ring (see FIG. 65(b)).

In addition, since there is no need to secure space for fitting the e-ring (space required for the e-ring to slide against a surface) in the extension direction of the right disc cam 5344R (direction parallel to the surface), the recessed width (radial width) of the recessed surface portion C2 can be made smaller. This improves the design freedom of the shape of the right disc cam 5344R.

The transmission shaft rod 5343 will be described with reference to Figure 64. Figure 64 is an exploded front perspective view of the transmission shaft rod 5343. The difference between the transmission shaft rod 5343 and the transmission shaft rod 353 in the first embodiment is the cylindrical member 5343a.

The cylindrical member 5343a mainly comprises a fixing portion 5343a1 with a D-shaped cross section that fixes the disk cam 5344 formed at both ends of the cylindrical member 5343a, a clutch operating portion 5343a2 with a D-shaped cross section that is formed from the same cross section as the fixing portion 5343a1, sandwiching the fitting groove 5343a3 from the fixing portion 5343a1 on the left side when viewed from the front, a fitting groove 5343a3 that is a groove for fitting an e-ring and that positions the disk cam 5344 in the axial direction by the e-ring, and an engagement groove 5343a4 that is a groove that engages the engagement protrusion A1a of the clamping arm portion A1 when the disk cam 5344 is fitted until it reaches the e-ring fitted in the fitting groove 5343a3. Note that the fitting groove 5343a3 is located on the left-right outer side of the pair of plates in which the shaft support hole 341b is drilled in the assembled state.

The clutch operating portion 5343a2 is the portion that is inserted into the angle fixing hole 343c1 of the movable clutch 343c, and in the assembled state, the movable clutch 343c slides due to the biasing force of the coil spring 343d.

By fitting the e-ring into the fitting groove 5343a3 later, the e-ring forms a portion of the cylindrical member 5343a where the diameter is partially increased, so that the diameter of the cylindrical member 5343a can be made uniform before the e-ring is fitted.

With this diameter being uniform, the cylindrical member 5343a is inserted a specified amount into the shaft support hole 341b (see Figure 62) and then the e-ring is fitted in, so that the e-ring prevents the cylindrical member 5343a from shifting axially relative to the shaft support hole 341b, and the e-ring also prevents the disc cam 5344 from shifting axially.

The above-mentioned configuration of the disc cam 5344 and the transmission shaft rod 5343 allows the disc cam 5344 to be assembled to the transmission shaft rod 5343 with a single touch. That is, when assembling the disc cam 5344 to the transmission shaft rod 5343, the cylindrical member 5343a is inserted from the end of the support cylinder portion P1 of the disc cam 5344, the end opposite the side where the engaging protrusion A1a is arranged, until the engaging protrusion A1a fits into the engaging groove 5343a4. At this time, before the engaging protrusion A1a is inserted into the engaging groove 5343a4, the tip of the cylindrical member 5343a enters between the engaging protrusions A1a, so that the pair of engaging protrusions A1a are pushed apart, and the clamping arm A1 is elastically deformed. Thereafter, when the tip of the cylindrical member 5343a passes over the engaging protrusion A1a, the engaging protrusion A1a and the engaging groove 5343a4 are arranged opposite each other, and as the engaging protrusion A1a fits into the engaging groove 5343a4, the clamping arm A1 elastically recovers, and the disc cam 5344 and the transmission shaft rod 5343 are assembled (see FIG. 65(b)).

On the other hand, the configuration of the disc cam 5344 and the transmission shaft rod 5343 not only allows for one-touch assembly, but also functions as a structure to prevent breakage in this embodiment. This will be explained with reference to Figures 65 and 66.

Figure 65(a) is a front view of the right disc cam 5344R as viewed in the direction of the arrow LXVa in Figure 62, Figure 65(b) is a cross-sectional view of the right disc cam 5344R taken along line LXVb-LXVb in Figure 65(a), and Figure 65(c) is a cross-sectional view of the right disc cam 5344R taken along line LXVc-LXVc in Figure 65(a). Also, Figure 66(a) is a front view of the right disc cam 5344R as viewed in the direction of the arrow LXVa in Figure 62, and Figure 66(b) is a cross-sectional view of the right disc cam 5344R taken along line LXVIb-LXVIb in Figure 66(a).

In addition, Figure 66 shows the right disc cam 5344R after deformation when the player applies an overload to the right disc cam 5344R in the unloaded state shown in Figure 65.

As shown in Figures 65 and 66, in this embodiment, the cylindrical member 5343a is supported by the extended tip side portion of the support tube portion P1 at a position separated from the disk portion of the right disk cam 5344R, and near the disk portion, the engagement protrusion A1a only engages with the engagement groove 5343a4. Therefore, when an overload is applied to the cylindrical member 5343a or the right disk cam 5344R, the cylindrical member 5343a is in a state in which it can tilt about the extended tip portion of the support tube portion P1.

As shown in FIG. 65(b), in the direction in which the pair of clamping arms A1 face each other, the space of the long hole recess C1 is arranged, so the resistance to the axial tilt displacement of the cylindrical member 5343a is small. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 65(c), in the direction in which the support cylinder portion P1 and the connecting pin 344d are connected, the cylindrical member 5343a and the right disc cam 5344R come into contact along the axial direction of the right disc cam 5344R, so the resistance to the axial tilt displacement of the cylindrical member 5343a is large.

Therefore, if an overload is applied to the right disc cam 5344R (for example, if a player forcibly holds down (pulls up) the tilting device 310, and a load that restricts the displacement of the connecting pin 344d is applied via the arm member 345 (see Figure 62)), the direction in which the right disc cam 5344R deforms relative to the cylindrical member 5343a can be restricted.

In other words, the right disc cam 5344R deforms in the direction of less resistance, so as shown in Figures 66(a) and 66(b), when an overload is applied to the right disc cam 5344R, the disc portion deforms by axial tilting around the support axis r1 that connects the connecting pin 344d and the center of the support cylinder portion P1 on a plane parallel to the surface of the disc portion. As a result, the tip position of the connecting pin 344d is displaced along the circumferential direction of the right disc cam 5344R compared to the position shown in Figure 65(a).

Figure 67(a) is a cross-sectional view of the operating device 5300 taken along a line corresponding to line XXII-XXII in Figure 6(a), and Figure 67(b) is a partial rear view of the operating device 5300 as viewed in the direction of arrow LXVIIb in Figure 67(a). Note that in Figure 67(b), the protective cover device 350 is omitted, and only the disc cam 5344, the arm member 345, and the release member 346 are shown. Also, in Figure 67(a), for ease of understanding, the outer shape of the right disc cam 5344R when vertically inserted and fixed to the transmission shaft rod 5343 is shown in solid lines, and the outer shape of the right disc cam 5344R when an overload is applied and the shaft is tilted is shown in imaginary lines.

Figure 67(a) illustrates the second state of the tilt device 310, the player's hand holding the tilt device 310, and an enlarged view of the area near the connecting pin 344d.

When the drive motor 342 (see FIG. 62) starts to operate in the state shown in FIG. 67(a), the left disc cam 5344L is about to start rotating, but the player restricts the displacement of the tilting device 310, so a load is generated between the arm member 345, which tries to remain in place, and the connecting pin 344d of the left disc cam 5344L, which tries to rotate. When this load is generated, the right disc cam 5344R is capable of undergoing the axial tilt deformation described above, so the load can be alleviated.

In Figure 67 (a), the outer shape of the right disc cam 5344R after the axial tilt deformation is shown in phantom lines. The change in the connection state with the arm member 345 due to the axial tilt deformation will be explained with reference to an enlarged view.

In FIG. 67(a), when the drive motor 342 (see FIG. 62) starts to operate and the outer periphery of the right disc cam 5344R rotates clockwise by dimension Rd, the shaft support hole 345a of the arm member 345 and the connecting pin 344d are misaligned by this dimension Rd, and to absorb this, the right disc cam 5344R undergoes axial tilt deformation.

Due to the axial tilt deformation, the connecting pin 344d tilts in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 67(a), so the center Pb of the base side of the connecting pin 344d and the center Pt of the protruding tip side are misaligned along the circumferential direction of the right disc cam 5344R. This misalignment can partially absorb the misalignment between the connecting pin 344d and the arm member 345 caused by the rotation of the right disc cam 5344R through the dimension Rd, so that when the drive motor 342 (see FIG. 62) is driven while the tilting device 310 is being gripped, the load applied to the drive motor 342 can be alleviated.

As shown in FIG. 67(b), the disk cam 5344 is deformed by tilting its axis, so that the disk cam 5344 and the release member 346 come into contact with each other on their faces. As a result, the driving force of the drive motor 342 is consumed by the frictional force generated between the release member 346 and the disk cam 5344, so that when a player drives the drive motor 342 while holding and fixing the tilt device 310, the load applied to the arm member 345 connecting the disk cam 5344 and the tilt device 310 can be reduced.

As shown in Figure 67 (a), when the disc cam 5344 rotates in the backward rotation direction (arrow CW direction), the release member 346 is pushed upward by frictional force, but the elastic force of the second spring SP2 acts on the disc cam 5344 via the release member 346 in a repulsive direction. In this case, the rotating claw member 347 is prevented from moving by the bottom plate portion 5321 and stops, so the state of the first spring SP1 does not change (the elastic force does not change).

On the other hand, when the disc cam 5344 rotates in the forward rotation direction (the direction of the arrow CCW, see Figure 68), the release member 346 is pushed downward by frictional force, but the elastic force of the first spring SP1 acts on the disc cam 5344 in a repulsive direction via the release member 346 and the rotating claw member 347. In this case, the relative positional relationship between the rotating claw member 347 and the release member 346 does not change, so the state of the second spring SP2 does not change (the elastic force does not change).

Therefore, when the release member 346 and the disc cam 5344 come into contact and the release member 346 operates along the operating direction of the disc cam 5344, the elastic force of either the first spring SP1 or the second spring SP2 acting on the disc cam 5344 in the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the disc cam 5344 can be increased, regardless of the rotation direction of the disc cam 5344. This makes it possible to increase the load that the release member 346 imparts to the disc cam 5344 and increase the amount of consumption of the driving force of the drive motor 342, thereby making it possible to reduce the load applied to the arm member 345 regardless of the rotation direction of the disc cam 5344.

In this embodiment, the right disc cam 5344R is formed in a shape that is linearly symmetrical with respect to a line passing through the connecting pin 344d and the center point (the long hole recess C1 extends in a direction perpendicular to the line passing through the connecting pin 344d and the center point), so regardless of the direction of rotation of the right disc cam 5344R (regardless of the direction of positional deviation of the connecting pin 344d relative to the arm member 345), the right disc cam 5344R can be deformed with the same deformation resistance.

Figure 68(a) is a cross-sectional view of the operating device 5300 taken along a line corresponding to line XXII-XXII in Figure 6(a), and Figure 68(b) is a partial rear view of the operating device 5300 as viewed in the direction of arrow LXVIIIb in Figure 68(a). Note that the protective cover device 350 is omitted from Figure 68(b). Also, in Figure 68(a), to facilitate understanding, the outer shape of the right disc cam 5344R when vertically inserted and fixed to the transmission shaft rod 5343 is shown in solid lines, and the outer shape of the right disc cam 5344R when an overload is applied and the shaft is tilted is shown in imaginary lines.

Figure 68 (a) shows the tilting device 310 in a state where it has been driven by the drive motor 342 (see Figure 62) from the second state and tilted downward by an angle D2, and also shows the player's hand holding the tilting device 310 while the drive motor 342 is moving.

As shown in FIG. 68(a), when a player grips the tilting device 310 while it is operating, regardless of whether the tilting device 310 is in the second state or not, the axial tilt of the right disc cam 5344R can cause the tip of the connecting pin 344d to be displaced circumferentially around the right disc cam 5344R. This reduces the load generated between the arm member 345 and the right disc cam 5344R, and therefore reduces the load on the drive motor 342.

Note that the matters described for the right disc cam 5344R also apply to the left disc cam 5344L.

As shown in Figures 67(b) and 68(b), in this embodiment, when the drive motor 342 (see Figure 62) operates while the player is holding the tilting device 310, and an overload occurs, the right disc cam 5344R will tilt in the axial direction.

Therefore, by detecting the degree of tilting in the axial direction, it is possible to detect the occurrence of an overload at an early stage. That is, for example, according to the configuration of the first embodiment, if the drive motor 342 is driven for a period of time that the right disc cam 344R rotates once, the detection hole 344eR of the right disc cam 344R passes through the right detection sensor 353R. However, if the player is holding the tilt device 310, the right disc cam 344R does not rotate even when the drive motor 342 is rotated. Therefore, the detection hole 344eR does not pass through the right detection sensor 353R, and the input to the right detection sensor 353R does not change, so it is detected that an overload has occurred.

In this case, it takes a period of time for the right disc cam 344R to rotate a certain angle when no overload is occurring before the occurrence of an overload can be detected, resulting in a delay in the detection of the overload.

In contrast, according to this embodiment, when an overload occurs in the right disc cam 5344R and the right disc cam 5344R tilts in the axial direction (see FIG. 66(b)), the occurrence of the overload can be detected. Therefore, the occurrence of the overload can be detected early. As a detection method, for example, a method using an alarm device E1 fixed to the engagement rib 344c between the support tube portion P1 and the engagement rib 344c (shown by phantom lines in FIG. 66(a)) is exemplified.

The alarm device E1 is a detection device that outputs a signal when an object comes into contact with the input part, and is arranged in a pair at the position where the straight line connecting the pair of clamping arms A1 intersects with the engagement rib 344c, with the input part protruding towards the support tube part P1. In the unloaded state, the alarm device E1 and the support tube part P1 are separated (see Figure 65 (b)), and in the overloaded state, the alarm device E1 and the support tube part P1 are in contact (see Figure 66 (b)). This makes it possible to quickly determine whether an overload has occurred in the disc cam 5344 by judging the output from the alarm device E1.

Next, the operation device 6300 in the sixth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 69 to 73.

In the first embodiment, the disc cam 344, the connecting pin 344d, and the engagement rib 344c are integrally formed. However, in the operating device 6300 in the sixth embodiment, the disc cam 344 and the engagement rib 344c are separate members that are rotatable relative to each other. The same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. First, the differences in configuration from the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 69 and 70.

Figure 69 is an exploded front perspective view of the drive unit 6340 in the sixth embodiment, and Figure 70 is an exploded front perspective view of the disc member 6344L1, ring member 6344L2, and second transmission member 6348 of the left disc cam 6344L. Note that the right disc cam 6344R also differs from the configuration in the first embodiment, but since the right disc cam 6344R is configured with a mirror image shape of the left disc cam 6344L, only the left disc cam 6344L will be described and the description of the right disc cam 6344R will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 69, this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the configuration of the left disc cam 6344L and the shape of the fixed member 6342a, and a second transmission device 6348 is added.

The left disc cam 6344L is provided with a circular rib 344b, a connecting pin 344d, and a detection hole 344eL, as in the first embodiment, and includes a disc member 6344L1 journaled on a cylindrical member 343a, and a ring member 6344L2 journaled coaxially with the disc member 6344L1 and rotating relative to the disc member 6344L1.

The disk member 6344L1 has a central shaft portion 344a of the first embodiment disposed at the center of the disk portion, and is provided with a circular rib 6344f that is shaped like a ring and protrudes in the axial direction at a position spaced radially outward from the outer periphery of the circular rib 344b.

The ring member 6344L2 includes a ring body 6344g having an outer diameter equal to that of the engagement rib 344c in the first embodiment and an inner diameter slightly larger than that of the circular rib 344b, a cover plate portion 6344h disposed at the axial end of the ring body 6344g and covering the ring-shaped opening of the ring body 6344g, and a receiving gear tooth 6344i disposed radially outward in the thickened portion, the cover plate portion 6344h being formed with an increased thickness on the opposite side of the ring body 6344g.

The inner diameter of the ring body 6344g is larger than the outer diameter of the circular rib 344b, so that in the assembled state, the ring body 6344g is fitted onto the circular rib 344b, supporting the ring member 6344L2 so that it can rotate relatively around the central shaft portion 344a.

The end face of the annular body 6344g on the axial side of the disc member 6344L1 abuts against the annular rib 6344f. This reduces the contact area and reduces frictional resistance compared to when the annular rib 6344f is not formed and the disc member 6344L1 abuts on its surface. This allows smooth relative rotation between the disc member 6344L1 and the ring member 6344L2.

The receiving gear teeth 6344i are meshed with the reduction transmission gear 6348c of the second transmission device 6348. Therefore, the ring member 6344L2 rotates based on the rotation of the second transmission device 6348. In this embodiment, the number of rotations of the ring member 6344L2 is three times the number of rotations of the disc member 6344L1 (the number of teeth of the second transmission gear 6348b, the reduction transmission gear 6348c, and the receiving gear teeth 6344i are set in such a manner that the disc member 6344L1 rotates once while the ring member 6344L2 rotates three times).

The second transmission device 6348 is a device that is rotatably supported by the fixed member 6342a alongside the transmission shaft rod 343, and mainly comprises an auxiliary column member 6348a that is arranged in a parallel position to the cylindrical member 343a, a second transmission gear 6348b that is fixed to the auxiliary column member 6348a and meshed with the transmission gear 343b, and a reduction transmission gear 6348c that is fixed to both ends of the auxiliary column member 6348 and meshed with the receiving gear teeth 6344i of the ring member 6344L2.

With reference to Figures 71 to 73, it will be explained that the tilting device 310 can be raised in multiple ways after it is released from the first state by the rotating claw member 347.

Figures 71, 72, and 73 are cross-sectional views of the operating device 6300 taken along a line corresponding to line XXII-XXII in Figure 6(a). Note that Figure 71 illustrates a state similar to that shown in Figure 36, and Figure 72 illustrates a state in which the ring member 6344R2 has rotated one revolution in the backward direction (arrow CW direction) from the state shown in Figure 71 (or more accurately, a state in which the ring member 6344R2 has rotated one revolution and then reversed the amount of the revolution), and the disk member 6344R1 has rotated 1/3 revolutions in the backward direction (arrow CW direction). Also, Figure 73 illustrates a state in which the ring member 6344L2 has rotated a predetermined angle in the forward direction (arrow CCW direction) from the state shown in Figure 72, and the tilting device 310 has been raised.

When the ring member 6344R2 is rotated in the forward rotation direction (the direction of the arrow CCW) from the state shown in FIG. 71 to release the lock by the rotating claw member 347, the tilting device 310 instantly rises due to the biasing force of the torsion spring 315 and reaches the second state (see FIG. 34).

In the first embodiment of the operating device 300, when the tilting device 310 is lifted instantly (without waiting for the disc cam 344 to rotate) after the fixation by the rotating claw member 347 is released, the position reached is limited to the position in the second state (see FIG. 34).

In contrast, in this embodiment, the disk member 6344R1 and the ring member 6344R2 rotate relative to each other, so the relative relationship between the connecting pin 344d, which is the support part of the arm member 345 connected to the tilting device 310, and the engagement rib 344c can be changed, and the number of positions that the tilting device 310 can reach can be increased.

That is, when the fixation by the rotating claw member 347 is released from the state shown in FIG. 72, the tilting device 310 rises instantly due to the biasing force of the torsion spring 315, and reaches a state tilted downward by angle D6 from the second state (see FIG. 73). In this way, when the fixation by the rotating claw member 347 is released from the state shown in FIG. 71 and when the fixation by the rotating claw member 347 is released from the state shown in FIG. 72, the tilting device 310 rises instantly (without waiting for the disc cam 344 to rotate), and the position it reaches can be changed.

This makes it possible to improve the attention-grabbing effect of the tilting device 310, for example, when the gaming machine is configured in such a way that the degree of expectation of the presentation is changed depending on the difference in the height to which the tilting device 310 instantly rises from the first state. In this case, there is no limitation as to whether the degree of expectation is increased when the tilting device 310 rises higher or when the degree of expectation is increased when the tilting device 310 reaches a lower position.

However, by keeping the elevated position of the normal tilt device 310 low (see Figure 73) and making it reach the second state (see Figure 34) when the expectation level is at its maximum, it is possible to associate the expectation level with the amount of displacement caused by the player pushing in the tilt device 310, making it easier for the player to understand the difference in expectation level due to the displacement of the tilt device 310.

In this case, the player can be motivated to check how far the tilt device 310 will rise, and can be made to watch the movement of the tilt device 310 until the timing of operating the tilt device 310. Therefore, a gaming method in which the tilt device 310 is operated in a disorderly manner regardless of the presentation mode of the tilt device 310 can be prevented.

Next, the operation device 7300 in the seventh embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 74 to 85.

In the first embodiment, the case where the disc cam 344, the connecting pin 344d, and the engagement rib 344c are integrally formed has been described, but in the seventh embodiment, the operating device 7300 has a disc cam 7344 in which the disc member 7344R1 and the connecting pin 344d are disposed as separate members, and these separate members are configured to be capable of forming a fixed state in which they are fixed to each other, and a sliding state in which they are relatively rotatable. Note that the same parts as in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted. First, the features of the disc cam 7344 used as a substitute for the disc cam 344 in the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 74 and 75.

Figure 74(a) is a front view of the right disc cam 7344R in the seventh embodiment, Figure 74(b) is a rear view of the right disc cam 7344R, Figure 75(a) is a cross-sectional view of the right disc cam 7344R taken along line LXXVa-LXXVa in Figure 74(a), and Figure 75(b) is a partial side view of the right disc cam 7344R as viewed in the direction of arrow LXXVb in Figure 74(a). Note that the right disc cam 7344L is constructed from a mirror image of the right disc cam 7344R, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in Figures 74 and 75, the right disc cam 7344R mainly comprises a disc member 7344R1 having a central shaft portion 344a through which the cylindrical member 343a (see Figure 62) is inserted and fixed in the assembled state, a ring member 7344R2 inserted along the axial direction from the opening side of the disc member 7344R1, and an engagement member 7344R3 which is immovable in the radial direction of the disc member 7344R1 in the assembled state and has an engagement portion 7630 which fits into the equally divided recessed portion 7522 of the ring member 7344R2.

The disk member 7344R1 is formed in a cup shape with a central shaft portion 344a at the center, and has a detection hole 344eR in a flange-like portion extending radially outward from the edge of the cup, and is a member configured in a shape in which the engagement rib 344c is partially omitted (the portion between the first protruding portion 344c1 and the first retracting portion 344c2 is omitted).

The disk member 7344R mainly comprises a first circular recess 7410 which supports the ring-shaped plate portion 7510 of the ring member 7344R2 on its surface in the assembled state and is a circular recess centered on the central shaft portion 344a, a second circular recess 7420 which is a circular recess with a smaller diameter than the first circular recess 7410 and deeper in the axial direction, an L-shaped insertion hole 7430 drilled radially between the first protruding portion 344c1 and the first retracting portion 344c2, and a fixing protrusion 7440 which protrudes radially outward from the rear side of the second circular recess 7420 (the outer circumferential side of the disk member 7344R1) near the insertion hole 7430.

The insertion hole 7430 mainly comprises a first long hole 7431, which is a rectangular long hole portion that is elongated along the axial direction of the disc member 7344R1 at a position shifted from the intermediate position between the first protruding portion 344c1 and the first retracting portion 344c2, a second long hole 7432, which is a rectangular long hole portion that extends from the end of the first long hole 7431 on the bottom side of the disc member 7344R1 along the circumferential direction of the disc member 7344R1, and a return portion 7433 that is configured to protrude toward the second long hole 7432 side with the first long hole 7431 side of the lower end of the second long hole 7432 as a fulcrum.

The widthwise (short) dimension of the second long hole 7432 is smaller than the widthwise (short) dimension of the first long hole 7431, and is also smaller than the widthwise (short) dimension of the engagement portion 7630 of the engagement member 7344R3.

The return portion 7433 is configured to be elastically deformable with the lower end portion (lower end portion in FIG. 75(b)) of the second long hole 7432 as a fulcrum. This elastic deformation allows the return portion 7433 to be movable outward from the second long hole 7432.

The fixing protrusion 7440 is inserted into the coil spring CS1 of the engaging member 7344R3 and is configured with a protruding height sufficient to fix the position of the coil spring SC1.

Next, the ring member 7344R2 will be described with reference to Figure 76. Figure 76(a) is a front view of the ring member 7344R2, Figure 76(b) is a rear view of the ring member 7344R2, and Figure 76(c) is a side view of the ring member 7344R2 as viewed in the direction of the arrow LXXVIc in Figure 76(a).

As shown in Figures 76(a) to 76(c), the ring member 7344R2 mainly comprises a ring-shaped plate portion 7510 on which the connecting pin 344d is protruded, and a thick portion 7520 that extends in the thickness direction of the ring-shaped plate portion 7510 along the inner peripheral surface of the ring-shaped plate portion 7510 and has a star-shaped through hole formed in the center.

The ring-shaped plate portion 7510 has a plate thickness dimension equal to the recess depth of the first circular recess portion 7410, and an outer diameter dimension slightly smaller than the inner diameter dimension of the first circular recess portion 7410. This makes it possible to prevent excessive resistance to relative rotation while aligning the axes of the ring member 7344R2 and the disk member 7344R1 in the assembled state.

The thick portion 7520 extends from the side of the ring-shaped plate portion 7510 to a length that does not interfere with the second long hole 7432 in the assembled state (see FIG. 75(a)), and the outer diameter is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the second circular recessed portion 7420. This allows the engaging member 7344R3 to move in the radial direction (up and down in FIG. 75(a)) in the assembled state, while preventing excessive resistance to the relative rotation between the ring member 7344R2 and the disk member 7344R1.

The thick-walled portion 7520 mainly comprises an irregular through hole 7521 drilled along the axial direction, and equally spaced recesses 7522 recessed radially outwardly into the irregular through hole 7521 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction (in this embodiment, five equal parts).

The irregular through hole 7521 has an inner peripheral shape that is positioned radially outward of the engagement portion 7630 when the engagement member 7344R3 (described later) is pushed radially inward of the disk member 7344R1.

Figure 77(a) is a front view of the engaging member 7344R3, and Figure 77(b) is a side view of the engaging member 7344R3 as viewed in the direction of the arrow LXXVIIb in Figure 77(a).

As shown in Figures 77(a) and 77(b), in the assembled state (see Figure 74(b)), the engaging member 7344R3 mainly comprises an arc-shaped plate portion 7610 arranged radially outward of the first protruding portion 344c1 and the first retracting portion 344c2, an extension portion 7620 extending in the thickness direction from the rear end portion (right end portion in Figure 77(b)) of the arc-shaped plate portion 7610, an engaging portion 7630 extending in the front-rear direction (left-right direction in Figure 77(b)) from the extending tip of the extension portion 7620, and a coil spring CS1 formed from a coil spring arranged on the side of the arc-shaped plate portion 7610 facing the engaging portion 7630.

The arc-shaped plate portion 7610 has a spring fixing protrusion 7611, which is a protrusion into which the coil spring CS1 is fitted, at a position facing the tip of the engagement portion 7630 on the inner peripheral side surface.

The extension portion 7620 is inserted into the second long hole 7432 in the assembled state, and when pushed radially inward against the elastic force of the coil spring CS1, the extension tip is configured with an extension length that protrudes inward beyond the inner circumferential surface of the ring member 7344R2.

The engaging portion 7630 has a width dimension that is slightly shorter than the width dimension of the first long hole 7431, and is extended to a length that passes through the irregular through hole 7521 of the thick portion 7520 in the assembled state (see FIG. 75(a)).

As described below, the engagement member 7344R3 functions as a member that is displaced when subjected to a load from the release member 346, and also functions to position the ring member 7344R2 relative to the disk member 7344R1. This allows the number of components to be reduced.

The assembly method of the right disc cam 7344R will be described with reference to Figure 78. Figure 78(a) is a front view of the right disc cam 7344R, Figure 78(b) is a side view of the right disc cam 7344R as viewed in the direction of the arrow LXXVIIIb in Figure 78(a), Figure 78(c) is a front view of the right disc cam 7344R, Figure 78(d) is a side view of the right disc cam 7344R as viewed in the direction of the arrow LXXVIIId in Figure 78(c), Figure 78(e) is a front view of the right disc cam 7344R, and Figure 78(f) is a side view of the right disc cam 7344R as viewed in the direction of the arrow LXXVIIIf in Figure 78(e).

Note that Figures 78(a), 78(b), 78(c) and 78(d) show the state in which only the engaging member 7344R3 is inserted into the disk member 7344R1, while Figures 78(e) and 78(f) show the state in which the ring member 7344R2 and the engaging member 7344R3 are inserted into the disk member 7344R1. To facilitate understanding, the arc-shaped plate portion 7610 and the coil spring CS1 are omitted from Figures 78(b), 78(d) and 78(f).

The right disc cam 7344R is assembled by first inserting the engagement portion 7630 of the engagement member 7344R3 into the first long hole 7431 (see Figures 78(a) and 78(b)). As described above, the width dimension of the second long hole 7432 is shorter than the width dimension of the engagement portion 7630, so it is possible to prevent the engagement portion 7630 from being erroneously inserted into the second long hole 7432. This makes it possible to prevent assembly errors.

Next, the engaging member 7344R3 is slid along the extension direction of the second long hole 7432 in the depth direction of Figure 78 (d) until the engaging portion 7630 and the fixing protrusion 7440 are aligned.

At this position after movement, the fixing protrusion 7440 is inserted into the coil spring CS1, preventing the engaging member 7344R3 from shifting in the circumferential direction of the disc member 7344R1 (left-right direction in FIG. 78(d)) and holding the engaging member 7344R3 immovable in the radial direction of the disc member 7344R1.

The engaging member 7344R3 is restricted in its circumferential movement by the return portion 7433. This will be explained. First, when the engaging portion 7630 is inserted into the first long hole 7431, the return portion 7433 is pushed outward of the second long hole 7432 (see FIG. 78(b)). Next, when the engaging member 7344R3 is slid in the extension direction of the second long hole 7432, the vertical abutment between the engaging member 7344R3 and the return portion 7433 is released, and the return portion 7433 moves inward of the second long hole 7432 due to elastic recovery force (see FIG. 78(d)).

When inserted into the second long hole 7432, the tip of the return portion 7433 abuts against the extension portion 7620 of the engagement member 7344R3, but since the abutment direction is configured to be along the longitudinal direction of the return portion 7433 (the direction in which the deformation resistance is large) (see FIG. 78(d)), movement of the extension portion 7620 (movement to the right in FIG. 78(f)) is suppressed. This makes it possible to limit the circumferential movement of the engagement member 7344R3, thereby preventing the position of the engagement member 7344R3 from shifting during operation.

After the engaging member 7344R3 is held by the disc member 7344R1, the engaging member 7344R3 is pushed radially inward into the disc member 7344R1, and the ring member 7344R2 is inserted from the opening side of the disc member 7344R1. By releasing the load from the engaging member 7344R3, the elastic force of the coil spring CS1 causes the engaging portion 7630 to move along the radially outward direction D7. This movement causes the engaging portion 7630 to be accommodated in the equally divided recessed portion 7522 of the ring member 7344R2, thereby fixing the ring member 7344R2 to the disc member 7344R1.

The above-mentioned process allows the right disc cam 7344R to be easily assembled. The right disc cam 7344L is constructed with a mirror image of the right disc cam 7344R, and can be assembled using the same process as the right disc cam 7344R.

Next, with reference to Figures 79 to 81, the operation of the engagement member 7344R3 when the disc cam 7344 rotates in the backward direction will be described. Figures 79(a), 79(b), 80(a), 80(b) and 81 are partial cross-sectional views of the operating device 7300 taken along a line corresponding to line XXII-XXII in Figure 6. Note that in Figures 79(a), 79(b), 80(a), 80(b) and 81, the release member 7346, the rotating claw member 7347 and the disc cam 7344 are illustrated as the focus, and other unnecessary parts are omitted from the illustration.

The rotating claw member 7347 in this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the length of the guide elongated hole 7347b. That is, as shown in FIG. 80(a), the protruding pin 346b is configured as the end of movement at the raised position when the engaging rib 344c abuts from below and passes through.

The release member 7346 differs from the first embodiment in that the upper rear portion of the main body (upper right portion in Fig. 80(a)) is cut at an angle to minimize interference with the engagement rib 344c.

Figures 79(a), 79(b), 80(a), 80(b) and 81 show the time series of the disk cam 7344 rotating in the backward direction (clockwise direction in Figure 79(a)).

Figure 79(a) shows the state in which the engaging member 7344R3 of the right disc cam 7344R abuts against the release member 7346 and the release member 7346 begins to rotate, Figure 79(b) shows the state in which the right disc cam 7344R has rotated further from the state shown in Figure 79(a), Figure 80(a) shows the state in which the engaging member 7344R3 has been pushed into the disc member 7344R1 to its end, M6-2(b) shows the state in which the disc member 7344R1 has rotated further in the rearward direction from the state shown in Figure 80(a), and Figure 81 shows the state after the right disc cam 7344R has rotated in the rearward direction from the state shown in Figure 80(b) and the engaging member 7344R3 has moved away from the release member 7346. Note that Figures 79(a), 79(b), 80(a) and 80(b) show the state in which the release member 7346 has reached the end of the range in which it can rotate relative to the rotating claw member 7347 (small angle state).

As shown in FIG. 79(a), immediately after the engaging member 7344R3 and the releasing member 7346 start to come into contact, the elastic force of the coil spring CS1 is set to be greater than the elastic force of the second spring SP2, so the engaging member 7344R3 is not pushed inward and remains protruding outward.

As shown in FIG. 79(b), when the engaging portion 346d of the release member 7346 abuts against the outermost diameter side of the engagement member 7344R3, the release member 7346 and the rotating claw member 7347 are in a small angle state.

In this embodiment, when the release member 7346 rotates in the forward rotation direction and the rotating claw member 7347 is pressed against the side of the insertion hole 321c of the lower frame member 320 to form a small angle state, the disc cam 7344 is positioned such that the outer circumferential surface of the engagement member 7344R3 rubs against the release member 346 with the inner circumferential surface of the arc-shaped plate portion 7610 abutting against the first protruding portion 344c1 and the first retracting portion 344c2 of the engagement rib 344c (see Figure 80 (a)).

That is, as shown in FIG. 80(a), when the rotation of the disc cam 7344 rotates the release member 7346 toward the small angle state and it becomes unable to rotate any further (small angle state), a load is applied from the release member 7346 to the engagement member 7344R3, pushing the engagement member 7344R3 radially inward of the disc cam 7344.

As shown in Fig. 79(b), when the engaging member 7344R3 protrudes radially outward, it cannot continue to rotate in the reverse direction, so the engaging member 7344R3 is pushed radially inward based on the rotation of the disc cam 7344 (see Fig. 80(a)). In this pushed-in state, the engaging portion 7630 is positioned radially inward from the minimum diameter portion of the irregular through hole 7521.

As a result, circumferential load is no longer transmitted to the ring member 7344R2 via the engagement portion 7630, so as shown in FIG. 80(b), even if the disk member 7344R1 is rotated from the state shown in FIG. 80(a), the ring member 7344R2 does not follow the rotation and maintains its position.

Due to this difference in the amount of rotation, the engagement portion 7630 moves from one of the equal recesses 7522 in which it was originally located to another different equal recess 7522, so that the phase between the disk member 7344R1 and the ring member 7344R2 rotates relative to each other by the amount of one recess (72 degrees).

After that, as shown in FIG. 81, when the right disc cam 7344R further rotates, the engagement member 7344R3 is released from contact with the release member 7346, so that the engagement member 7344R3 protrudes radially outward and the engagement portion 7630 is once again accommodated in the equally divided recessed portion 7522. During this process, the equally divided recessed portion 7522 in which the engagement portion 7630 is accommodated shifts by one.

In other words, by going through the process shown in FIG. 79(a) to FIG. 81, the arrangement of the engagement rib 344c and the arrangement of the connecting pin 344d arranged on the ring member 7344R2 can be shifted relative to each other by the arrangement interval of the recesses of the equally divided recesses 7522 (72 degrees).

With reference to Figure 82, the operation of the engagement member 7344R3 when the disc cam 7344 rotates in the forward rotation direction will be described. Figures 82(a), 82(b), 83(a) and 83(b) are partial cross-sectional views of the operating device 7300 taken along a line corresponding to line XXII-XXII in Figure 6. Note that in Figure 82, the release member 7346, the rotating claw member 7347 and the disc cam 7344 are illustrated as the focus, with other unnecessary parts omitted from the illustration.

Figures 82(a) to 83(b) show the rotation of the disc cam 7344 in the forward rotation direction (counterclockwise in Figure 82(a)) in chronological order. Figure 82(a) shows the state immediately before the release member 7346 and the engagement member 7344R3 of the right disc cam 7344R come into contact, Figure 82(b) shows the state in which the engagement member 7344R3 comes into contact with the release member 7346 from above and begins to descend, Figure 83(a) shows the state in which the disc cam 7344 has further rotated in the forward rotation direction from the state shown in Figure 82(b), and Figure 83(b) shows the state after the release member 7346 and the engagement member 7344R have separated.

As shown in Figures 82(a) to 83(b), when the disc cam 7344 rotates in the forward rotation direction, causing the release member 7346 and the rotating claw member 7347 to rotate in the backward rotation direction (clockwise direction in Figure 82(a)), there is no member that restricts the movement of the release member 7346 and the rotating claw member 7347, and the release member 7346 and the rotating claw member 7347 are only loaded in the forward rotation direction by the elastic force of the first spring SP1.

Therefore, no load is generated that pushes the engaging member 7344R3 radially inward, and the engaging member 7344R3 maintains a state in which it protrudes radially outward from the time it contacts the release member 7346 until it separates. Therefore, when the disc cam 7344 is rotated in the forward rotation direction, the disc member 7344R1 and the ring member 7344R2 can be prevented from rotating relative to each other.

With these configurations, by switching the rotation direction of the disc cam 7344, it is possible to switch whether or not the disc member 7344R1 and the ring member 7344R2 rotate relative to each other. Therefore, in a rotation direction in which relative rotation does not occur (see Figures 82 and 83), it is possible to repeatedly perform the performance of tilting the tilting device 310 by the same tilt width, as in the first embodiment, while in a rotation direction in which relative rotation occurs (see Figures 79, 80, and 81), the tilt width of the tilting device 310 can be changed, unlike in the first embodiment.

In addition, in this embodiment, the rotation direction of the disc member 7344R1, which rotates the disc member 744R1 and the ring member 7344R2 relative to each other, coincides with the opposite direction (direction in which the fixation by the rotating claw member 7347 is not released) to the direction in which the fixation is released, so that the disc member 7344R1 and the ring member 7344R2 can be rotated relative to each other while the tilting device 310 is maintained in the first state (see FIG. 84) (the posture is maintained constant).

This allows the state that does not attract the player's attention (the state in which the tilting device 310 is stopped) to be used to change the relative position of the disc member 7344R1 and the ring member 7344R2 without being seen by the player.

84 and 85, it will be described how, according to this embodiment, it is possible to form a plurality of types of manners for lifting the tilting device 310 from the first state. Figures 84 and 85 are cross-sectional views of the operating device 7300 taken along a line corresponding to line XXII-XXII in Figure 6. In addition, FIG. 84 shows a state in which the ring member 7344R2 is fixed to the disk member 7344R1 in a phase relationship that allows the tilting device 310 to be instantly displaced (without rotating the disk cam 7344) from the first state to the second state shown in FIG. 7(b) by releasing the fixation by the rotating claw member 347, and FIG. 85 shows a state in which the ring member 7344R2 has rotated relative to the disk member 7344R1 by one of the equal recesses 7522 from the state shown in FIG. 84 through the process described in FIG. 79, and both FIG. 84 and FIG. 85 show a state in which the second protrusion 344c3 abuts against the engagement portion 346d.

As shown in Figures 84 and 85, according to this embodiment, the range of movement of the tilting device 310 can be changed instantly (without rotating the disc cam 7344R2) by releasing the fixation by the rotating claw member 347 from the first state.

In other words, when the rotation claw member 347 is rotated from the state shown in FIG. 84 to release the lock, the tilting device 310 moves to the second state (a state in which the tilting device 310 has moved to the top end of its range of movement).

On the other hand, when the rotation claw member 347 is rotated from the state shown in FIG. 85 to release the lock, the position of the connecting pin 344d shifts rearward and downward from the position shown in FIG. 84, and therefore moves to a state where it is lower than the second state.

Therefore, by releasing the fixation by the rotating claw member 347, it is possible to change the position that the tilting device 310 reaches instantly (without rotation of the disc cam 7344) by ascending from the first state. This makes it possible to increase the variety of effects that can be achieved by the operation of the tilting device 310, and to improve the attention-grabbing power of the operating device 7300 as an effect device.

Next, with reference to Figures 86 to 179, we will explain the pachinko machine 8010 in the eighth embodiment.

In the first embodiment, the front side of the operation device 300 is exposed. However, the pachinko machine 8010 in the eighth embodiment is provided with a cover 370 that covers the lower part of the operation device 300 from the front side. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

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 for the pachinko machine 8010 in the state shown in Figure 86. Also, in the pachinko machine 8010 in the state shown in Figure 86, 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 86, for example) indicate the up-down direction, left-right direction, and front-back direction of the pachinko machine 8010, respectively. The definitions of these directions are also the same in explanations that refer to drawings prior to Figure 86.

First, the overall configuration of the pachinko machine 8010 will be described with reference to Figs. 86 to 90. Fig. 86 is a front view of the pachinko machine 8010 in the eighth embodiment, Fig. 87 is a front perspective view of the pachinko machine 8010 showing the inner frame 12 opened (deployed) relative to the outer frame 11, Fig. 88 is a front perspective view of the pachinko machine 8010 showing the back pack 92 opened (deployed) relative to the inner frame 12 with the inner frame 12 opened relative to the outer frame 11, Fig. 89 is a front perspective view of the pachinko machine 8010 showing the inner frame 12 closed relative to the outer frame 11 and the front frame 14 opened (deployed), and Fig. 90 is a front view of the pachinko machine 8010 with the front frame 14 removed. Note that, for convenience, the reference numerals of the internal configuration of the game board 13 are omitted in Fig. 90.

The outer frame 11 is formed into a frame shape with four fixed sides, with wooden boards at the top and bottom and aluminum boards at the left and right. The pachinko machine 8010 is installed in the game center by attaching and fixing the outer frame 11 to the island equipment. Note that the outer frame 11 is not a required component of the pachinko machine 8010, and the game center may be configured with the outer frame 11 or a member having the same inner shape as the outer frame 11 and having a support structure (hinges 18, etc.) and locking structure for the inner frame 12 of the outer frame 11.

As shown in FIG. 89, the front frame 14 is rotatably supported on the inner frame 12, and when viewed from the front, the left side is the rotation base end side (opening/closing base end side) and the right side is the rotation tip end side (opening/closing tip end side) so that it can rotate forward.

As shown in FIG. 88, the rear pack unit 94 is rotatably supported on the inner frame 12, and when viewed from the front, the left side is the rotation base end side (opening/closing base end side) and the right side is the rotation tip end side (opening/closing tip end side) so that it can be rotated rearward.

As shown in FIG. 87, the inner frame 12 is provided with a locking mechanism 20RK at its pivot tip, which has the function of locking the inner frame 12 and front frame 14 to the outer frame 11 so that they cannot be opened, and the function of locking the front frame 14 to the inner frame 12 so that they cannot be opened. Each of these locked states is released by inserting a special key into the keyhole 21 of the cylinder lock 20 of the locking mechanism 20RK, which is exposed on the front of the pachinko machine 8010 as shown in FIG. 86, and performing the unlocking operation.

The front frame 14 is rotatably attached to the front side of the inner frame 12. As shown in FIG. 86, front door mounting brackets 57, 58 are provided on the rotation base end side of the front frame 14, and these front door mounting brackets 57, 58 (bracket 57 is a cylindrical portion, and bracket 58 is a metal plate with an axial hole) engage with the inner frame 12, thereby supporting the front frame 14 rotatably relative to the inner frame 12.

In detail, the front door mounting bracket 57 is supported by a support plate 12e having a fitting recess 12e1 (see FIG. 126) that extends from the front end of the inner frame 12 to the front side below the upper hinge 19 of the inner frame 12 and is recessed from the tip to the rear side with a size that allows the front door mounting bracket 57 to be fitted inside. The front door mounting bracket 58 is supported by being fitted externally onto a support pin 19a that protrudes upward from the lower hinge 19 of the inner frame 12 and has a stepped cylindrical shape (a shape in which cylinders of different diameters are connected vertically and the upper cylinder has a smaller diameter) that is supported.

As shown in FIG. 89, the front frame 14 is formed in a rectangular shape with approximately the same outer shape as the inner frame 12. The front frame 14 has a main body frame 14a formed in a vertically long rectangular frame shape from a metal plate. The front frame 14 is formed by fastening and fixing various components (illumination parts 8029-8033, etc.) and units (operation device 300, operation handle 51, etc.) to the front and back sides of the main body frame 14a.

The front frame 14 is provided with a window portion 14c that is smaller than the glass unit 16 so that the outer periphery of the glass unit 16 is not exposed when viewed from the front (see FIG. 86). This window portion 14c is covered from the back side by the glass unit 16, so that the front frame 14 to which the glass unit 16 is attached covers almost the entire front side of the inner frame 12. Therefore, the front center portion of the game board 13 can be seen from the front side of the inner frame 12 through the window portion 14c of the front frame 14 (see FIG. 89).

As shown in FIG. 89, the glass unit 16 comprises a pair of transparent glass panels 16a, 16b, which are larger in outer shape than the window portion 14c and have transparency, and a fixed frame (not shown) that integrates the transparent glass panels 16a, 16b. The fixed frame is made of synthetic resin and has a ring shape that is one size larger than the transparent glass panels 16a, 16b, and the outer peripheries of the transparent glass panels 16a, 16b are bonded to the fixed frame, making the glass unit 16 into an integrated double-glazed glass.

The glass unit 16 is formed colorless and transparent using transparent glass 16a, 16b, but is not limited to this and may be formed colorless and transparent using synthetic resin, and may be formed colored and transparent instead of colorless and transparent as long as the playing area can be seen through the glass unit 16 from the front of the pachinko machine 8010.

As shown in FIG. 86, multiple illumination units 8029-8033 with built-in light-emitting means such as LEDs are provided around the window unit 14c in the front frame 14. These illumination units 8029-8033 light up or blink in response to changes in the game state, such as when a jackpot is hit or a specified reach is reached. In addition, the illumination unit 8030 on the upper side of the window unit 14c has built-in light-emitting means that light up when a specified error occurs, such as a shortage of payout balls, and light-emitting means that light up while prize balls are being paid out.

In addition, on the upper right and upper left sides of the window portion 14c, speaker covers 27 (thin plate members made of punched metal) are provided to cover the speaker assembly 450, which outputs sound effects according to the game status. Below the window portion 14c, as shown in FIG. 86, the upper tray 17 and the lower tray 50 are arranged side by side and bulge toward the front.

The upper tray 17 has the function of temporarily storing the game balls dispensed from the dispensing device 133 (see Figure 87) and guiding them to the ball launching unit 112a while aligning them in a row. The lower tray 50 also has the function of storing surplus game balls in the upper tray 17. A ball guide opening 53 is formed on the rear side of the lower tray 50, which opens in the front-to-rear direction and guides the balls to the lower tray 50.

It should be noted that there is no need to provide multiple locations on the upper tray 17 and lower tray 50 for storing game balls, and the lower tray 50 may be eliminated, leaving only the upper tray 17 as the only storage area.

An operation device 300 is provided in front of the upper tray 17 (the storage area for game balls) to be manually operated by the player. The operation device 300 is an operation device used when an effect corresponding to the player's operation is performed on the display screen of the third pattern display device 81, etc. This operation device 300 may be provided in another location other than the upper tray 17, such as around the lower tray 50, or may be provided in multiple locations. The operation method may be a push button switch, or it may be configured to allow information to be input by another operation method such as a touch sensor or a non-contact sensor.

As shown in FIG. 89, a passage forming unit 140 is attached to the rear side of the front frame 14. The passage forming unit 140 is molded from synthetic resin and has a front door side upper tray passage section 141 that leads to the upper tray 17, a front door side lower tray passage section 142 that leads to the lower tray 50, and a foul ball passage section 145 (see FIG. 92).

The upper corner of the passage forming unit 140 (the corner on the rotation base end side of the front frame 14) is formed with a ball receiving port 143 that protrudes rearward and opens upward, and the ball receiving port 143 is divided into left and right parts by a partition wall 144 to form the passage entrance of the front door side upper tray passage section 141 and the passage entrance of the front door side lower tray passage section 142, respectively.

The foul ball passage section 145 (see FIG. 92) is a section that forms a passage through which game balls launched from the ball launching unit 112a that do not reach the play area are discharged as foul balls into the lower tray 50.

As shown in FIG. 89, the foul ball passage 145 is provided with a foul ball receiving port 146 that is open upward. A foul ball received in this foul ball receiving port 146 flows down the internal passage of the foul ball passage 145 (see FIG. 92) and is then discharged into the lower tray 50. Note that the foul ball passage 145 may be connected to the upper tray 17 instead of the lower tray 50, and the foul ball may be discharged into the upper tray 17.

The foul ball passage section 145 is formed to merge with the ball removal passage 147 (see FIG. 92), which is a passage through which unshot balls that flow down from the upper tray 17 to the lower tray 50 are guided when the player performs the ball removal operation.

Attached to the rear side of the front frame 14 are resin cover members that are fastened to the upper left and right corners and bulge out toward the rear side. On the front side of the multi-function cover members 171, 172 are arranged connectors for wiring that conduct electricity to the illumination unit 8030 and the speaker assembly 450, and an electronic board whose one end is connected to the internal board of the illumination unit 8031, 8032 along the front frame 14, and whose other end is connected to the electronic board and connector, and these electronic boards and connectors are covered by the multi-function cover members 171, 172.

In the areas of the front frame 14 covered by the multi-function cover members 171, 172, there are wiring grooves 14h that communicate with the left and right illumination parts 8031, 8032, and an electronic board 14i to which the wiring that passes through the wiring grooves 14h and is pulled out from the illumination parts 8031, 8032 is connected (see Figure 103). The terminals of each wire are pulled out backward through the wiring grooves 14h and inserted into the electronic board 14i from the back side.

Therefore, when the multi-function cover members 171, 172 are removed (see Figure 103), the connectors of the wiring that conducts electricity to the illumination unit 8030 and the speaker assembly 450, and the connectors whose one ends are connected to the internal boards of the illumination units 8031, 8032 can be easily inserted and removed from the electronic board 14i from the rear side of the front frame 14 (from the front side of the paper in Figure 89).

The multi-function cover members 171 attached to the rotating tip side of the front frame 14 are arranged in pairs above and below the rotating tip side of the inner frame 12, and are positioned facing each other from the front to the back with the upper device of the board support device 600 (see Figure 126) that grips the base plate 60 of the game board 13, and can come into contact with each other depending on the situation, but details will be given later.

A long cover member 173 is attached from the rear side of the front frame 14. The long cover member 173 is a container-shaped member made of a resin material with an open front side, and is disposed in contact with the front frame 14 at the lower corner and accommodates wiring in the space formed between the front frame 14. The long cover member 173 is configured so that its cross-sectional area decreases as it moves from the rotation tip side of the front frame 14 to the rotation base end side. The lower wall portion 173a that constitutes the lower side of the space that accommodates the wiring is disposed parallel to the lower side of the front frame 14, and the upper wall portion 173b that is disposed above and opposite the lower wall portion 173a and constitutes the upper side of the space that accommodates the wiring is configured in a shape that matches the lower wall of the passage forming unit 140.

The long cover member 173 is a wall portion that is arranged in contact with the front frame 14, similar to the lower wall portion 173a and the upper wall portion 173b, and includes an upwardly extending wall portion 173c that extends upward from the lower wall portion 173a and the upper wall portion 173b on the rotation base end side of the front frame 14.

The upper extension wall 173c is curved such that the end connected to the lower wall 173a and the upper wall 173b curves in a semicircular shape toward the pivot base end of the front frame 14, and a space is provided from the upper end of the curved portion that allows it to be further curved in a semicircular shape in the opposite direction, and the movable base end side of the front frame 14 is opened at the upper end.

That is, the wiring housed in the upward extension wall portion 173c is gently curved in a wave shape (a wave shape corresponding to one period of a sine wave) and extends from the upper end position of the upward extension wall portion 173c toward the pivot base end side of the front frame 14. Therefore, by bending the wiring at the curved portion of the wiring, the position change of the wiring that occurs when the front frame 14 is opened and closed (see FIG. 96) can be absorbed, so that the wiring can be prevented from expanding and contracting and generating a load, and the risk of the wiring being broken can be reduced.

On the back side of the front frame 14, an inverted cup portion 178 is disposed between the upwardly extending wall portion 173c of the long cover member 173 (the portion closest to the pivot base end side of the front frame 14) and a vertically long plate portion that is part of the main frame 14a on the pivot base end side of the front frame 14. The inverted cup portion 178 is made of a resin material and has an inverted cup shape that opens downward.

The inverted cup portion 178 is a portion that acts as a countermeasure against fraudulent acts, such as, for example, illegally pushing apart the base end of the rotation of the front frame 14, inserting a piano wire near the lower hinge 18, and allowing it to enter the play area. In other words, even if a piano wire is inserted between the front frame 14 and the inner frame 12 near the lower hinge 18, if the tip of the piano wire enters the inverted cup shape of the inverted cup portion 178 from below, the progress of the piano wire can be impeded, thereby preventing the piano wire from reaching the play area.

In addition, because the inverted cup portion 178 and the long cover member 173 are made of a resin material, it is possible to take measures against fraudulent acts that are carried out by heating the tip of a piano wire. That is, when a piano wire with a heated tip is inserted and pressed against the inverted cup portion 178, the heat melts the inverted cup portion 178, and just as the wire can pass through the inverted cup portion 178, it also melts the long cover member 173. Then, when the piano wire with a heated tip passes through the long cover member 173, the wiring housed on the front side of the long cover member 173 is burned off, and fraudulent acts can be easily discovered by detecting that the wiring has been broken.

In particular, in this embodiment, wall 178a of inverted cup portion 178 on the long cover 173 side is configured to have a shape that matches the shape of long cover member 173, and they abut (are close to each other) on their surfaces. In addition, the normal to the underside of inverted cup portion 178 at wall 178a is shaped to face downward, so that when a piano wire enters inverted cup portion 178 from below, it is more likely that it will be pressed against the underside of wall 178a, and if inverted cup portion 178 melts, there is a high probability that long cover 173 will also melt, making it easier to discover fraudulent activity.

When the tip of the piano wire is not heated, the wall 178a has the effect of guiding the piano wire in the left-right direction. In other words, when the piano wire is inserted through a gap forcibly opened on the base end side of the front frame 14 and reaches the upper bottom of the inverted cup portion 178, if the piano wire is inserted further, its tip will be pressed against the wall 178a.

Since wall 178a is shaped to match the curved portion of upwardly extending wall 173c, when the piano wire is inserted deeper, the tip of the piano wire moves along wall 178a and is guided below lower wall 173a. Even if the piano wire is inserted deeper, the tip of the piano wire will proceed through the space below lower wall 173a toward the rotating tip of front frame 14 (proceeding in the left-right direction), preventing the piano wire from reaching the play area.

In addition, since it is possible to prevent the tip of the piano wire from reaching the play area while preventing the reaction force applied to the cheater via the piano wire from becoming too large, for example, by placing a detection device that detects the entry of the piano wire in the space below the lower wall portion 173a, it is possible to discover the cheating before the cheater escapes, making it easier to apprehend the cheater.

In other words, even if the piano wire is guided into the space below the lower wall portion 173a, the cheater will not be able to tell this and will assume that the piano wire is on its way to the play area. The cheater can then be made to naturally (without suspecting that the piano wire has not been inserted properly) insert the piano wire deeper until the tip of the wire reaches the play area (for example, until the tip of the wire is visible from the front through the window portion 14c). This allows more time for the cheater to realize that their cheating has been discovered and to try to escape.

The detection device may be a device composed of a photocoupler, a magnetic sensor, or a button device. The location of the detection device is not limited to the space below the lower wall portion 173a, and various locations are permitted. For example, it may be disposed in the locking mechanism 20RK, or on the rear side of the operating handle 51. If it is disposed in the operating handle 51, for example, the detection device that is conventionally disposed in the operating handle 51 may also be used to determine the entry of the piano wire.

As shown in FIG. 89, the ball launching unit 112a is a device that is exposed to the front side when the front frame 14 is opened, and is provided in the lower right part of the front side of the inner frame 12. As shown in FIG. 90, the ball launching unit 112a is provided with an electromagnetic launch solenoid 701 provided as a launching device, a launch rail 730 that guides the game ball so that the game ball shot out by the launch solenoid 701 is launched toward the area between the inner rail 61 and the outer rail 62, and a ball feeding device 720.

The ball feeder 720 supplies the game balls stored in the upper tray 17 (see FIG. 89) one by one onto the launch rail 730. In this case, the supplied game balls are placed on the protruding path of the plunger 702 provided as a launching section in the launch solenoid 701. Then, by inputting an electrical signal to the launch solenoid 701, the plunger 702 moves toward the game ball on the launch rail 730, and the game ball is launched toward the play area. Note that the electric actuator of the ball launch unit 112a is not limited to the launch solenoid 701, and a launch motor or the like may be used. Note that the detailed configuration of the ball launch unit 112a will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 90, a board 167 is provided on the left side of the inner frame 12 and to the left of the launch rail 730, which includes a plate passage forming member 160 and a number of connectors CN1-CN3 to which the harnesses HN1-HN3 are connected. The inner frame 12 is provided with a through hole that passes through the area where the plate passage forming member 160 is provided in the front-rear direction, and the plate passage forming member 160 is fastened and fixed to the inner frame 12 so as to cover this through hole from the front side.

As shown in FIG. 90, the dish passage forming member 160 has a main body side upper dish passage section 161 and a main body side lower dish passage section 162. The main body side upper dish passage section 161 and the main body side lower dish passage section 162 form a curved passage in which the direction of the passage changes by 90 degrees (from the front-to-back direction to the up-to-down direction) so that one end of the curved passage section 161 is open toward the rear side so as to be able to communicate with the through hole that penetrates the inner frame 12 in the front-to-back direction, and the other end of the curved passage section 162 is open toward the downward direction. In this configuration, the balls dispensed from the dispensing device 133 pass through the through hole of the inner frame 12, enter the dish passage forming member 160 from one end of the dish passage forming member 160, and are discharged from the other end.

When the front frame 14 is closed, the ball receiving port 143 (see FIG. 89) of the passage forming unit 140 provided on the front frame 14 fits into the lower portion of the tray passage forming member 160. The front door side upper tray passage 141 is disposed below the main body side upper tray passage 161, and the front door side lower tray passage 142 is disposed below the main body side lower tray passage 162.

As shown in FIG. 90, a shutter 163 is provided at the lower portion of the tray passage forming member 160 to restrict the outflow of game balls from the upper tray passage portion 161 on the main body side and the lower tray passage portion 162 on the main body side. The shutter 163 is provided so that it can be switched between a blocking position that narrows the outlet portions of both passages to block the outflow of game balls, and an allowing position that allows the outflow of game balls.

In addition, a biasing member (such as a coil spring) that biases the shutter 163 toward the blocking position is attached to the inner frame 12, and when the front frame 14 is open relative to the inner frame 12, the biasing force of the biasing member causes the shutter 163 to remain in the blocking position. This prevents the stored balls from spilling out when the front frame 14 is opened while game balls are stored in the main body side upper tray passage portion 161 or the main body side lower tray passage portion 162.

In contrast, when the front frame 14 is closed against the inner frame 12, the shutter 163 is pushed back to the allowable position against the above-mentioned biasing force by the outer peripheral portion of the payout ball receiving portion 143 provided in the passage forming unit 140 of the front frame 14. In this state, the main body side upper tray passage portion 161 and the front door side upper tray passage portion 141 are connected, and the main body side lower tray passage portion 162 and the front door side lower tray passage portion 142 are connected, allowing the game balls to flow down.

The board 167 includes a connector CN1 to which the harness HN1 is connected, a connector CN2 to which the harness HN2 is connected, and a connector CN3 to which the harness HN3 is connected. The board 167 is configured such that the portion where the connectors CN1 and CN2 are disposed is separate from the portion where the connector CN3 is disposed. This is because the targets of the transmission are different, that is, while the connectors CN1 and CN2 are used for transmission with the main control device 110, the connector CN3 is used for transmission with the voice lamp control device 113, and so by using separate boards, it is intended to prevent malfunctions in advance.

The portion of the front frame 14 below the window portion 14c will be described with reference to Figures 91 and 92. Figure 91 is an exploded rear perspective view of the front frame 14, in which the components disposed below the window portion 14c of the front frame 14 are exploded, and Figure 92 is an exploded front perspective view of the front frame 14, in which the components disposed below the window portion 14c of the front frame 14 are exploded.

As shown in Figures 91 and 92, below the window portion 14c of the front frame 14, on the front side of the main frame 14c, the operating device 300 is disposed on the front side of the upper tray 17, diagonally above and to the right of the lower tray 50, and in the center of the front frame 14 in the left-right direction, and a covering cover 370 is disposed on the front side of the operating device 300.

The covering cover 370 is a member that is fastened to the front frame 14 in a positional relationship that covers the lower portion of the operating device 300 from the front side, and is configured with a left-right width that is approximately the same as the left-right width of the front frame 14. In other words, the left and right ends of the covering cover 370 are positioned vertically below the illumination parts 8031 and 8032, respectively.

The covering cover 370 is fastened and fixed to the front frame 14 by fastening parts 370a formed at least on the left and right ends, and is configured as a curved shape with the left and right central part projecting toward the front side, a hanging part 372 that extends downward from the lower edge of the main curved part 371 at the intermediate position between the left and right central part and the left and right ends of the main curved part 371 toward the side that is close to each other in the width direction and joins at the lower end of the extension to form a V-shape when viewed from the front, and a plate that closes the opening surrounded by the main curved part 371 and the hanging part 372. It mainly comprises a light-transmitting portion 373, which is a shaped member formed from a light-transmitting resin material and fastened to at least one of the main body curved portion 371 or the hanging portion 372, a left side planar support portion 374 formed as a flat surface on the upper surface of the left end of the main body curved portion 371, a right side planar support portion 375 formed as a flat surface on the upper surface of the right end of the main body curved portion 371, and a support groove 376 recessed from the back side of the right side planar support portion 375, the recessed width of which increases (tapered) as it approaches the back side.

The curved main body portion 371 has a front edge formed in a rounded curved shape, and a rear edge formed mainly of a rear left edge 371a shaped to match the front edge of the upper tray 17 and abutting the front edge of the upper tray 17 in the front-to-rear direction in the assembled state (see FIG. 86), a rear middle edge 371b connected to the rear left edge 371a and shaped to match the front edge of the upper frame member 330 of the operating device 300 and abutting the upper frame member 330 in the front-to-rear direction in the assembled state, and a rear right edge 371c connected to the rear middle edge 371b on the opposite side of the rear left edge 371a and shaped to match the front edge of the ball lending operation unit 40 and abutting the ball lending operation unit 40 in the front-to-rear direction in the assembled state.

The hanging portion 372, together with the curved main body portion 371, covers the operating device 300 from the front side, and is a plate portion on which the operating handle 51 is supported. It is shaped so as not to create a gap between the right corner cover 380, which is located at the right corner of the front frame 14 (the contact positions with the right corner cover 380 match), and is therefore a portion that prevents access to the operating device 300 from the front side. The hanging portion 372 is fastened and fixed to the bottom plate on which the recessed portion 15a is formed by inserting a screw from below into the bottom plate on which the recessed portion 15a is formed, at a position closer to the front side than the recessed portion 15a described below.

The light-transmitting section 373 is a section that allows light irradiated from the operating device 300 to pass through to the front side, enabling the creation of optical effects. It is formed in a curved shape that matches the shape of the lower frame member 320 of the operating device 300, and is positioned adjacent to the lower frame member 320 in the assembled state (see Figure 86).

In the first embodiment, the LED device 341f is arranged to irradiate light at least upward (see FIG. 32). The arrangement of the LED device is an item that can be determined arbitrarily, and in this embodiment, the LED device 341f is arranged to irradiate light at least upward and downward. Specifically, six LEDs that irradiate light upward (arranged on the upper surface of the lighting support part 341e) and two LEDs that irradiate light downward (arranged on the lower surface of the lighting support part 341e) are arranged.

The light emitted from the LED that emits light downward in the LED device 341f passes through a different number of components depending on the state of the operating device 300. For example, when the tilting device 310 is in the first state (see FIG. 22), the light emitted from the LED that emits light downward passes through the tilting device 310 and the lower frame member 320, and then passes through the light-transmitting section 373. On the other hand, when the tilting device 310 is in the second state (see FIG. 32), the light emitted from the LED that emits light downward does not pass through the tilting device 310, but passes through the lower frame member 320, and then passes through the light-transmitting section 373.

Therefore, for example, when the amount of light irradiated from the LED that irradiates light downward is kept constant, the amount of light visible through the light-transmitting section 373 is stronger when the tilting device 310 is in the second state than when the tilting device 310 is in the first state. Therefore, it is possible to produce an effect in which the amount of light visible through the light-transmitting section 373 is changed in accordance with the change in the state of the tilting device 310, without the need to change the amount of light irradiated from the LED that irradiates light downward (while reducing the control burden by eliminating the control to change the amount of light).

As another method of controlling the performance, it is also possible to control the amount of light emitted from the LED that emits light downward in accordance with the change in the state of the tilting device 310. For example, by controlling the amount of light to be changed more strongly (in stages) as the tilting device 310 changes from the second state (see FIG. 32) to the first state (see FIG. 22), and to be changed less strongly (in stages) as the tilting device 310 changes from the first state to the second state, it is possible to reduce (or eliminate, depending on the settings) the degree of change in the amount of light visible through the light-transmitting section 373 that accompanies the change in the state of the tilting device 310.

In the assembled state (Figure 86), the left flat support portion 374 abuts against the lower end of the decorative illumination portion 8031 at the top and bottom. That is, when a downward load is applied to the decorative illumination portion 8031 and the decorative illumination portion 8031 shifts downward, an upward reaction force is generated from the left flat support portion 374 toward the decorative illumination portion 8031. This makes it possible to prevent the decorative illumination portion 8031 from shifting downward.

In the assembled state (Figure 86), the right side flat support part 375 abuts against the lower end of the decorative illumination part 8032 at the top and bottom. In other words, when a downward load is applied to the decorative illumination part 8032 and the decorative illumination part 8032 shifts downward, an upward reaction force is generated from the right side flat support part 375 toward the decorative illumination part 8032. This makes it possible to prevent the decorative illumination part 8032 from shifting downward.

As will be described in detail later, the illumination parts 8031 and 8032 come into contact with the underside of the upper panel unit 400, and when the upper panel unit 400 shifts downward, an upward reaction force is generated from the illumination parts 8031 and 8032 toward the upper panel unit 400. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the upper panel unit 400 can be supported over a wide area by the illumination parts 8031 and 8032 and the covering cover 370, which are fastened and fixed to the main body frame 14a, so that the force required to support the upper panel unit 400 can be distributed over a wide area.

The support groove 376 functions as a receiving groove that receives the lower end of the illumination part 8032 entering from the back side. In the assembled state (see FIG. 86), the illumination part 8032 is inserted to the innermost part of the support groove 376, and in this state, the position of the front lower corner end of the illumination part 8032 and the front side end of the right flat support part 375 are aligned.

The details of the engagement between the support groove 376 and the illumination part 8032 will be described later. By connecting the covering cover 370 and the illumination part 8032 through the engagement relationship described below, the covering cover 370 and the illumination part 8032 can be fastened and fixed to the main body frame 14a to form an assembled state, eliminating the need for separate fastening parts for fastening the covering cover 370 and the illumination part 8032 to each other.

Below the window portion 14c of the front frame 14, a resin plate-like plate member 14d is fastened and fixed to the main body frame 14a (or to a separate member (such as a member constituting the upper dish 17) arranged on the front side of the main body frame 14a) on the back side of the main body frame 14a, and the passage forming unit 140 is fastened and fixed to the main body frame 14a or plate member 14d on the back side of the plate member 14d (or to a separate member (such as a member constituting the upper dish 17) arranged on the front side of the main body frame 14a) and a metal plate-like sheet metal member 150 is fastened and fixed to the main body frame 14a or plate member 14d (or to a separate member (such as a member constituting the upper dish 17) arranged on the front side of the main body frame 14a) in a manner that covers the passage forming unit 140 from the back side.

The sheet metal member 150 functions as an intrusion prevention member that makes it impossible to intrude from the front side of the front frame 14 to the inner frame 12 side, even if the passage forming unit 140 made of synthetic resin is penetrated (for example, if a wire with a heated tip or a piano wire is pressed against it and melts). In other words, the sheet metal member 150 made of metal will not be penetrated even if a wire with a heated tip is pressed against it, and can prevent the example wire from intruding into the back side of the front frame 14.

The sheet metal member 150 is formed in such a way that it covers the top, bottom, left and right of the lower end of the front door side lower tray passage section 142 and the lower end of the foul ball passage section 145 on the left side when viewed from the front, and is mainly composed of a fitting box section 151 whose open front side fits into the passage forming unit 140, and a flat plate-like section 152 that covers the back of the lower part of the foul ball passage section 145 and the ball removal passage 147.

The fitting box portion 151 covers the top, bottom, left and right of the lower end of the front door side lower dish passage portion 142 and the lower end of the foul ball passage portion 145, so that it is possible to prevent the illustrated wire from entering beyond the passage forming unit 140 not only when the passage forming unit 140 is penetrated in the front-to-back direction at the lower end of the front door side lower dish passage portion 142 and the lower end of the foul ball passage portion 145, but also when it is penetrated in the left-to-right or up-to-down direction.

The plate-like portion 152 covers the back of the foul ball passage portion 145 and the ball removal passage 147, so even if a wire such as that shown in the passage forming unit 140 is pressed against the right side of the lower plate 50 to open a through hole, it is possible to prevent an illegal member from entering the back side of the passage forming unit 140. An example of a situation in which this may occur is when the operating device 300 is removed and the wire shown in the example is pressed against a portion that has become thinner in the front and rear (a portion diagonally above and behind the recessed portion 15a) to open a through hole through which the wire shown in the example enters.

Furthermore, the front frame 14 is provided with an operating part back member 155 that is fastened from the back side to the left end of the passage forming unit 140, and the operating part back member 155 is fastened and fixed to the main frame 14a at a position above or below the position where the cylinder lock 20 is positioned in the assembled state (see Figure 86).

As shown in Figures 89 and 91, the operating unit back member 155 is a member configured to increase its dimension in the front-rear direction by ribs formed mainly in the front-rear direction from the outer edge of a left-right long plate member, and mainly comprises a through hole 156 drilled in the plate member so that the cylinder lock 20 can pass through, a pair of insertion holes 157 drilled above and below the through hole 156 and through which screws are inserted to fasten the operating unit back member 155 to the main body frame 14a, a pair of connecting insertion holes 158 drilled side by side above and below in the portion (left end) that overlaps the back side of the passage forming unit 140, and an opening/closing restricting portion 159 that protrudes toward the back side on the rotation base end side of the through hole 156.

The connecting through hole 158 is arranged to match the connecting portion 148 formed at the left end of the passage forming unit 140 in the front-rear direction. Here, the connecting portion 148 of the passage forming unit 140 mainly comprises a cylindrical protrusion portion 148a with an inner diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the connecting through hole 158 protruding from the back side at a position matching the upper connecting through hole 158 in the front-rear direction, and a screw-in portion 148b drilled as a hole into which a screw inserted into the connecting through hole 158 can be screwed at a position matching the lower connecting through hole 158 in the front-rear direction.

With this configuration, when the operating unit back member 155 is stacked on the back side of the passage formation unit 140 and assembled, the passage formation unit 140 and the operating unit back member 155 are aligned by passing the protrusion 148a through the upper connecting insertion hole 158, and then the screw that has passed through the lower connecting insertion hole 158 is screwed into the screw-in portion 148b, so that the operating unit back member 155 can be easily fastened and fixed to the passage formation unit 140.

The left edge of the left end of the operating unit back member 155, in which the connecting insertion hole 158 is drilled, and the lower edge are formed at a right angle to form an L-shaped wall 158a. On the other hand, the connecting portion 148 of the passage forming unit 140 has an extended wall 148c that extends from the plate that forms the skeleton of the passage forming unit 140 to the back side to partition the area, and the extended wall 148c is formed in an L shape that can come into surface contact with the wall 158a in the vertical and horizontal directions when assembled (see FIG. 89).

Therefore, when assembling the operating unit back member 155 to the passage forming unit 140, the position and attitude of the operating unit back member 155 can be quickly and easily adjusted by passing the protrusion 148a through the connecting insertion hole 158 and by bringing the wall portion 158a into contact with the extended wall portion 148c from above, below, left and right.

The opening/closing restricting section 159 is a part that, in the assembled state (see FIG. 86), is arranged facing the front and rear of the board support device 600 (see FIG. 90) that is disposed in the inner frame 12, and although details will be described later, under certain conditions, it has the effect of restricting the front frame 14 from being in a closed state by abutting against the board support device 600 or the game board 13.

In this embodiment, the opening/closing restricting portion 159 is a portion that is extended toward the rear side of the operation unit rear member 155 and is formed from synthetic resin, and is formed with a U-shaped cross section as viewed in the direction of extension to ensure rigidity. Therefore, it is less likely to bend than when it is formed in a flat plate shape with the same plate thickness, and the amount of material required can be reduced while ensuring rigidity compared to when it is extended in a block shape that fills the U-shaped opening. Therefore, by being formed with the same plate thickness as the thickness of other portions of the operation unit rear member 155 (for example, the plate thickness of a portion that is formed as thin as possible for a portion where low strength is not a problem because strength can be relied on the main body frame 14a), the strength of the opening/closing restricting portion 159 can be ensured while improving moldability.

The cross-sectional shape of the opening/closing restricting portion 159 is not limited to a U-shape, and may be any shape that ensures rigidity and maintains its shape. For example, compared to a flat cross-section, the cross-section may be curved (wave) shaped, stepped, rectangular wave-shaped, or cylindrical.

In addition, the opening/closing restricting portion 159 may be formed not as part of the operating portion rear member 155, but as a metal portion that is bent and extended from the main body frame 14a toward the rear side, or that is extended toward the rear side from a separate member fixed to the rear side of the main body frame 14a. However, forming the opening/closing restricting portion 159 from synthetic resin, as in this embodiment, can prevent the board surface support device 600 from being chipped or dented when it comes into contact with the board surface support device 600 (see FIG. 90) made of a metal member. This reduces the risk of injury to an operator who changes the state of the board surface support device 600 to attach or detach the game board 13 by touching a chip or dent in the board surface support device 600.

Here, since the opening/closing restricting portion 159 is disposed on the rotation base end side of the front frame 14 relative to the through hole 156 in which the cylinder lock 20 is disposed, a longer distance can be secured between the inner frame 12 and the front frame 14 at the location of the cylinder lock 20 disposed on the rotation tip side. Therefore, when the opening/closing restricting portion 159 is in contact with the board support device 600 or the game board 13, the possibility of the cylinder lock 20 or the locking mechanism 20RK disposed on the rotation tip side being erroneously locked can be reduced.

One possible route for a foreign object such as a wire to enter is, for example, through a gap in the operation device 300. In contrast, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 91 and 92, the operation device 300 is configured so that it can be completely detached to the front side of the main body frame 14a. In other words, since the structure of the operation device 300 is completed on the front side of the main body frame 14a, even if a foreign object follows a gap in the operation device 300, it is configured so that it is difficult for the foreign object to enter the rear side of the main body frame 14a.

The harness HN3 (see FIG. 96) that supplies power to the operating device 300 is inserted into a wiring hole 14a1 (see FIG. 103) drilled in the front-rear direction of the main frame 14a at the right end position of the long cover member 173, and the harness HN3 is connected to the operating device 300 via a connector (not shown) fixed to the lower corner of the right outer wall of the protective cover device 350 (see FIG. 57).

As a result, even if a foreign object such as a wire enters the inside of the operating device 300 through a gap in the operating device 300, it is difficult for the wire to reach the harness HN3 connected to the outside of the operating device 300, which is configured in a roughly case-like shape, making it easier to prevent foreign objects such as wires from entering the back side of the main body frame 14a.

Note that liquids may be considered as foreign objects that may enter the operation device 300. For example, a player who is upset with the results of a game may splash drinking water or the like on the pachinko machine 10. In such a case, the operation device 300, which is conveniently located, is likely to become a target for splashing drinking water. If no measures are taken, the drive motor 342 (see FIG. 18) or the voice coil motor 352 (see FIG. 13) may break down.

Furthermore, if liquid such as drinking water gets behind the main body frame 14a, it may cause damage to electronic boards, etc., but as described above, in this embodiment, the operating device 300 is configured to be detachable and independent on the front side of the main body frame 14a, so that liquid such as drinking water sprayed on the operating device 300 can be prevented from seeping into the back side of the main body frame 14a.

The upper surface of the bottom plate of the lower tray unit 15 (the surface facing the operating device 300) has a recess 15a recessed in a T-shape when viewed from above. The recess 15a is configured as a deep recess. It is not a complete case, and there are gaps formed here and there (for example, see FIG. 13, where the transmission hole 321a and the opening 325 correspond to gaps). The recess 15a serves to temporarily store liquid that passes through the inside of the operating device 300 and falls below the operating device 300.

In the operating device 300, the drive motor 342 is positioned toward the rear of the opening 325, so that the tilting device 310 acts as an umbrella (see Figures 13 and 17(b)). Furthermore, the connection part with the wiring is positioned below the horizontal plate part that is located between the motor housing part 341e and the lighting support part 341e (see Figures 17(b) and 18), so that liquids such as drinking water can be prevented from being directly poured onto the drive motor 342, which could cause it to break down.

In addition, since the voice coil motor 352 communicates in the vertical direction through the transmission hole 321a, there is a risk of liquids such as drinking water getting on it, but since the other parts are covered by the bottom plate part 321, liquids such as drinking water only adhere to the vibration surface (upper surface), and the adhered liquid flows down the front side due to the inclination of the vibration surface of the voice coil motor 352 itself (see Figures 13 and 22). Therefore, it is possible to prevent the voice coil motor 352 from breaking down.

With the above-mentioned configuration, even if a player splashes liquid such as drinking water on himself as he is leaving, the next player can play as normal as long as he wipes the top surface of the operation device 300 that he touches, thus preventing the maintenance time for the operation device 300 from affecting business hours.

Below the window portion 14c of the front frame 14, at the pivot base end side of the front frame 14 on the rear side of the main frame 14a, a binding movable member 180 is fastened and fixed to the plate member 14d. Next, the binding movable member 180 will be described with reference to Figures 93 to 96. Note that Figures 93 to 96 show the state in which the passage forming unit 140 and the sheet metal member 150 have been removed from the front frame 14, as in Figure 91.

Figure 93(a) is an exploded rear perspective view of the front frame 14, and Figure 93(b) is a front perspective view of the binding movable member 180, in which the released and fixed states of the binding movable member 180 are illustrated side by side. Note that in Figure 93(b), the binding movable member 180 in the released state is illustrated on the top, and the binding movable member 180 in the fixed state is illustrated on the bottom.

The binding movable member 180 is fixed in the assembled state (see FIG. 86) and binds the harnesses HN1 to HN3 that are extended leftward from the upper end of the upward extension wall portion 173c.

In this embodiment, the harness HN1 connected to the operating handle 51 (see FIG. 92) and the harness HN2 connected to the ball dispensing operating unit 40 (see FIG. 92) are each guided to the bundling movable member 180 without an intermediate board, and are each bundling to the bundling movable member 180.

On the other hand, the harnesses connected to each of the illumination units 8029-8033, the operating device 300, or the frame button 22 (see FIG. 86) are first connected (gathered) to a relay board arranged in the space on the front side of the long cover member 173, and a bundle of extension harnesses HN3 is directed from the relay board to the bundling movable member 180, and the extension harnesses HN3 are bound to the bundling movable member 180 (see FIG. 96).

The binding movable member 180 is a member made of a synthetic resin material, and mainly comprises a main body 181 fastened to the plate member 14d from the rear side, a movable arm 182 rotatably supported by a screw fastened to the main body 181 in the vertical direction, a pair of highly flexible binding arms 183 extending from one side surface of the movable arm 182 in the rotation direction (the side surface opposite the side facing the main body 181 in FIG. 93(a)) along the lower edge of the movable arm 182, a pair of locking portions 184 that are U-shaped when viewed from above and can lock the binding arm 183, and a temporary fastening portion 185 that extends downward from the lower edge of the movable arm 182 at a position (middle position) between the pair of binding arms 183 and has an opening.

In addition, the binding movable member 180 is formed so that the binding arm portion 183 has high flexibility, while the other portions are formed so that they are at least less flexible (higher rigidity) than the binding arm portion 183.

The main body 181 mainly comprises a fixed portion 181a having a cross section with an upper side formed in a roughly horseshoe shape and a through hole in the center for passing a screw through, a pair of anti-rotation protrusions 181b each protruding from the left and right lower corners of the fixed portion 181a toward the plate member 14d, an intermediate stopper 181c extending downward from the lower edge of the front end of the fixed portion 181a and whose extending tip curves close to the plate member 14d, a plate-shaped support plate portion 181d (see FIG. 96(a)) extending leftward along the lower edge of the fixed portion 181a, and a cylindrical fastening portion 181e that is disposed at the upper portion of the support plate portion 181d and is formed from a cylindrical shape with an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the head of the screw to be fastened.

The plate member 14d has a hole group 14d1 at the position where the binding movable member 180 is fixed, which is composed of through holes arranged in the same manner as the fixed portion 181a and the pair of anti-rotation portions 181b.

When the screw passing through the fixed portion 181a is fastened to the corresponding fastening hole of the hole group 14d1 of the plate member 14d, the pair of anti-rotation protrusions 181b fit into the corresponding fitting holes of the hole group 14d1, thereby preventing the binding movable member 180 from rotating around the screw passing through the fixed portion 181a when fastened, and determining the posture of the binding movable member 180 relative to the plate member 14d when fixed.

The intermediate stopper 181c maintains each of the harnesses HN1 to HN3 between the plate member 14d. In this embodiment, by narrowing the gap between the extended end (lower end) and the plate member 14d, the harnesses HN1 to HN3 can be prevented from slipping downward, and the shape curved along a circle whose center is located on the plate member 14d side can ensure a large cross-sectional area for the area that accommodates the harnesses HN1 to HN3 (the area sandwiched between the plate member 14d and the intermediate stopper 181c) while suppressing stress concentration due to deformation.

The support plate portion 181d forms a plane that guides the rotation of the movable arm portion 182, and the cylindrical fastening portion 181e has its outer circumferential surface fitted into the base end portion of the movable arm portion 182, supporting the movable arm portion 182 (see Figure 96).

The movable arm 182 mainly comprises a base end 182a, which is shaped to smoothly connect to a plane OS1 offset from the support position of the cylindrical fastening part 181e, and a thin plate part 182b, which is connected to the opposite side of the support position of the base end 182a and has a thin, elongated shape.

The base end 182a has side walls extending in the direction of rotation from the inner left and right ends (parts where the line connecting the axis is parallel to the plane OS1) and the rear end (part closest to the plane OS1) of the outer periphery of the cylindrical part that is fitted onto the cylindrical fastening part 181e. Each side wall is formed in an arc shape with the center of the radius of curvature located on the same side, and the distance between them gradually decreases as they approach the plane OS1, and when they reach the plane OS1, they become equal to the thickness of the thin plate part 182b.

Therefore, the base end 182a maintains a higher rigidity than the thin plate portion 182b. In this embodiment, the base end 182a is designed with a design concept that does not intend elastic deformation (high rigidity), and the thin plate portion 182b is designed with a design concept that intends elastic deformation depending on the situation (low rigidity).

Since the pair of binding arms 183 are configured with the same shape, only one will be described and the other will not be described. The binding arm 183 has narrow sections 183a formed with a width equal to the width of the base near the tip and wide sections 183b formed wider than the narrow sections 183a, which are alternately formed at equal intervals. In addition, when the binding arm 183 is in the fixed state, the locking section 184 is inserted from below into the through hole formed between the movable arm 182 and the binding arm 183 (see Figure 93 (b)).

The large width portion 183b of the binding arm 183 is formed to be slightly thicker than the small width portion 183a. In this embodiment, the thickened portion is formed on the outer periphery in the fixed state (see the lower side of Figure 93 (b)), so that space can be secured on the inner periphery of the binding arm 183.

The locking portion 184 mainly comprises a large opening 184a formed on the movable arm portion 182 side, and a small opening 184b formed on the opposite side of the movable arm portion 182 across the large opening 184a and having a smaller opening width than the large opening 184a (see Figure 96).

The large opening 184a is sized to allow the binding arm 183 to pass through regardless of the position of the binding arm 183, and the small opening 184b is sized to allow the narrow portion 183a of the binding arm 183 to pass through, but not the wide portion 183b (which is locked).

According to this embodiment, when it is desired to move the binding arm 183 relative to the locking portion 184, it is arranged on the large opening 184a side (the side where the inner area surrounded by the binding arm 183 is smaller), and when it is desired to lock the binding arm 183 to the locking portion 184, it is arranged on the small opening 184b side, so that the size of the inner area surrounded by the binding arm 183 (the degree of tightness) can be easily adjusted.

The temporary fastening portion 185 has a through hole in the center through which a cable tie can be inserted. Even if the binding arm portion 183 breaks due to long-term use and it becomes impossible to bind the harnesses HN1 to HN3, it is possible to bind the harnesses HN1 to HN3 by inserting a commercially available cable tie into the through hole of the temporary fastening portion 185 and fixing it.

The movable range of the binding movable member 180 will be described. Figure 94(a) is a partial rear view of the front frame 14 showing the lower left corner of the front frame 14, Figure 94(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the front frame 14 taken along line XCIVb-XCIVb in Figure 94(a), Figure 95(a) is a partial rear view of the front frame 14 showing the lower left corner of the front frame 14, and Figure 95(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the front frame 14 taken along line XCVb-XCVb in Figure 95(a).

Note that Figures 94(a) and 94(b) show the state in which the movable arm 182 is closest to the plate member 14d (one of the limit states of the movable range), and Figures 95(a) and 95(b) show the state in which the movable arm 182 rotates in a direction away from the plate member 14d and abuts against a vertically long metal portion that constitutes the left portion of the main body frame 14a (the other limit state of the movable range).

94 and 95, the movable arm 182 is configured to be rotatable about 160 degrees around an axis (axis facing up and down) parallel to the rotation axis of the front frame 14. This angle is sufficiently larger than the rotation angle required for the front frame 14 when opening and closing during normal use, considering the installation conditions of the pachinko machines 8010 in game parlors (a situation in which the pachinko machines 8010 are installed side by side on the left and right and rotating by more than 90 degrees may cause a collision with the adjacent pachinko machine 8010).

Therefore, during normal use, the movable arm 182 does not exceed the range in which it can rotate relative to the main body 181 without elastic deformation (the range between the state shown in FIG. 94 and the state shown in FIG. 95), reducing the risk of the movable arm 182 deteriorating and breaking due to elastic deformation.

Next, the support mode of the harnesses HN1 to HN3 will be described. The arrangement of the harnesses HN1 to HN3 is determined by being supported by the binding movable member 180, so that it is possible to prevent the harnesses HN1 to HN3 from accidentally being caught between the outer frame 14 and the inner frame 12, causing a break in the wires, for example.

Figure 96(a) is a schematic rear view showing the bundling movable member 180 and harnesses HN1 to HN3, Figure 96(b) is a schematic top view of Figure 96(a), Figure 96(c) is a schematic rear view showing the bundling movable member 180 and harnesses HN1 to HN3, and Figure 96(d) is a schematic top view of Figure 96(c).

Note that Figures 96(a) and 96(b) show one limit state of the bundling movable member 180, and Figures 96(c) and 96(d) show the other limit state of the bundling movable member 180.

As shown in FIG. 96, the intermediate stopper 181c is positioned toward the pivot base end of the front frame 14 from the opening that opens to the left at the upper end of the upwardly extending wall portion 173c. In other words, the horizontal lines of the intermediate stopper 181c and the opening that opens to the left at the upper end of the upwardly extending wall portion 173c are the same, so the harnesses HN1 to HN3 that are extended from the upwardly extending wall portion 173c can be extended substantially horizontally and supported by the intermediate stopper 181c.

Because the harnesses HN1 to HN3 are supported by the intermediate stopper 181c near the cylindrical fastening portion 181e, which is the pivot position of the movable arm 182, the shape of the harnesses HN1 to HN3 on the opposite side of the upwardly extending wall portion 173c across the intermediate stopper 181c can be made to match the shape of the movable arm 182 of the binding movable member 180. As a result, as shown in Figures 96(b) and 96(d), the shape of the bending portion of the harnesses HN1 to HN3 becomes a curved shape, preventing the occurrence of extreme bending deformation.

In addition, by positioning the locking portion 184 on the side closest to the plate member 14d, the area surrounded by the binding arm portion 183 can be positioned on the opposite side of the plate member 14d across the movable arm portion 182. Therefore, especially when the front frame 14 is closed against the inner frame 12 (see FIG. 96(b)), the harnesses HN1 to HN3 can be curved with a sufficiently large radius of curvature. This makes it possible to prevent breakage of the harnesses HN1 to HN3 due to bending.

Figures 97(a) and 97(b) are schematic top views of the front frame 14, inner frame 12, binding movable member 180, and harnesses HN1 to HN3, which diagrammatically illustrate the binding movable member 180 and harnesses HN1 to HN3. Note that Figure 97(a) illustrates one limit state of the binding movable member 180, and Figure 97(b) illustrates the other limit state of the binding movable member 180.

97(a) and 97(b) also show the rotation center point P57 indicating the central axis position of the front door mounting bracket 57 (see FIG. 86), the front frame 14 and the inner frame 12 are shown typically in imaginary lines, and members fixed to the front frame 14 and the inner frame 12, respectively, and supported at the rotation center point P57 are shown typically in solid lines. The rotation center point P57 is shown as the rotation axis of the front frame 14, and the binding movable member 180 fixed to the front frame 14 also rotates with respect to the inner frame 12 around the rotation center point P57, just like the front frame 14.

From one limit state shown in FIG. 97(a) to the other limit state shown in FIG. 97(b), the base end 182a of the movable arm 182 rotates around the cylindrical fastening portion 181e to open and close the inner frame 12 and the front frame 14, so that no heavy load is applied to the thin plate portion 182b, and deformation of the thin plate portion 182b can be suppressed, improving durability (see also FIG. 96(b) and FIG. 96(d)).

As shown in Figures 97(a) and 97(b), the harnesses HN1 to HN3 supported by the binding movable member 180 are routed along a path that passes near the vertically long metal portion that constitutes the left side of the main body frame 14a of the front frame 14 (the portion that the base end 182a of the movable arm 182 abuts in Figure 96(d)), regardless of whether the harnesses are open or closed relative to the inner frame 12 of the front frame 14. In other words, by forcibly routing the harnesses HN1 to HN3 in a detour, the curved portions of the harnesses HN1 to HN3 can be prevented from moving toward the rotating tip of the front frame 14.

This prevents the harnesses HN1 to HN3 from interfering with the worker's work when opening and closing the front frame 14, and improves the fit of the harnesses HN1 to HN3 when the front frame 14 is closed (they are bent only once at the base end of the rotation) (see Figures 96(b) and 97(a)).

In this embodiment, the intermediate stopper 181c is positioned vertically above the inverted cup portion 178 regardless of the position of the movable arm portion 182 (see FIG. 91). The intermediate stopper 181c, positioned vertically above the inverted cup portion 178, supports the harnesses HN1-HN3 in such a way that it is possible to prevent fraudulent acts, such as, for example, heating the tip of a wire or piano wire to a high temperature to melt and penetrate the inverted cup portion 178, thereby allowing the wire to enter between the front frame 14 and the inner frame 12.

That is, when the wire is pressed against the underside of the inverted cup portion 178, melted, and penetrated, and then advanced toward the play area, as the wire advances vertically upward from the upper bottom portion of the inverted cup portion 178, the tip of the wire, which has been heated to a high temperature, is pressed against the harnesses HN1 to HN3 supported by the intermediate stopper portion 181c. As a result, the harnesses HN1 to HN3 are burned off, and electrical continuity is disabled.

When the electrical continuity of the harnesses HN1 to HN3 is interrupted, an error signal is output and an alarm is sounded (an error screen is displayed), so that fraud can be quickly discovered. This makes it possible to prevent fraudsters from obtaining illegal benefits.

In more detail, since the harness HN1 is connected to the operating handle 51 (see FIG. 92) as described above, if the harness HN1 burns out, the ball cannot be launched even by rotating the operating handle 51. This makes it possible to shorten the time from when a cheating act is committed until the cheating act is discovered (it makes it possible to discover the cheating act early).

In this case, it is possible to prevent a person who commits fraudulent acts of obtaining a prize ball by inserting a wire into the play area, tampering with the play area (for example, bending the nails to make it easier to win a prize illegally), and then causing the ball to enter the first winning hole 64 (see Figure 2) or the like, thereby making it impossible to launch balls, thereby preventing the person from obtaining an illegal advantage. In other words, it is possible to make it impossible to perform certain fraudulent acts.

In addition, since the harness HN2 is connected to the ball lending operation unit 40 (see FIG. 92) as described above, if the harness HN2 burns out, the ball lending button 42 (see FIG. 89) and the return button 43 (see FIG. 89) cannot be operated. Therefore, a person committing fraudulent acts may be in danger of being unable to retrieve the bills inserted into the card unit (ball lending unit) (not shown) or the remaining amount of balls on the card, thereby acting as a deterrent to fraudulent acts.

Furthermore, when committing fraudulent acts to eliminate the risk of not being able to collect the bills inserted into the card unit (ball lending unit) (not shown) or the balls equivalent to the card balance, the player commits fraudulent acts without leaving his/her seat even though the balance of the card unit (ball lending unit) is 0 yen, making it easy for the gaming machine store to notice the fraudulent acts.

In the first place, if the harness HN2 is disconnected, a disconnection error (CR error) in the card unit (ball dispensing unit) (not shown) is output, and the gaming machine store can easily identify the possibility of fraudulent activity by checking the disconnection error (CR error).

Figure 98 is a front view of the passage forming unit 140. In Figure 98, the outer shape of the sheet metal member 150 and the outer shape of the sphere guide opening 53 are shown by imaginary lines.

As shown in FIG. 98, the ball guide opening 53 is located at the lower end of the front door side lower tray passage section 142 and the lower end of the foul ball passage section 145. In this embodiment, the lower end of the front door side lower tray passage section 142 occupies an area of approximately 2/3 of the left-right width dimension of the ball guide opening 53 to the left of the ball guide opening 53, and the lower end of the foul ball passage section 145 is separated by a partition plate section 53a so as to occupy the remaining area (approximately 1/3 of the left-right width dimension of the ball guide opening 53) to the right of the ball guide opening 53.

The front door side lower tray passage section 142 and the foul ball passage section 145 are passages that extend from the payout ball receiving section 143 and the foul ball receiving section 146, respectively, to allow balls to flow down toward the lower tray 50, and each has an S-shaped path SL1, SL2 that extends (switches) at least once to the left and right.

The S-shaped path SL1 allows the length of the flow path of the front door side lower tray passage section 142 to be increased while keeping the vertical dimension of the passage forming unit 140 short, so that the number of balls that can be retained inside the front door side lower tray passage section 142 can be increased. This allows the number of balls that can be retained upstream of the lower tray 50 to be increased while ensuring a large vertical dimension of the window section 14c (see FIG. 86), so that the vertical dimensions of the play area and performance area can be large, and by increasing the number of balls that can be temporarily placed on the lower tray 50 (and its upstream side), a pachinko machine 8010 can be constructed that can reduce the stress of ball refilling on the player (such as the stress caused by being required to refill balls from the 1000-ryo box when 50 balls in the lower tray are used up).

The front door side lower tray passage section 142 and the foul ball passage section 145 each have bending areas NEa1, NEa2, NEb1, and NEb2, which are areas where the extension direction is bent in the up-down direction and the left-right direction, and they have a common feature. That is, the front door side lower tray passage section 142 has a first bending area NEa1 formed on the downstream side, and a second bending area NEa2 arranged upstream of the first bending area NEa1 with the left and right of the characteristic part reversed.

The foul ball passage 145 also includes a first bending area NEb1 formed on the downstream side, and a second bending area NEb2 arranged upstream of the first bending area NEb1 with the left and right of the characteristic portion reversed. Note that in describing the characteristic portion, the characteristics of the first bending area NEa1 will be described, and descriptions of the other bending areas NEa2, NEb1, and NEb2 will be omitted.

99 is an enlarged front view of the first bending region NEa1. As shown in FIG. 99, the first bending region NEa1 mainly includes a side wall Na arranged on the opposite side of the direction in which the S-shaped path SL1 extends to the left and right of the left and right side walls of the front door side lower tray passage section 142, a ceiling wall Nb arranged above the side wall Na in a manner intersecting the extension direction of the side wall Na, and a proximity wall Nc extending downward from the ceiling wall Nb and approaching the side wall Na toward the extension end, and each of these walls Na, Nb, and Nc extends from the rear side bottom plate portion of the passage forming unit 140 to the front side.

The surface Nc1 of the proximity wall Nc opposite the ceiling wall Nb is curved along the S-shaped path SL1, so that the surface Nc1 functions as a guide surface for the ball. On the other hand, the surface Nc2 opposite the surface Nc1 (the surface facing the ceiling surface Nb) functions as a surface that regulates the direction of travel of the improperly inserted wire HM (a thin metal such as a wire or piano wire), as will be described in detail later. The gap Nin between the proximity wall Nc and the side wall Na at the lower end of the extension is set to be larger than the width dimension (diameter) of the wire HM.

As shown in Figure 99, the shape of the first bending area NEa1 can prevent the illegally inserted wire HM from penetrating deeper. That is, as shown in Figure 99, one possible route for the illegally inserted wire HM is to use the ball guide opening 53 as an entrance and proceed upstream of the front door side lower tray passage section 142. In this case, the person committing the illegal act will proceed the wire HM while pressing it against the side wall of the front door side lower tray passage section 142.

When a fraudster presses the wire HM against the side wall Na in the first bending area NEa1, the wire HM enters the gap Nin, but even if the wire HM is not pressed against the side wall Na in the first bending area NEa1, the wire HM will move to the right due to the S-shaped path SL1 of the front door side lower tray passage section 142, and will be pressed against the side wall Na in the second bending area NEa2 and enter the gap Nin. In other words, by arranging the pair of bending areas NEa1, NEa2 in a mirror image, the wire HM can enter the gap Nin without fail.

Figure 99 shows an example of the path of travel of the wire HM when it enters the gap Nin. The tip position of the wire HM at each timing is indicated by a black circle, and the direction of travel of the wire HM at that time is indicated by an arrow. As shown in Figure 99, the wire HM that enters the gap Nin enters the tapered dead-end portion formed between the ceiling wall Nb and the adjacent wall Nc. If the wire HM gets caught (pinched) here, it is possible to prevent the wire HM from traveling any further, and also to prevent the wire HM from being held, allowing fraudulent activity to be discovered quickly.

On the other hand, even if the wire HM does not get caught and continues to move forward, when the wire HM protrudes from the gap Nin, the tip of the wire HM protrudes with its tip facing downward, so even if the wire HM is advanced further, the tip of the wire HM will continue to move downward. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the wire HM from reaching the payout device 133 located upstream of the payout ball receiving portion 143 or the game area located upstream of the foul ball receiving portion 146.

This prevents fraudsters from obtaining illegal benefits by making the wire HM reach the payout device 133 (see Figure 3) and cause the payout device 133 to malfunction, thereby obtaining illegally paid-out balls, or by making the wire HM reach the play area and forcibly opening a movable device such as the electric role 640a (see Figure 2), making it easier to win illegally and obtaining illegally paid-out balls.

Returning to Figure 98, the foul ball passage 145 is formed with a vertical width downstream from the junction area CE where it joins with the ball removal passage 147 that is approximately twice the diameter of the ball (more than twice in this embodiment). This makes it possible to extremely reduce the possibility of the balls being caught between the upper and lower walls and interlocking with each other, even if a ball flowing down the ball removal passage 147 is placed in the junction area CE and a ball flowing down the foul ball passage 145 enters the junction flow path CE (the two balls enter the junction area CE at the same time), and two balls are lined up vertically. This makes it possible to prevent the flow of the ball from being impeded downstream from the junction area CE.

The foul ball passage 145 is formed between the first bending region NEb1 and the second bending region NEb2, and includes a passage 145a that vertically connects the bending regions NEb1 and NEb2. The width of the passage 145a is set to a dimension slightly larger than the diameter of the ball, and the rear side bottom plate of the passage forming unit 140 is formed to protrude toward the front side as it moves downward.

In the area upstream of the passage section 145a, the rear bottom plate of the passage forming unit 140 is flush with the upstream end of the passage section 145a, and in the area downstream of the passage section 145a, the rear bottom plate of the passage forming unit 140 is flush with the downstream end of the passage section 145a.

That is, the foul ball passage 145 is set so that the area upstream of the passage 145a has a larger front-to-rear width than the area downstream of the passage 145a. Note that in this embodiment, the foul ball passage 145 is set so that the front-to-rear width downstream of the passage 145a is slightly larger than the diameter of the ball.

On the other hand, in this embodiment, the foul ball passage 145 is set so that the front-to-rear width upstream of the passage 145a is slightly smaller than twice the diameter of the ball. Therefore, when a ball is retained in the foul ball passage 145, multiple balls can be positioned with their positions shifted forward and backward upstream of the passage 145, increasing the number of balls that can be retained, and preventing the centers of the balls from lining up in the front-to-back direction (they will be slightly shifted left and right and up and down), preventing two balls from entering the passage 145a at the same time.

In other words, the entry of balls into the passage 145a can be restricted to one at a time. This prevents the foul balls from reaching the junction area CE at the same time, even if two or more foul balls flow into the foul ball passage 145 in succession, reducing the possibility of the balls getting caught between the upper and lower walls in the junction area CE.

The foul ball receiving portion 146 is provided as a plate extending from the rear bottom plate portion of the passage forming unit 140 to the front side, and is connected at its left end to the left wall portion. It mainly comprises an inclined plate portion 146a whose downflow surface of the ball slopes downward as it moves to the right, a blocking portion 146b that blocks the foul ball receiving portion 146 vertically below the inclined plate portion 146a, and a curved guide plate portion 146c that is provided as a plate extending from the rear bottom plate portion of the passage forming unit 140 below the inclined plate portion 146a to the rear side, and curves in such a way that its extension direction points upward as it moves toward the rear side.

While the ball is guided along the top surface of the curved guide plate 146c toward the foul ball passage 145 (front side), the inclined plate 146a and blocking portion 146b act to move the ball's passage position toward the front side of the foul ball receiving portion 146 toward the right side of the foul ball receiving portion 146. In other words, the ball rolling down the top surface of the inclined plate 146a can be directed to the right, and the blocking portion 146b can prevent the ball from passing through the left side of the foul ball receiving portion 146.

This makes it possible to lengthen the time it takes for a ball that has passed through the foul ball receiving portion 146 to reach the S-shaped path SL2. In other words, because the ball can finish bouncing up and down before it reaches the S-shaped path SL2 (the variation in the ball's up and down position can be reduced), the width of the foul ball passage portion 145 on the S-shaped path SL2 can be set small (slightly larger than the diameter of the ball) while allowing the ball to flow down smoothly.

The foul ball passage 145 is set to have a small passage width (slightly larger than the diameter of the ball) in the area that forms the S-shaped path SL2 (e.g., passage 145a), so that illegal tools with a larger outer shape can be prevented from passing through the foul ball passage 145.

Next, the structure of the front side of the front frame 14 will be described. Figure 100 is an exploded front perspective view of the front frame 14, and Figure 101 is an exploded rear perspective view of the front frame 14. Note that Figures 100 and 101 show the components of the upper panel unit 400 that make up the illumination section 8030 disassembled from the main frame 14a.

The upper panel unit 400 is a unit formed long on the left and right, and the left and right ends are supported from below by the right panel unit 500 that constitutes the illumination unit 8031 and the illumination unit 8032. In this support structure, the lower end of the right end of the upper panel unit 400 is formed with a tapered supported groove 417 (see FIG. 118) that is recessed from the back side to the front side, similar to the support groove 376 of the covering cover 370, and the left and right claws that constitute the supported groove 417 are fitted into the fitting grooves 522b, 562b (see FIG. 108 and FIG. 109) formed on the upper end of the right panel unit 500, thereby connecting the upper panel unit 400 and the right panel unit 500.

This eliminates the need to fasten the upper panel unit 400 and the right panel unit 500 directly, and allows them to be connected and fixed to each other by fastening them to the main body frame 14a. Due to the shape of the supported groove 417 of the upper panel unit 400, the order of assembly to the main body frame 14a is regulated so that the right panel unit 500 is fastened and then the upper panel unit 400 is fastened. Details of the upper panel unit 400 will be described later.

In addition, the left and right claw portions constituting the supported groove 417 are configured to sandwich and engage with the engagement grooves 522b, 562b (see Figures 108 and 109) provided on the overlapping plate units 500R, 500L of the right panel unit 500, which is divided into left and right halves, thereby preventing the overlapping plate units 500R, 500L from moving apart to the left and right. Therefore, the right panel unit 500 can be prevented from being disassembled in the assembled state (engaged state, see Figure 86).

Figure 102 is an exploded front perspective view of the front frame 14, and Figure 103 is an exploded rear perspective view of the front frame 14. Figures 102 and 103 show the upper edge plate member 14e, which is sandwiched between the main body frame 14a and the upper panel unit 400 (see Figure 89) on the front side of the main body frame 14a, and the multi-function cover members 171 and 172 disassembled from the main body frame 14a.

The upper plate member 14e is a member that sandwiches the speaker assembly 450 between itself and the upper frame member 410 (see FIG. 101), and has a cylindrical fastening portion 14e1 that fits into the recessed portions 462, 482 (see FIGS. 121 and 122) of the speaker assembly 450.

The fastening portion 14e1 has a through hole through which a screw is inserted from the back side, and is a portion for fastening the upper frame member 410 and the upper edge plate member 14e by fastening the screw that passes through the through hole to the second fastening portion 419b (see FIG. 101) of the upper frame member 410.

Figure 104 is an exploded front perspective view of the front frame 14. Note that Figure 104 illustrates the right panel unit 500, which is fastened to the main frame 14a by screws inserted from the rear side into insertion holes drilled in the main frame 14a, disassembled from the main frame 14a. The upper panel unit 400, upper edge plate member 14e, and multi-function cover members 171 and 172 are omitted from the illustration, while the covering cover 370 is illustrated for reference.

In actual assembly, the panel unit 500 is first assembled to the main body frame 14a, and then the covering cover 370 is assembled to the main body frame 14a. The right panel unit 500 has a right side wall portion that forms the right edge of the pachinko machine 8010 (see FIG. 86).

Figure 105 is an exploded front perspective view of the right panel unit 500, Figure 106 is an exploded rear perspective view of the right panel unit 500, Figure 107 is a front view of the support plate portion 510, and Figures 108 and 109 are exploded front perspective views of the weight plate units 500L and 500R. Note that Figure 108 shows an oblique view with the right side facing the front, and Figure 109 shows an oblique view with the left side facing the front.

As shown in Figures 105 to 109, the right panel unit 500 mainly comprises a left stacking board unit 500L and a right stacking board unit 500R that are stacked in the left-right direction, and a vertically long plate-shaped support plate portion 510 to which the stacking board units 500L, 500R are fastened and fixed and which is fastened and fixed to the main body frame 14a (see Figure 104).

The weight plate units 500L, 500R are fastened to the support plate portion 510 by screws inserted from the back side to the front side of the support plate portion 510, and in this state, the support plate portion 510 is fastened to the main body frame 14a (see Figure 104) by screws inserted from the back side to the front side of the main body frame 14a.

The support plate portion 510 is formed with an L-shaped cross section by extending an extension portion 511a from the outer edge (right edge) of the side facing the main body frame 14a to the rear side in a plate-like shape, and mainly comprises a fixed plate 511 whose inner wall (left wall) of the extension portion 511a abuts against the outer surface of the main body frame 14a in the assembled state (see FIG. 86), a base member 512 fastened and fixed to the fixed plate 511 on the front side of the fixed plate 511, a plurality of cover side through holes 513 drilled in the fixed plate 511 on the left side of the base member 512, a plurality of lens side through holes 514 drilled in the fixed plate 511 on the right side of the base member 512, and a pin support hole 515 drilled in the fixed plate 511 to the right of the lens side through holes 514.

The fixing plate 511 has a base portion 511b that overlaps with the base member 512 when viewed from the front and the portion of the base member 512 that projects toward the front side in a platform shape, and the base member 512 is fastened and fixed to the fixing plate 511 in a state where the base member 512 is in face-to-face contact with the front surface of the base portion 511b.

In the assembled state (see FIG. 86), the base portion 511b can abut against the weight plate units 500L, 500R in the width direction (see FIG. 115(b)), preventing the weight plate units 500L, 500R from tipping over in the left-right direction. In other words, it is easier to maintain the position of the weight plate units 500L, 500R relative to the support plate portion 510.

In this embodiment, on the right side surface of the fixed plate 511, the extension portion 511a is shifted to the right by the thickness of the outer cover member 560 relative to the base portion 511b, so that the outer cover member 560 abuts against the support plate portion 510 in the front-to-rear direction on the front side of the extension portion 511a, while on the left side surface of the fixed plate 511, the side surface of the base portion 511b is formed as a surface almost flush with the rear end, so that the rear end of the inner cover member 520 can be positioned flush with the rear end of the support plate portion 510, and in the assembled state (see FIG. 86), the inner surface 521b1 of the inner cover member 520 abuts against the left side surface 511c of the support plate portion 510.

The substrate member 512 is an electronic board (printed circuit board) on which multiple LEDs 512a are arranged on the front side. In this embodiment, the multiple LEDs 512a are arranged in a row that curves to match the curved shape of the light-guiding member 540, with a predetermined interval (11 mm interval in this embodiment) between adjacent LEDs. In other words, the multiple LEDs 512a are arranged inside the shape of the light-guiding member 540 projected from the front, and irradiate light from directly behind the light-guiding member 540 toward the light-guiding member 540 with their optical axes parallel to each other (see FIG. 107).

The width of the end face of the light-guiding member 540 on the LED 512a side is made longer than the width of the LED 512a (the left-right width of the light-emitting portion) (see imaginary lines in Figure 107), so that the light emitted from the LED 512a enters the light-guiding member 540 without leakage and exits from one of the faces of the light-guiding member 540; however, the entry and exit of light and its path will be described later.

The cover side through hole 513 is a hole that positions the rear fastening part 527 arranged on the inner cover member 520 and through which a screw that is fastened to the rear fastening part 527 is inserted from the rear side. By fastening the screw to the rear fastening part 527, the inner cover member 520 is fixed to the support plate part 510.

The lens side through hole 514 is a hole that positions the rear fastening part 556 arranged on the outer lens member 550, and through which a screw that is fastened to the rear fastening part 556 is inserted from the rear side. By fastening a screw to the rear fastening part 556, the outer lens member 550 is fixed to the support plate part 510.

The pin support hole 515 is a through hole through which the protrusion 566 of the outer cover member 560 is inserted. The left-right width of the pin support hole 515 is set to be slightly larger than the diameter of the protrusion 566, while the vertical width is set to be approximately twice the length of the diameter of the protrusion 566. Therefore, the left-right position of the outer cover member 560 can be precisely defined, and the work efficiency can be improved when the outer cover member 560 is abutted against the support plate portion 510 and fastened and fixed.

That is, in the fastening preparation state in which the stacking plate units 500L, 500R abut against the support plate portion 510 from the front side, even if the plate units 500L, 500R are slightly misaligned vertically relative to the support plate portion 510 (misaligned vertically by approximately the diameter of the protrusion 566), the protrusion 566 can be inserted into the pin support hole 515. As a result, by inserting the protrusion 566 into the pin support hole 515 and then moving the stacking plate units 500L, 500R vertically by the amount of misalignment relative to the support plate portion 510, the misalignment can be eliminated and the fastening can be easily performed.

As shown in Figures 108 and 109, the left stacking plate unit 500L includes an inner cover member 520 that forms the right edge of the window portion 14c (see Figure 86) and is made of a light-non-transparent resin material, and an inner lens member 530 that is fastened and fixed to the inner cover member 520 from the right side and is made of a light-transmitting colorless resin material.

The right stacking plate unit 500R mainly comprises a light guide member 540 arranged opposite the left stacking plate unit 500L, an outer lens member 550 that is made of a light-transmitting white resin material and that is in face contact with the light guide member 540 in the left-right direction and has its front end arranged opposite the front-rear direction, and an outer cover member 560 that is arranged to the right of the outer lens member 550, is made of a light-non-transmitting resin material, and is fastened to the light guide member 540 and the outer lens member 550.

Next, the details of each component will be described. Figures 110 and 111 are exploded front oblique views of the weight plate units 500L and 500R. Note that Figure 110 shows an oblique view with the right side facing the front, and Figure 111 shows an oblique view with the left side facing the front, and the five plate members that make up the weight plate units 500L and 500R are shown disassembled.

The inner cover member 520 mainly includes a main body plate portion 521 formed in a vertically long plate shape, an upper fastening portion 522 disposed at the upper end of the main body plate portion 521 and fastened to the outer cover member 560, a lower fastening portion 523 disposed at the lower end of the main body plate portion 521 and fastened to the outer cover member 560, a plurality of openings 524 opened in the main body plate portion 521, a plurality of short fastening portions 525 which are cylindrical portions inserted into the inner lens member 530 and into which screws for fixing the inner lens member 530 to the inner cover member 520 are screwed, a plurality of long fastening portions 526 which are cylindrical portions inserted into the inner lens member 530 and into which screws for fixing the outer cover member 560 to the inner cover member 520 are screwed, and a plurality of rear fastening portions 527 which protrude from the right side of the main body plate portion 521 and into which screws for fixing the support plate portion 510 are screwed from the rear side.

The front end 521a of the main body plate 521 is wavy, and the short width portion of the wavy shape (the portion close to the rear side) is provided with a connecting plate 521c that connects the front end 521a to the rear base 521b.

The rear base 521b has an inner surface 521b1 that comes into contact (matches in shape) with the left side surface of the base 511b of the support plate 510 in the assembled state (see FIG. 86).

The connecting plate portion 521c is a plate-shaped portion that is arranged in an orientation that inclines more to the left as it approaches the rear side, and this connecting plate portion 521c defines the opening 524.

In this embodiment, the connecting plate portions 521c are not arranged at equal intervals vertically, but are arranged so that the intervals between them become wider from the bottom to the top (see FIG. 114). This allows the opening widths of the multiple openings 524 to differ, and the lighting effects to be different for each opening 524.

The upper fastening portion 522 is a cylindrical portion into which a screw is screwed to fasten the outer cover member 560. The upper fastening portion 522a is arranged side by side in the front-to-rear direction, and has a fitting groove 522b recessed in the left-right direction on the left outer surface.

The fitting groove 522b is formed as a groove into which the left and right claw portions constituting the supported groove 417 (see FIG. 118) of the upper panel unit 400 are fitted.

The lower fastening portion 523 includes a fastening portion 523a, which is a cylindrical portion into which a screw that fastens the outer cover member 560 is screwed, and a fitting groove 523b that is recessed in the left-right direction on the left outer surface. That is, the outer cover member 560 is fastened to the inner cover member 520 by inserting screws at two points at the upper end and one point at the lower end.

The fitting groove 523b is formed as a groove into which the left and right claws constituting the support groove 376 of the covering cover 370 (see FIG. 92) fit.

The openings 524 are arranged in four positions, one above the other, and function as windows through which the inner lens member 530 can be viewed when assembled. Each outer portion of the openings 524 is formed in a curved shape that protrudes to the right with the connecting plate portion 521c as its end (left end). In other words, each opening 524 is positioned recessed to the right of the left end of the connecting plate portion 521c (see FIG. 114).

The short fastening portion 525 is disposed at the boundary between the rear base portion 521b and the connecting plate portion 521c (see FIG. 110). This boundary corresponds to the portion where the surface (left side surface) of the inner cover member 520 protrudes to the left in the design of this embodiment (see FIG. 111). The surface of the rear base portion 521b is curved and recessed to the right between the above-mentioned boundary portions in the design. In other words, the surface of the rear base portion 521b is formed from a wave shape that undulates from side to side as it progresses in the vertical direction.

In this case, the short fastening portion 525 is disposed on the reverse side of the portion that protrudes toward the front side in the design. If the inner cover member 520 is formed with a uniform thickness, the reverse side of the portion that protrudes in the design will have a recess that is likely to become dead space. In contrast, in this embodiment, the short fastening portion 525 is disposed in the recess of the inner cover member 520, making it possible to effectively utilize the dead space and improving the space efficiency on the reverse side of the inner cover member 520 (the inner lens member 530 side).

The inner lens member 530 has front and rear end shapes formed to match the front and rear end shapes of the inner cover member 520. That is, the inner lens member 530 has a front end 531a of the main body plate portion 531 formed into a vertically long plate shape, which has a wave shape that roughly matches the shape of the front end 521a of the inner cover member 520.

The front end 531a forms a curved surface extending rightward from the front edge of the main plate 531, and has support holes 531b, 531c drilled in the front-rear direction at the transition point of the curve that constitutes the wave shape and through which the protruding portion 551b (see FIG. 109) of the outer lens member 550 is inserted.

The support hole 531b is formed in the front part of the wave shape of the front end 531a, and a through hole 531b1 is formed on the back side thereof through which a screw passes to fasten the short fastening portion 525 of the inner cover member 520. In other words, since the screw is fastened behind the support hole 531b, it is possible to prevent the support hole 531b from deforming or shifting in position even if a load is applied near the support hole 531b.

The support hole 531c is formed in the rear part of the wave shape of the front end 531a, and an inclined rib portion 532 is arranged on the rear side thereof, extending to a position where it can abut against the light guide member 540. In other words, since the rigidity behind the support hole 531c is strengthened by the inclined rib portion 532, it is possible to prevent the support hole 531c from deforming or shifting in position even if a load is applied near the support hole 531c.

The main body plate portion 531 has a through hole 531d drilled in the left-right direction at a position between the support holes 531b and 531c in the up-down direction and large enough to insert the long fastening portion 526. By inserting the long fastening portion 526 into the through hole 531d, the inner cover member 520 and the inner lens member 530 can be aligned.

The inclined rib portion 532 is disposed at a position (right side position) corresponding to the connecting plate portion 521c of the inner cover member 520, and mainly comprises a pair of upper and lower plate portions 532a extending rightward from the upper and lower edges of the connecting plate portion 521c, and a number of reinforcing plate portions 532b connecting the pair of upper and lower plate portions 532a in the vertical direction.

The upper and lower plate portions 532a are extended in such a manner as to fill the gap between them and the light guide member 540. That is, since the inner lens member 530, like the inner cover member 520, is shaped to protrude to the left as it approaches the rear side, it is shaped so that its left-right width becomes longer as it approaches the rear side (a triangular shape with the front end at its tip when viewed from above).

The inner lens member 530 has a protruding portion 533 formed by protruding leftward from the main body plate portion 531 in a manner passing through the opening 524. The protruding portion 533 has a light scattering portion 533a on the opposite side to the protruding side, which is provided in a wavy convex shape and has a wavy curved surface shaped to scatter light.

The light guide member 540 is made of thermoplastic resin and is a so-called light guide plate in which concave portions that redirect the direction of light irradiated from the LEDs 512a arranged on the back side to the left and right are formed on both left and right sides as a mesh-like dot pattern. That is, at least a part of the light irradiated from the LEDs 512a to the back side end of the light guide member 540 is redirected to the left and right through the light guide member 540 and irradiated to the inner lens member 530 or the outer lens member 550. The light guide member 540 is heat-bent into a curved shape corresponding to the arrangement of the LEDs 512a (see Figures 105 and 107), and the width dimension in the thickness direction is formed from a shape that gradually tapers from the end face on the back side (the LED 512a side) to the end face on the front side.

The concave portion is a processed portion for converting light from a so-called edge-light type light source (in this embodiment, LED 512a) into uniform surface emission. The concave portion is a notched recess recessed from the left and right sides, and reflects or refracts the incident light from LED 512a and causes it to exit from the surface of the left and right sides of the light-guiding member 540.

In this embodiment, as an example, the concave portion is formed by pressing (thermally pressing) a template having a pattern in which cone-shaped portions with an inclination angle of 45° with respect to the bottom surface and a bottom circle diameter of approximately 1 mm are distributed in a grid pattern at intervals of approximately 3 mm against the thermoplastic resin. Of the light irradiated from the LED 512a, the light that reaches the concave portion is reflected by the concave portion and is emitted in a substantially perpendicular direction from the left and right side surfaces of the light-guiding member 540.

The thermoplastic resin used in the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably transparent, and examples thereof include acrylic resin (methacrylic resin), polycarbonate resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, amorphous polyester resin, amorphous olefin resin, polystyrene resin, and AS resin (acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer compound). Of these, by using acrylic resin in particular, it is possible to obtain a light-guiding member 540 with high average luminance and little decrease in luminance distribution.

In this embodiment, the thickness of the light-guiding member 540 at the end on the LED 512a side is set to 5 mm. By setting the thickness between 3 mm and 8 mm, the light from the LED 512a can be guided efficiently, and the shape retention after thermal bending is improved, resulting in practical strength.

In the assembled state (see FIG. 86), the light guide member 540 has a wavy shape in which the front end is slightly shifted toward the rear side from the front end 531a of the inner lens member 530, and also has a wavy shape that undulates left and right.

The left and right wave shapes are not strict in this invention. There are no particular restrictions on the degree of the wave shape, but it is preferable that the radius of curvature (R) of the curved surface is 200 mm or more and 700 mm or less. By using such a radius of curvature (R), it is possible to provide a design that allows for three-dimensional freedom while maintaining practical mechanical properties with little distortion after heat bending.

The details of the wavy shape that undulates from side to side will be described later (see FIG. 114), but the wave shape is such that it is located to the left at a position corresponding to the connecting plate portion 521c of the inner cover member 520, and is located to the right between the positions corresponding to the adjacent connecting plate portions 521c (located away from the inner cover member 520).

The corrugated shape in the left-right direction is formed by heat bending the base material with the concave portions formed therein, as described above. The heat bending method of the present invention is performed by pressing the base material against a mold having a curved concave surface (female mold) and convex surface (male mold) while heating the base material to a heating temperature of 10 to 40°C higher than the deflection temperature under load of the thermoplastic resin. More specifically, when the thermoplastic resin is mainly composed of acrylic resin, the heating temperature can be 110°C or higher and 150°C or lower. Specifically, it is preferably performed at a temperature of 130°C or higher and 150°C or lower.

The heating temperature of the substrate at this time is set to below the melting point of the thermoplastic resin. By setting the temperature of the substrate during heating to below the deflection temperature under load + 40°C and below the melting point, the shape of the light guide pattern provided on the surface of the substrate is not distorted, and fluctuations in the reflection angle of the light from the light source before and after the thermal bending process can be suppressed. This makes it possible to prevent a decrease in brightness and unevenness in the brightness distribution of the light guide plate. Furthermore, by setting such heating temperature conditions, distortion of the light guide plate can be suppressed.

The light guide member 540 mainly comprises a curved main body plate portion 541 that constitutes a light guide plate, and fastening portions 542 that extend in the vertical direction from the upper and lower ends of the main body plate portion 541 and through which screws that are fastened to the outer cover member 560 are inserted.

The light-guiding member 540 does not have any parts penetrating in the left-right direction at any positions other than the fastening portion 542 and the recessed portion 541a for retracting from the long fastening portion 526. In other words, the light-guiding member 540 is composed of a single plate with no holes at least inside the projection surface that projects the opening 524 in the left-right direction, so that the presentation effect of the light passing through the opening 524 can be improved. The rear end of the light-guiding member 540 is approximately flush with the rear end of the inner lens member 530.

The outer lens member 550 mainly comprises a main body plate portion 551 formed in a vertically long plate shape, inner fitting portions 552 arranged at the upper and lower ends of the main body plate portion 551 and into which the fastening portion 542 of the light guide member 540 is fitted and supported, a plurality of insertion holes 553 configured as through holes through which screws fastened to the outer cover member 560 are inserted, a protruding portion 554 that protrudes to the right in the area surrounded by the plurality of insertion holes 553 and is visible through the outer cover member, a plurality of through holes 555 through which the long fastening portion 526 of the inner cover member 520 is inserted, and a plurality of rear fastening portions 556 that protrude from the rear side of the main body plate portion 551 and into which screws that fix the support plate portion 510 from the rear side are screwed.

The outer lens member 550 is formed so that the front and rear end shapes imitate the front and rear end shapes of the light guide member 540. That is, the front end 551a of the outer lens member 550, which extends leftward from the front edge of the main body plate portion 551 and forms a curved surface, is shaped in a wave shape that nearly matches the shape of the front end of the light guide member 540, and is positioned slightly offset toward the front side relative to the front end of the light guide member 540. In this embodiment, the front end of the light guide member 540 and the front end 551a of the outer lens member 550 are formed so that they are equally spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction at any position in the vertical direction.

The front end 551a is provided with a plurality of protruding portions 551b that protrude toward the front side at the transition position of the curves that make up the wave shape in the forward and backward directions and are fitted into the support holes 531b and 531c in the assembled state (see FIG. 86).

On the surface of the front end 551a opposite the side facing the light-guiding member 540, countless bulges 551a1 (see FIG. 115(a)) are formed vertically, bulging outward in a semicircular shape in side view. These bulges 551a1 function to scatter the light emitted from the front end of the light-guiding member 540, so that even if the LEDs 512a are spaced apart at a predetermined interval, the light emitted from the front end of the light-guiding member 540 can be in the form of vertically continuous strips.

The insertion hole 553 is disposed in a deep recess of the projection 554 that is recessed inward (inside the surface of the main body plate 551). This makes it possible to firmly fasten the outer lens member 550 to the outer cover member 560, and prevents the outer lens member 550 from being peeled off from the outer cover member 560.

In the right weight plate unit 500R, the rear fastening portion 556 into which the screw for fastening and fixing to the support plate portion 510 is screwed is disposed on the outer lens member 550, and not on the outer cover member 560. Therefore, the outer cover member 560 can be positioned as close as possible to the right edge of the support plate portion 510 (the outer edge of the pachinko machine 8010) (it can be positioned regardless of the screw diameter or screw position). This makes it possible to expand the area that faces the player (the area on the left side of the right panel unit 500).

The surface of the main body plate 551 facing the light-guiding member 540 is curved to match the surface shape (curved shape) of the light-guiding member 540, and in the assembled state (see FIG. 86), the light-guiding member 540 and the main body plate 551 abut on each other (see FIG. 114(b)).

This prevents the light-guiding member 540 from being misaligned in the direction in which it faces the main body plate 551. In addition, since the main body plate 551 is directly fastened to the support plate 510, the support plate 510 and the light-guiding member 540 are aligned via the main body plate 551.

This makes it possible to prevent misalignment between the LEDs 512a arranged on the substrate member 512 fixed to the support plate portion 510 and the light-guiding member 540, and allows light to be incident from the LEDs 512a to the light-guiding member 540 with high precision.

The outer cover member 560 has a main body plate portion 561 formed in a vertically long plate shape, an upper fastening portion 562 having an elongated hole portion formed in an oval shape with a vertical width slightly larger than the diameter of the screw hole of the fastening portion 522a and a horizontal width longer than the vertical width, and a plurality of screw receiving portions 562a through which screws are inserted from the opposite side, and a receiving surface at the lower end of the main body plate portion 561 that can receive the fastening portion 523a of the inner cover member 520, the upper fastening portion 562 having an elongated hole portion formed in an oval shape with a vertical width slightly larger than the diameter of the screw hole of the fastening portion 522a and a horizontal width longer than the vertical width. The lower fastening portion 563 has a screw receiving portion 563a formed in a long hole shape with a width longer than the diameter of the screw hole of the long fastening portion 526 of the inner cover member 520 at the front end of the main body plate portion 561, and is mainly composed of a plurality of screw receiving portions 564 formed in a long hole shape with a vertical width slightly larger than the diameter of the screw hole of the long fastening portion 526 and a horizontal width longer than the vertical width and through which screws are inserted from the opposite side, an opening 565 formed with an inner shape slightly larger than the outer shape of the protruding portion 554 of the outer lens member 550, and a plurality of protrusions 566 protruding from the main body plate portion 561 to the back side.

The upper fastening portion 562 has a fitting groove 562b recessed in the left-right width direction at a vertical position corresponding to the fitting groove 522b of the upper fastening portion 522. The fitting groove 562b is formed as a groove into which the left and right claws constituting the supported groove 417 (see FIG. 118) of the upper panel unit 400 are fitted.

The lower fastening portion 563 has a fitting groove 563b recessed in the left-right width direction at a vertical position corresponding to the fitting groove 523b of the lower fastening portion 523. The fitting groove 563b is formed as a groove into which the left and right claws constituting the support groove 376 of the covering cover 370 (see FIG. 92) are fitted.

That is, the right panel unit 500 is connected to the upper panel unit 400 and the covering cover 370 by fitting with the upper and lower fitting grooves 562b, 563b. Here, the right panel unit 500 abuts the upper panel unit 400 and the covering cover 370 on their surfaces in the vertical direction (see FIG. 86), so that the covering cover 370 can stably support the right panel unit 500 even if it has a shape that protrudes toward the front side, and the stably supported right panel unit 500 can support the upper panel unit 400. Therefore, the allowable weight of the upper panel unit 400 can be increased.

The opening 565 is formed in a shape that allows the protruding portion 554 of the outer lens member 550 to be fitted inside (it is formed from an inner shape that is the same as the outer shape of the protruding portion 554). This makes it possible to narrow the path for accessing the gap in the left-right direction between the opening 565 and the protruding portion 554, thereby preventing unauthorized acts such as peeling the outer lens member 550 off the outer cover member 560.

The assembly method of the left stacking board unit 500L and the right stacking board unit 500R will be described with reference to Figures 112 and 113. Figure 112(a) is a side view of the right panel unit 500, Figure 112(b) is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the right panel unit 500 taken along line CXIIb-CXIIb in Figure 112(a), Figure 113(a) is a side view of the right panel unit 500, and Figure 113(b) is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the right panel unit 500 taken along line CXIIIb-CXIIIb in Figure 113(a).

Note that Figures 112(a) and 112(b) show the state in which the protruding portion 551b is disposed on the rear side of the support hole 531b, and Figures 113(a) and 113(b) show the state in which the protruding portion 551b is inserted into the support hole 531b.

The right panel unit 500 can be assembled by bringing the left stacking plate unit 500L close to the front side of the right stacking plate unit 500R with the main body plate portion 531 of the left stacking plate unit 500L and the left end portion of the front end portion 551a of the right stacking plate unit 500R abutting in the left-right direction (see FIG. 112(b)), and inserting the protruding portions 551b, 551c into the support holes 531b.

In this way, by adopting a configuration in which the left stacking board unit 500L and the right stacking board unit 500R are fixed by inserting and fitting the protrusions 551b, 551c into the support holes 531b at the front end of the right panel unit 500, the design freedom of the front end of the right panel unit 500 can be improved.

For example, in this embodiment, as a result of adopting the above configuration, it is possible to reduce the number of screws that are located at the front end of the right panel unit (closer to the front side of the light-guiding member 540) and fasten the left stacking plate unit 500L and the right stacking plate unit 500R together, thereby reducing the area in which light is blocked by the screws, making it easier to view the light emitted from the front end face of the light-guiding member 540 in a band-like shape extending in the vertical direction.

In addition, for example, in this embodiment, by reducing the number of screws (fastening points) that fasten the left stacking plate unit 500L and the right stacking plate unit 500R at the front end of the right panel unit 500, it is possible to reduce the range in which the light guiding member 540 may be damaged due to an erroneous load being applied to the light guiding member 540 during fastening. This makes it possible to expand the range in which the light guiding member 540 can be positioned up to near the front end of the right panel unit 500 (near the tapered end). This makes it possible to prevent the light guiding member 540 from being visually interrupted near the front end of the right panel unit 500.

When the left stacking plate unit 500L is brought close to the right stacking plate unit 500R from the front side and the protrusions 551b, 551c are inserted into the support holes 531b, the inclined rib portion 532 of the inner lens member 530 of the left stacking plate unit 500L and the light guide member 540 of the right stacking plate unit 500R form surfaces that are parallel to each other along the front-to-rear direction, and are positioned so that these surfaces can abut against each other. In other words, the abutment surface between the inclined rib portion 532 and the light guide member 540 functions as a guide surface (guide) when moving the left stacking plate unit 500L in the front-to-rear direction relative to the right stacking plate unit 500R, making it easy to assemble the right panel unit 500.

Here, we will explain how to disassemble the right panel unit 500 for maintenance, etc. As described above, the right panel unit 500 is assembled by fastening the left stacking plate unit 500L and the right stacking plate unit 500R to the support plate portion 510, and there are at least two possible assembly procedures.

The first procedure is to fasten the left stacking plate unit 500L and the right stacking plate unit 500R to each other and then to the support plate portion 510. The second procedure is to fasten the right stacking plate unit 500R to the support plate portion 510 alone, and then bring the left stacking plate unit 500L closer to the right stacking plate unit 500R, insert the protruding portions 551b, 551c into the support holes 531b, and fasten the left stacking plate unit 500L to the right stacking plate unit 500R and the support plate portion 510, respectively. These two procedures can also be used when disassembling the right panel unit 500.

As such, because assembly and disassembly can be performed using two different procedures, workers performing maintenance, etc. can choose which procedure to use to disassemble and assemble the right panel unit 500 depending on the parts that need to be replaced, thereby shortening the work time.

Regardless of which disassembly procedure is used, in order to disassemble the left and right stacking plate units 500L and 500R, the left and right stacking plate units 500L and 500R must be slid against each other in the planar direction. This is because it is necessary to release the engagement between the protruding portions 551b, 551c and the support hole 531b. Furthermore, when sliding the left and right stacking plate units 500L and 500R against each other in the planar direction, at least one of them must be disassembled from the support plate portion 510.

In this way, the configuration in which the protrusions 551b, 551c fit into the support hole 531b helps to prevent fraudulent activity in which the right panel unit 500 is pried open (disassembled) from the outside of the pachinko machine 8010 (see Figure 86) and someone enters the interior of the pachinko machine 8010 by climbing inside the right panel unit 500.

In other words, when the front side portion of the right panel unit 500 is fixed by fastening screws, the right panel unit 500 can be easily disassembled by removing the screws, making it easy to commit fraud. On the other hand, as in this embodiment, the left stacking plate unit 500L and the right stacking plate unit 500R of the right panel unit 500 are fastened to the support plate part 510 by screws inserted from the rear side of the support plate part 510, and the left stacking plate unit 500L and the right stacking plate unit 500R are configured to be difficult to disassemble unless the screws are removed from the rear side of the front frame 14 (see FIG. 104), making it difficult to disassemble the right panel unit 500 from the outside of the pachinko machine 8010. Therefore, it is possible to prevent fraudulent acts that enter the interior of the pachinko machine 8010 by climbing inside the right panel unit 500.

The shape of the light-guiding member 540 of the right panel unit 500 and its effect on the presentation will be described with reference to Figure 114. Figure 114(a) is a side view of the right panel unit 500, Figure 114(b) is a rear view of the right panel unit 500, and Figure 114(c) is a side view of the right panel unit 500. Note that the support plate portion 510 is omitted from Figures 114(a) to 114(c).

Light emitted from the LED 512a (see FIG. 105) of the support plate 510 is irradiated onto the light-guiding member 540 from the rear side, and the light incident on the light-guiding member 540 is redirected to the left and right by the action of the light-guiding member 540. At this time, the light is emitted in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the light-guiding member 540.

The light-guiding member 540 has a curved shape that undulates in the left-right direction (see FIG. 114(b)), so that the side that forms the concave shape focuses light, and the side that forms the convex shape focuses light. For example, at a position corresponding to the uppermost opening 524 among the multiple openings 524, the light-guiding member 540 has a concave shape with a radius of curvature R1 on the opening 524 side (left side), so that the light emitted from the light-guiding member 540 to the opening 524 side can be focused to create an effect. This can improve the intensity of the light visible through the opening 524.

In addition, the opposite side (right side) is convex, so that the light emitted from the light-guiding member 540 toward the outer lens member 550 can be diffused at the position corresponding to the uppermost opening 524 among the multiple openings 524 and used for presentation purposes.

In this way, in this embodiment, even if the top and bottom positions are the same, it is possible to create a difference in the way the light is produced (whether the light is concentrated or diffused) on the left and right sides of the light-guiding member 540, thereby improving the production effect.

The difference in the manner in which the light is presented is not only due to the curved shape of the light-guiding member 540, but various other forms are exemplified. For example, the manner in which the light is presented on both the left and right sides can be made different by dividing the shape of the concave portion cut into the light-guiding member 540 into different regions, or by dividing the thickness of the light-guiding member 540 into different regions.

At the position facing the opening 524, the light guide member 540 is always formed with a concave shape on the opening 524 side, and the radius of curvature of the concave shape changes according to the size of the opening 524. That is, for the top three openings 524, the vertical width increases as the opening 524 moves upward, so that the radius of curvature of the concave surface of the light guide member 540 is also set such that the radius of curvature R2 at the position corresponding to the second opening 524 from the top is shorter than the radius of curvature R1 (R1>R2), and similarly, the radius of curvature R3 at the position corresponding to the third opening 524 from the top is shorter than the radius of curvature R2 (R1>R2>R3).

As a result, even if there is no change in the arrangement interval of the LEDs 512a arranged on the substrate member 512, the number of LEDs 512a that emit the concentrated light for each opening 524 is different, so the amount of light visible through the openings 524 can be changed for each opening 524. That is, according to this embodiment, the amount of light visible through the upper openings 524 can be made greater than that of the lower openings 524.

The radius of curvature R4 at the bottom opening 524, i.e., the position corresponding to the fourth opening 524 from the top, is formed to be equal to the radius of curvature R1 (R4 ≒ R1), and the normal line from the center of the concave surface is shaped to face slightly diagonally upwards. This makes it possible to intensify the amount of light visible through the openings 524 at the top and bottom ends, adding sharpness to the lighting effects, and also allows the light emitted through the bottom opening 524 to be emitted upward toward the player's line of sight.

The vertical widths W1 to W4 of each opening 524 are shown as the length connecting the midpoint of the upper side of the opening 524 to the midpoint of the lower side in a side view, as shown in FIG. 114(c). The width of the opening 524 arranged opposite the portion with radius of curvature R1 is the vertical width W1, the width of the opening 524 arranged opposite the portion with radius of curvature R2 is the vertical width W2, the width of the opening 524 arranged opposite the portion with radius of curvature R3 is the vertical width W3, and the width of the opening 524 arranged opposite the portion with radius of curvature R4 is the vertical width W4.

In this embodiment, the openings 524 are formed in such a manner that the vertical widths W1 to W4 are reduced toward the lower openings 524 (W1>W2>W3>W4). That is, in the portion of the radii of curvature R1 to R3, the magnitude relationship of the radii of curvature R1 to R3 is related to the magnitude relationship of the vertical widths W1 to W3 of the openings 524. As a result, in the portion where the degree of light concentration is weak (for example, the portion of the radius of curvature R1), the vertical width W1 of the openings 524 is made large so that sufficient light is incident on the openings 524, while in the portion where the degree of light concentration is strong (for example, the portion of the radius of curvature R3), the vertical width W3 of the openings 524 is made smaller than the vertical width W1 to prevent too much light from entering the openings 524. Therefore, the configuration of this embodiment can make the light emission mode of each opening 524 uniform.

The center points of the radii of curvature R1 to R4 shown in FIG. 114(b) correspond to the focal points of the light emitted to the left of the light-guiding member 540, and are located approximately in the middle of the vertical widths W1 to W4 in the vertical direction.

The light guide member 540 has a convex shape to the left in the region KE at the boundary of the openings 524. Here, the region KE is defined as a band-shaped region extending in the front-rear direction, whose upper and lower ends do not interfere with the adjacent openings 524. That is, as shown in FIG. 114(c), the upper end of the region KE coincides with the lower end of the adjacent opening 524 above, and the lower end of the region KE coincides with the upper end of the adjacent opening 524 below. Therefore, the light irradiated in the front-rear direction from the LED 512a to the region KE travels while being hidden by the connecting plate portion 521c when viewed from the left side of the right panel unit 500 (see FIG. 114(c)).

In area KE, the light emitted toward the inner lens member 530 is blocked by the connecting plate portion 521c of the inner cover member 520, so even if the focusing effect is reduced, the difference in the amount of light visible to the player is small.

On the other hand, by making the region KE convex to the left rather than flat, the shape of the light-guiding member 540 can be formed into a curved shape without corners, which prevents stress concentration and improves the durability of the light-guiding member 540.

In addition, by making the area KE convex toward the left side, a concave shape can be formed on the right side, and a portion where light is diffused and a portion where light is concentrated can be formed inside the opening 565 of the outer cover member 560. This can improve the effect of the light presentation visible through the opening 565.

In other words, depending on whether or not light is incident on area KE from LED 512a, it is possible to suppress changes in the light seen through opening 524 while causing changes in the light seen through opening 565.

For example, by turning off the LEDs 512a that emit light into the area KE and turning on the other LEDs 512a, it is possible to irradiate light without gaps inside the openings 524 and 565. At this time, by making the right side of the light-guiding member 540 concave above and below the area KE, the light emitted to the right from the top and bottom positions of the area KE intersects with the right side of the outer cover member 560, so that the outer lens member 550 can be prevented from appearing dark in the area KE.

In addition, by turning on the LED 512a located at a position corresponding to the inside of the area KE, the light emitted from the area KE is concentrated and emitted in an edge-like shape, and the amount of light visible to the player at the edge can be increased. This makes it possible to add some contrast to the light emission pattern of the protrusion 554 (see Figure 106).

The light-guiding member 540 may be configured as a flat surface at the boundary of the opening 524. In this case, by turning on the LED 512a arranged at a position corresponding to the inside of the area KE, the corresponding area (the area corresponding to the area KE) of the protrusion 554 (see FIG. 106) can be made to emit light in a band shape.

The front-to-back width of the right panel unit 500 in area KE is shorter than that of the areas above and below it (the distance from the LED 512a is shorter). Therefore, even if the light that enters area KE is weak, it is likely to reach the front end. The light that reaches this front end can be used to create a special effect.

In other words, by providing a light effect that cannot be seen through the connecting plate portion 521c but can be seen through the front end portion 531a (see FIG. 105) of the inner lens member 530 (visible from the front side of the right panel unit 500) and setting the probability of a big win for that effect high, the player's eye position can be moved away from the game board 13 rather than the front end portion of the right panel unit 500. This reduces the degree to which the player's eyes become tired, allowing the player to play for long periods of time without stress.

Here, the light incident on area KE is blocked by the connecting plate portion 521c when viewed from the left side, but is visible to the player from the right side through the outer lens member 550 (see FIG. 106). Therefore, a warning can be given by light that is not visible to a player sitting to the left of the right panel unit 500 and playing the pachinko machine 8010, but is visible to a store clerk viewing the right panel unit 500 from the right side.

This allows an error notification to be issued that goes unnoticed by the cheating player but is easily noticeable by store staff, preventing the cheating player from trying to escape.

In addition, by inverting the left-right shape of the right panel unit 500, the light effects in area KE can be made visible only to the player and not to the store staff.

Figure 115(a) is a schematic side view of the light-guiding member 540, and Figure 115(b) is a cross-sectional view of the light-guiding member 540 taken along line CXVb-CXVb in Figure 115(a).

The light-guiding member 540 is gradually tapered from the end face (approximately 5 mm thick) on the LED 512a side toward the front side. The maximum end of the light-guiding member 540 on the front side (the part farthest from the LED 512a) is designed to be 3 mm in order to maintain mechanical strength, and the left-right width dimension decreases at the same gradient over the entire vertical area.

Therefore, the front end face of the light-guiding member 540 is not formed with the same width dimension (thickness). That is, the end face of the part arranged opposite the support hole 531b (see FIG. 111) of the inner lens member 530 is further away from the end face on the LED 512a side than the end face of the part arranged opposite the support hole 531c (see FIG. 111), and therefore tapers more and has a thinner width dimension (thickness). This makes it possible to reduce the difference between the light emission pattern seen near the support hole 531b and the light emission pattern seen near the support hole 531c.

In this embodiment, the area near support hole 531c is sandwiched between the area near support hole 531b and positioned recessed toward the rear side, so that the area near support hole 531c tends to appear darker than the area near support hole 531b due to the difference in distance in the front-to-rear direction and the shadow cast by the area near support hole 531b.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the end face of the light-guiding member 540 facing the support hole 531c is formed with a larger width dimension (thickness) than the end face of the light-guiding member 540 facing the support hole 531b, so that a large surface area can be secured for receiving and emitting light irradiated from the LED 512a.

Thus, even if the amount of light emitted from each of the multiple LEDs 512a is the same, the amount of light seen in the area near the support hole 531c can be increased compared to the amount of light seen in the area near the support hole 531b, and the degree of darkness caused by differences in distance in the front-to-back direction and shadows can be mitigated. This makes it easier to make the degree of light emission seen at the front end of the right panel unit 500, with the front end 531a of the inner lens member 530 as the foremost part, uniform from top to bottom (reducing the difference in intensity).

Figure 116 is a partial rear view of the right panel unit 500. Note that in Figure 116, the support plate portion 510 is omitted, and the light-guiding member 540 is visible. Also, in Figure 116, an example of the path (traveling direction) of light emitted through the light-guiding member 540 is shown by an imaginary arrow.

As shown in FIG. 116, the light emitted from the light-guiding member 540 toward the inner lens member 530 is concentrated as a result of the light-guiding member 540 being curved, and is slightly diffused as it passes through the inner lens member 530 before proceeding to the outside.

Conversely, the light emitted toward the outer lens member 550 is diffused as a result of the light-guiding member 540 being curved. Therefore, while the arrangement of the LEDs 512a that generate the light that enters the light-guiding member 540 is constant, the light emission pattern (dense or dark) can be made different on both sides of the light-guiding member 540. In other words, the player can see the light in a different light emission pattern than that expected from the arrangement spacing of the LEDs 521a.

In addition, the light emitted towards the inner lens member 530 (player side) is refracted towards the player side rather than straight to the side, as the inner lens member 530 is curved as shown in Figure 115 (b) (see the imaginary arrow in Figure 115 (b). The imaginary arrow in Figure 115 (b) shows an example of the direction in which light travels through the light-guiding member 540). This makes it easier for the player to see the light, improving the presentation effect of the light-emitting presentation.

Referring back to Figures 100 and 101, the upper panel unit 400 is fastened to the main frame 14a via the upper edge plate member 14e, and its lower right end is fitted into the fitting grooves 522b, 562b (see Figures 108 and 109) located at the upper end of the right panel unit 500, so that it is a unit supported from below and is located at the upper end of the front frame 14.

117 is an exploded front perspective view of the upper panel unit 400, and FIG. 118 is an exploded rear perspective view of the upper panel unit 400. As shown in FIGS. 117 and 118, the upper panel unit 400 mainly comprises an upper frame member 410 that is fastened to the upper edge plate member 14e with a speaker assembly 450 sandwiched therebetween (see FIG. 100), an illumination unit 401 that is disposed on the front side of the upper frame member 410 and fastened to the upper frame member 410, and a speaker assembly 450 that is disposed on the rear side of the upper frame member 410 and sandwiched between the upper frame member 410 and the upper edge plate member 14e. Note that the speaker assembly 450 is omitted from the illustration in FIGS. 117 and 118 (see FIGS. 100 and 101).

The illumination unit 401 is a unit that is decorated on the front side with the model name and the like, and contains a board on which multiple LEDs are arranged. The contained LEDs emit light to create a light-based effect.

The illumination unit 401 mainly comprises a main body 402 formed in a box shape from a light-transmitting resin material, a wavy wall portion 403 formed in a wavy shape on the outer wall of the back of the main body 402, a plate-like portion 404 extending from the lower edge of the wavy wall portion 403 to the back side in a horizontally long plate shape, a tubular portion 405 that protrudes in a cylindrical shape from the wavy wall portion 403 to the back side above the plate-like portion 404 and has a cylindrical inner shape formed by penetrating the wavy wall portion 403, and a plurality of fastening portions 406 that are disposed on the back side of the main body 402 and to which screws inserted into the upper frame member 410 are fastened.

The main body 402 is formed in a box shape with the open sides of the front and rear dish-shaped members overlapping each other, forming a space inside. The LEDs contained inside are mounted on an electronic board, and the electronic board is fixed to the main body 402.

The wavy wall portion 403 meshes with the wavy wall portion 412 formed on the front side wall of the upper frame member 410, making it easy to determine the assembly position in the left-right direction and improving the workability of assembling the illumination unit 401 to the upper frame member 410.

The plate-like portion 404 is formed so as to be able to come into contact with the underside of the wavy wall portion 412 of the upper frame member 410, and is a portion that prevents the illumination unit 401 from being misaligned vertically relative to the upper frame member 410. In addition, a horizontally elongated groove shape is formed in the front side wall of the upper frame member 410, which sandwiches the plate-like portion 404 from above and below.

The cylindrical portion 405 functions as a through hole for passing the wiring of the electronic board on which the LEDs contained in the main body portion 402 are arranged to the upper frame member 410 side.

The illumination unit 401 is fastened to the upper frame member 410 by fastening screws through the upper frame member 410 to the multiple fastening portions 406. Here, when the upper frame member 410 is fastened to the upper edge plate member 14e (see FIG. 100), a closed space that contains the speaker assembly 450 is formed between the upper edge plate member 14e and the upper frame member 410, making it difficult to access the inside. In other words, after the illumination unit 401 is fastened, the upper frame member 410 is fastened to the upper edge plate member 14e and the main frame 14a.

Figure 119 is an exploded front oblique view of the upper frame member 410, and Figure 120 is an exploded rear oblique view of the upper frame member 410. As shown in Figures 119 and 120, the upper frame member 410 mainly includes a main body member 411 to which the illumination unit 401 is fastened, a lower edge plate member 420 formed from a curved shape along the lower edge of the main body member 411 and fastened from the back side along the lower edge of the main body member 411, a right corner support member 430R fastened to the main body member 411 from the back side of the lower edge plate member 420 at the right corner of the main body member 411, a left corner support member 430L fastened to the main body member 411 from the front side of the lower edge plate member 420 at the left corner of the main body member 411, and a lens member 440 that is fitted into the main body member 411 from the back side to a position that protrudes from the opening 414 to the front side, and is pressed from the back side by the right corner support member 430R to prevent it from falling off to the back side and forms the illumination section 8033.

The main body member 411 is a long member on both sides with openings formed on the left and right sides to allow the vibration waves (sound) generated by the speaker assembly 450 to pass through, and a speaker cover 27 is arranged to cover the openings. The main components are a wavy wall portion 412 formed in a wavy shape when viewed from above on the front side, a support through hole 413 formed in a portion of the wavy wall portion 412 facing the cylindrical portion 405 of the illumination unit 401 with an inner shape slightly larger than the outer shape of the cylindrical portion 405, and an opening portion 414 formed in the upper right corner in the front-rear direction.

The wavy wall portion 412 is formed in approximately the same wave shape as the wavy wall portion 403 of the illumination unit 401. This makes it easy to align the illumination unit 401 in the left-right direction when fitting it into the main body member 411 from the front side of the upper frame member 410.

In the assembled state (see FIG. 86), the cylindrical portion 405 is inserted through the support through-hole 413. This allows the wiring extending through the cylindrical portion 405 to pass through the support through-hole 413 to the rear side of the main body member 411. Therefore, one end of the wiring is connected to an electronic board contained in the illumination unit 401, and the other end can be connected to a terminal on the rear side of the main body member 411, preventing the other end of the wiring from being detached when the front frame 14 is closed.

The support through-hole 413 determines the position of the cylindrical portion 405 when the cylindrical portion 405 is inserted. This allows the support through-hole 413 to be used for positioning the illumination unit 401 relative to the upper frame member 410.

The opening 414 is an opening that allows the lens member 440 to be seen when viewed from the front. An LED 14e2 is disposed on the upper edge plate member 14e (see FIG. 100) at a position that coincides with the lens member 440 in the front-to-rear direction, and the light emitted by this LED 14e2 can be seen by the player along the opening 414.

The main body member 411 mainly comprises, on the back side, a wavy edge portion 416 formed in a wavy shape when viewed from above, a supported groove 417 recessed from the back side in the lower end face of the right corner, a supported groove 418 recessed from the back side in the lower end face of the left corner, fastening portions 419 arranged in symmetrical positions near the upper end and formed so that a screw can be screwed in, and second fastening portions 419b formed in positions closer to the top and bottom so that a screw can be screwed in.

The wavy edge portion 416 is shaped to match the shape of the opposing portion of the lower edge plate member 420 (the shape of the wavy wall portion 422 formed at the lower edge front end). This makes it easy to position the lower edge plate member 420 in the left-right direction when fastening it to the main body member 411.

The supported groove 417 is shaped so that the left and right claw portions can fit into the fitting grooves 522b and 562b (see Figures 105 and 106) of the right panel unit 500, and in this fitted state (see Figure 86), the load (weight, etc.) applied from the upper panel unit 400 can be applied to the right panel unit 500 via the surface on which the supported groove 417 is formed.

The supported groove 418 is shaped so that it can be fitted into the upper end of the electric decoration part 8031, and in this fitted state (see FIG. 86), it is configured so that a load (weight, etc.) applied from the upper panel unit 400 can be applied to the electric decoration part 8031 via the surface on which the supported groove 418 is formed.

The fastening portion 419 is disposed at a position where the screws inserted through the through holes 463a, 483a (see FIG. 122) of the speaker assembly 450 can be fastened, and includes an expanded rib 419a that protrudes in a rib-like manner from the base to a position that does not reach the tip.

As described below, the expanded rib 419a is a part that sandwiches the front assembly 460, the rear assembly 480, and the upper edge plate member 14e between the main body frame 14a and the expanded rib 419a by fastening the screws inserted into the through holes 463a and 483a to the fastening portion 419 (see FIG. 125(a)), and details will be described later.

In this embodiment, the enlarged ribs 419a are arranged in three locations around the fastening portion 419 at intervals of 120° in the direction in which the screws are fastened to the fastening portion 419.

The second fastening portion 419b (see FIG. 118) is formed at a position that coincides with the fastening portion 14e1 (see FIG. 100) of the upper edge plate member 14e and the recessed portions 462, 482 (see FIG. 122) of the speaker assembly 450 at a lower position of the main body member 411, and is formed at a position that coincides with the recessed portions 462, 482 (see FIG. 122) of the speaker assembly 450 at an upper position of the main body member 411, but details will be described later.

The lower edge plate member 420 mainly comprises a main body member 421 formed by curving a long plate, a wavy wall portion 422 formed in a wave shape when viewed from below at the lower front edge of the main body member 421, an L-shaped extension portion 423 that extends from the upper edge of the wavy wall portion 422 to the front side and then extends upward from the extension end to form an L-shaped cross section, and an opening portion 424 that is arranged at an equal distance to the left and right from the center position of the main body plate portion 421 (the upper end position of the curved shape) and is composed of multiple small-diameter through holes that penetrate in the vertical direction.

When the wavy wall portion 422 and the wavy edge portion 416 of the main body member 411 are in contact with each other in the front and rear, the lower surface of the L-shaped extension portion 423 comes into contact with the upper surface of the lower plate 416a, which has the wavy edge portion 416 on its back surface, and a part of the L-shaped extension portion 423 that extends upward is fastened and fixed to the main body member 411 in the front-to-rear direction.

As a result, the effective thickness of the upper panel unit 400 can be increased at the point where the L-shaped extension portion 423 and the lower plate 416a abut from above and below, improving the strength.

The opening 424 is an opening in the speaker assembly 450 (see FIG. 123) that passes (discharges to the outside) vibration waves (sound) output from the rear side of the speaker 451 to the inside of the speaker assembly 450. The right corner support member 430R and the left corner support member 430L have circular openings 430R1, 430L1 that are circular openings in the speaker assembly 450 that pass vibrations generated toward the front side.

The right corner support member 430R has a horizontally elongated rectangular through hole 430R2 formed in the front-rear direction at a position corresponding to the opening 414 of the upper frame member 410 in the front-rear direction. Light irradiated to the lens member 440 through the through hole 430R2 is visible to the player through the opening 414.

Figure 121 is an exploded front perspective view of the speaker assembly 450, and Figure 122 is an exploded rear perspective view of the speaker assembly 450. Note that in Figures 121 and 122, the speaker connection wires 453 are shown in phantom lines to facilitate understanding.

The speaker assembly 450 is composed of a pair of left and right assemblies 450R, 450L, which are fastened together to the top plate member 14e (see FIG. 100) with screws inserted through connecting holes 469, and are fastened to the top plate member 14e at the left, right, and bottom ends. Note that since the speaker assembly 450 is composed of a pair of speaker assemblies 450R, 450L that are roughly symmetrical, only the speaker assembly 450R will be described, and the description of speaker assembly 450L will be omitted.

The speaker assembly 450R mainly comprises a speaker (cone-type speaker) 451, which is an acoustic device that converts electrical signals into audible sound waves to make them audible, a front assembly 460 in which the speaker 451 is inserted into a through hole 466 and the front flange 452 of the speaker 451 is fastened and fixed from the front side, and a rear assembly 480 which is formed with an outer shape that approximately matches the outer shape of the front assembly 460 when viewed from the front and which forms a space between it and the front assembly 460 in the assembled state (see FIG. 100).

The speaker 451 is attached to the front assembly 460 so as to cover the through hole 466 of the front assembly 460, and emits effects sounds related to the game. One end of a speaker connection wire 453 (e.g., an electric wire consisting of a copper wire and a coating that covers the copper wire) is connected to the speaker 451 and extends through a through hole drilled in the upper edge plate member 14e (see Figure 102), and the terminal connector of the speaker connection wire 453 is connected to the electronic board 14i (see Figure 102), thereby being connected to the audio lamp control device 113 (see Figure 4).

The front part of the speaker 451 is covered with a protective cover 454 made of a synthetic fiber material that allows the sound emitted from the speaker 451 to pass through. The speaker 451 covered with this protective cover 454 is attached to the front assembly 460 with the front part aligned with the speaker cover 27 (see Figure 86).

As a result, the front part of the speaker 451 is in direct contact with the atmosphere outside the pachinko machine 8010 (see FIG. 86) via the speaker cover 27 (see FIG. 86), and the sound reproduced from the speaker 451 can be reproduced and output with high quality without being muffled. In addition, the protective cover 454 can suitably protect the front part of the speaker 451 without causing a deterioration in sound quality.

The front assembly 460 includes a main body 461 formed in a cup shape that is long from left to right and open on the back side, a plurality of recesses 462 recessed in a semicircular shape from the top and bottom side edges of the main body 461 toward the center of the vertical width, an extension plate 463 extending from the back side edge of a recess 463b having the same shape as the recesses 462 toward the outside of the vertical width to the top and bottom side edges of the main body 461, a wiring passage recess 464 recessed from the back side end of the main body 461 toward the front side, a light passage through hole 465 formed in the upper right corner of the main body 461 in the front-rear direction, and a light passage through hole 465 formed in the upper right corner of the main body 461 in the front-rear direction. The speaker 451 is inserted through a circular through hole 466 on the right side of the speaker 451, a plurality of passage forming ribs 467 extending from the cup-shaped bottom plate (front side plate) of the main body 461 to the rear side in a rib-like manner, a plurality of fastening portions 468 to which screws inserted into the rear assembly 480 are fastened, a connecting hole 469 through which screws are inserted to fasten the left and right speaker assemblies 450L, 450R to the upper plate member 14e (see FIG. 100), and a front recess 471 recessed from the rear side to the front side at the lower end of the tip side main body 461T.

The main body 461 is divided in the left-right direction and mainly comprises a base body 461B disposed on the side where the through hole 466 is formed, an intermediate body 461M connected to the center side of the left-right direction (left side of FIG. 121) of the base body 461B, and a tip body 461T connected to the center side of the left-right direction (left side of FIG. 121) of the intermediate body 461M. A space is formed continuously between the base body 461B, the intermediate body 461M, and the tip body 461T and the rear assembly 480.

The main body 461 has a rear side wall 461H formed as a wall that surrounds almost the entire periphery of the outer shape when viewed from the front. The rear side wall 461H has an edge that is not turned on the inside (an edge that does not have a flange or the like formed on the inside).

The recessed portion 462 is a recessed portion in which the fastening portion 14e1 of the upper plate member 14e (see Figures 100 and 101) is disposed toward the center of the circle, and is used for positioning with the fastening portion 14e1.

The extension plate 463 has a through hole 463a through which a screw is inserted from the rear side. The screw inserted into the through hole 463a is inserted from the rear side of the main frame 14a through the joint fastening hole 14a2 and the joint fastening hole 14e3 of the upper edge plate member 14e (see FIG. 102), passes through the through hole 483a and the through hole 463a of the rear assembly 480, and is screwed into the fastening portion 419 of the main body member 411 (see FIG. 120).

That is, the speaker assembly 450R is fixed firmly to the main body assembly 480 by screwing the screw through the through hole 463a through the upper plate member 14e from the rear side of the main body frame 14a into the main body member 411, and the extension plate 463 is pressed against the rear assembly 480 as the screw is tightened. Therefore, the speaker assembly 450R is firmly fixed to the main body frame 14a, the upper plate member 14e, and the main body member 411 by being tightened together.

According to this configuration, the speaker assembly 450 is fastened and fixed to the metal main body frame 14a by sandwiching the upper edge plate member 14e (fastened and fixed to a hard material by sandwiching a resin material). This improves the acoustic effect of the speaker 451.

The wiring recess 464 forms part of an opening through which the speaker connection wire 453 connected to the speaker 451 passes. The recess width of the wiring recess 464 is formed smaller than the cross-sectional outline of the covering of the speaker connection wire 453. This applies pressure to the covering of the speaker connection wire 453 passing through the wiring recess 464, preventing a gap from being generated between the wiring recess 464 and the speaker connection wire 453. This prevents the occurrence of a problem in which sound leakage from the opening through which the speaker connection wire 453 passes reduces the acoustic effect. Note that in Figures 121 and 122, the rear side wall portion 461H is omitted (broken) for convenience, and the wiring recess 464 is illustrated so that it can be seen.

In this embodiment, the wire passing recess 464 is formed in the front assembly 460 to which the speaker 451 is attached, rather than in the rear assembly 480. This makes it easier to pass the speaker connection wire 453, which is connected to the speaker 451 in advance, through the wire passing recess 464 when assembling the front assembly 460 and the rear assembly 480. This improves the workability of assembling the speaker assembly 450.

The light passing through hole 465 is a through hole that passes light irradiated from the LED 14e2 arranged on the upper edge plate member 14e (see FIG. 100) toward the lens member 440.

The passage-forming rib 467 abuts the passage-forming rib 487 of the rear assembly 480 without any gaps at the front and rear, and forms a curved passage (see FIG. 123) that bends multiple times in the space formed between the front assembly 460 and the rear assembly 480. This curved passage is a passage through which vibration waves (sound) emitted from the speaker 451 to the rear side pass. The front end of the passage-forming rib 467 is connected to the front side panel of the main body 461. This prevents gaps from occurring on the front side of the passage-forming rib 467.

The front recess 471 is formed to a size that surrounds (extends slightly outward from) the outer shape of the opening 424 of the lower edge plate member 420 (see FIG. 120).

The rear assembly 480 includes a main body 481 formed in a cup shape that is long from left to right and open on the front side, a plurality of recesses 482 recessed in a semicircular shape from the upper and lower side edges of the main body 481 toward the center of the vertical width, an extension plate 483 extending from the rear side edge of a recess 483b having the same shape as the recesses 482 toward the outside of the vertical width to the upper and lower side edges of the main body 481 in a plate-like shape, a wiring pressing protrusion 484 protruding toward the front side of the main body 481, and a wiring pressing protrusion 484 protruding from the front to the back at the upper right corner of the main body 481. It mainly comprises a light passing through hole 485 formed through the front side, a plurality of passage forming ribs 487 extending in a rib-like manner from the cup-shaped bottom plate (rear side plate) of the main body 481 to the front side, a plurality of through holes 488 formed as through holes through which screws are inserted at positions corresponding to the fastening portion 468 of the front assembly 460 in the front-rear direction, and a rear recessed portion 491 recessed from the front side to the rear side at a position corresponding to the front recessed portion 471 of the front assembly 460 in the front-rear direction.

The main body 481 is provided with a front side wall 481H formed in a plate shape that surrounds the outer periphery of the main body 481 at a position that is moved inward from the outer shape of the rear side plate by the plate thickness of the main body 461 of the front assembly 460, and is shaped to be fitted into the inner surface of the rear side wall 461H of the front assembly 460.

The speaker assembly 450R has a double wall portion that is fitted around the entire circumference of the outer periphery with the rear side wall portion 461H and the front side wall portion 481H, so that air leakage from the outer periphery can be prevented. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of problems such as a reduction in acoustic effect due to sound leakage from the outer periphery.

The front side wall portion 481H has a pair of auxiliary protrusions 481Ha that protrude beyond the wiring pressing protrusion 484 toward the front side at a position that sandwiches the wiring pressing protrusion 484 on the left and right with a gap that allows the speaker connection wire 453 to pass through.

The auxiliary protrusions 481Ha are a pair of protrusions that prevent the speaker connection wire 453, which is temporarily fixed in the wiring passing recess 464, from shifting when the rear assembly 480 is attached to the front assembly 460. That is, the inner side surfaces of the pair of auxiliary protrusions 481Ha are tapered to the left and right as they approach the front side (tip side) (see FIG. 124(c)). Therefore, even if the speaker connection wire 453 comes out of the wiring passing recess 464 and begins to shift left and right, the shift can be corrected by the taper of the pair of auxiliary protrusions 481Ha.

This allows the speaker connection wire 453 to be returned to the wiring passing recess 464 during the assembly process, and in the assembled state (see FIG. 100), the speaker connection wire 453 can be easily accommodated in the opening formed by the wiring passing recess 464 and the wiring pressing protrusion 484.

The recessed portion 482 has an outer shape that is the same as the outer shape of the recessed portion 462 when viewed from the front, and is a recessed portion in which the fastening portion 14e1 of the upper edge plate member 14e (see Figures 100 and 101) is disposed toward the center of the circle, and is used for positioning with the fastening portion 14e1.

The extension plate 483 has a through hole 483a through which a screw is inserted from the rear side. The screw inserted into the through hole 483a is inserted from the rear side of the main frame 14a through the joint fastening hole 14a2 and the joint fastening hole 14e3 of the upper edge plate member 14e (see FIG. 102), passes through the through hole 483a and the through hole 463a of the front assembly 460, and is screwed into the fastening portion 419 of the main body member 411 (see FIG. 101).

That is, the speaker assembly 450R is formed by inserting a screw through the through hole 483a through the upper edge plate member 14e from the rear side of the main body frame 14a into the fastening portion 419 of the main body member 411, and as the screw is tightened, the extension plate 483 is pressed against the extension plate 463 of the front assembly 460. Therefore, the speaker assembly 450R is fastened together with the main body frame 14a, the upper edge plate member 14e, and the main body member 411, and is firmly fixed to each other.

The wiring pressing protrusion 484 is provided along the upper edge of the rear side panel of the main body 481, and is formed with a width that fits into the wiring passing recess 464, and is provided with a protruding length that is slightly shorter than the recessed depth of the wiring passing recess 464 and slightly shorter than the outer diameter of the covering portion of the speaker connection wire 453.

That is, by passing the speaker connection wire 453 through the opening surrounded by the wiring pressing protrusion 484 and the wiring passing recess 464, the covering portion of the speaker connection wire 453 is compressed, and it is possible to prevent a gap from being generated between the opening formed by the wiring pressing protrusion 484 and the wiring passing recess 464 and the speaker connection wire 453. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of a problem in which the acoustic effect is reduced due to sound leakage from the opening through which the speaker connection wire 453 passes.

The light passing through hole 485 is a through hole that passes light irradiated from the LED 14e2 arranged on the upper edge plate member 14e (see FIG. 100) toward the lens member 440. The light passing through hole 485 is formed from a circular opening that is just large enough to surround one LED. The light passing through hole 465 is a through hole with a larger cross-sectional shape than the light passing through hole 485, and is formed from a tapered shape that becomes larger in cross-sectional shape toward the front side, and in the assembled state (see FIG. 100), the light passing through holes 465 and 485 communicate in the front-rear direction.

The passage forming rib 487 is formed at the same position as the passage forming rib 467 of the front assembly 460 in a front view, and is a rib that abuts against each other without any gaps at the front and rear, forming a curved passage (see FIG. 123) that bends multiple times in the space formed between the front assembly 460 and the rear assembly 480. This curved passage is a passage through which vibration waves (sound) emitted from the speaker 451 to the rear side pass.

The passage forming rib 487 is fixed to the front side wall portion 481H and is formed at a surface position with the front and rear ends of the front side wall portion 481H. In other words, the rear side end of the passage forming rib 487 is connected to the rear side plate of the main body portion 481. This prevents gaps from occurring on the rear side of the passage forming rib 487.

Here, the front end of the passage forming rib 487 abuts against the passage forming rib 467, and is designed with dimensions that generate a compressive force in the front-to-rear direction at that time. That is, a compressive force toward the rear side is applied to the passage forming rib 487 from the passage forming rib 467, and this compressive force causes the passage forming ribs 467, 487 to elastically deform in the front-to-rear direction, closing the gap between them (see FIG. 124(b)).

At this time, if the rigidity of the passage-forming rib 487 in the left-right direction is weak and it may bend left-right, the compression force may not work well and the gap may not be closed. In contrast, in this embodiment, the passage-forming rib 487 is fixed to the front sidewall portion 481H, so the rigidity in the left-right direction can be strengthened by the strength of the front sidewall portion 481H (and further by the strength reinforced by the rear sidewall portion 461H that is overlaid in the assembled state (see FIG. 100)). Therefore, the rigidity of the passage-forming rib 487 in the left-right direction can be strengthened and the passage-forming rib 487 can be prevented from bending left-right, so the gap between the passage-forming rib 467 can be closed well.

The rear recess 491 is formed from a shape that is inverted from the front recess 471, and forms an opening together with the front recess 471. The opening is formed to a size that surrounds (extends slightly outward from) the outline of the opening 424 of the lower edge plate member 420 (see FIG. 120), and is positioned in a position that surrounds the outline of the opening 424 in the assembled state (see FIG. 86).

123(a) is a rear view of the front assembly 460, and FIG. 123(b) is a front view of the rear assembly 480. In FIG. 123(a) and FIG. 123(b), in order to facilitate understanding, the speaker connection wire 453 is illustrated by imaginary lines, and the front assembly 460 and the rear assembly 480, which are arranged opposite to each other, are illustrated in a state in which their opposing surfaces are unfolded toward the front side of the paper. That is, by folding FIG. 123(a) and FIG. 123(b) around a line (not shown) drawn vertically in the center of the paper, the contact positions of the front assembly 460 and the rear assembly 480 can be aligned. That is, each rib portion 467a, 467b, 467c, 467d, 467e and each rib portion 487a, 487b, 487c, 487d, 487e can be contacted in the front-rear direction.

When the front assembly 460 and rear assembly 480 are assembled (speaker assembly 450, see FIG. 100), an acoustic chamber is formed inside the speaker assembly 450 on the rear side of the base end main body 461B of the front assembly 460. Then, with the acoustic chamber as the base end, an acoustic passage as a passageway for the vibration wave Ws (sound) output from the rear side of the speaker 451 is extended toward the tip end main body 461T. This acoustic passage is configured as a curved passage by the passage forming ribs 467, 487.

As shown in Figures 123(a) and 123(b), the passage forming rib 467 is formed on the inner side (left side) of the wiring passage recess 464 through which the wiring passes, and has rib portions 467a, 467b, 467c, 467d, and 467e that are arranged alternately in multiple locations (five locations in this embodiment) up and down toward the left side.

By forming each of the rib portions 467a, 467b, 467c, 467d, and 467e on the inner side (left side) in the left-right direction from the wiring passage recess 464 through which the wiring passes, it is possible to prevent the wiring from being pinched between each of the rib portions 467a, 467b, 467c, 467d, and 467e and each of the rib portions 487a, 487b, 487c, 487d, and 487e of the rear assembly 480 during assembly.

Each of the rib portions 467a, 467b, 467c, 467d, and 467e is connected to the main body portion 461 and the rear side wall portion 461H, so that the rigidity of the main body portion 461 can be strengthened by each of the rib portions 467a, 467b, 467c, 467d, and 467e.

Each of the rib portions 467a, 467b, 467c, 467d, and 467e, in cooperation with the passage-forming rib 487 of the rear assembly 480, forms a curved passage through which the vibration wave Ws generated from the rear side of the speaker 451 passes.

Here, if there were no passage-forming rib 467 and a horizontally long cavity were formed, the vibration wave generated by the speaker 451 would travel in a straight line, but in this embodiment, the vibration wave Ws travels around the passage-forming rib 467.

In other words, as shown in FIG. 123(a) as an example of a travel path, when the rib portion (e.g., rib portion 467a) of the passage-forming rib 467 is positioned on the upper side, and then the rib portion (e.g., rib portion 467b) that is positioned to the left of it (the side of arrow L) and closest in the left-right direction is positioned on the lower side, the vibration wave Ws travels between the ribs in an upward and leftward direction (in the direction of arrows L and U).

On the other hand, when the rib portion (e.g., rib portion 467b) of the passage-forming rib 467 is positioned on the lower side, and then the rib portion (e.g., rib portion 467c) located to the left (the side of arrow L) closest in the left-right direction is positioned on the upper side, the vibration wave Ws will travel in the downward and leftward direction (in the direction of arrows L and D).

Therefore, when the rib portions 467a, 467b, 467c, 467d, and 467e are arranged alternately vertically as in this embodiment, the propagation path of the vibration wave Ws can be a path that curves vertically, and the propagation path length of the vibration wave Ws can be secured to be longer than the left-right width of the space.

This makes it easy to adjust the path length that the vibration wave Ws takes to pass through the opening formed by the pair of recesses 471, 491, and suppresses the generation of standing waves due to the vibration wave Ws.

In addition, in this embodiment, the same effect as the passage forming rib 467 can also be produced by the recesses 462, 463b. That is, the vibration wave Ws can be caused to travel in an upper left direction (in the direction of the arrows L and U) between the recess 462, which is disposed immediately adjacent to the front recess 471, and the recess 463b, which is disposed above it and to the right (on the side of the arrow R).

Therefore, in addition to the effect that the recesses 462 and 463b have during assembly, they also have the effect of determining the direction of travel of the vibration wave Ws.

As shown in FIG. 123(b), the passage forming rib 487 is formed on the inner side (left side) of the wiring pressing protrusion 484 that presses the wiring, and has rib portions 487a, 487b, 487c, 487d, and 487e that are arranged in multiple locations (five locations in this embodiment) in a staggered manner up and down toward the left side.

Each of the ribs 487a, 487b, 487c, 487d, and 487e is connected to the main body 481 and the front side wall 481H, so that the rigidity of the main body 481 can be strengthened by each of the ribs 487a, 487b, 487c, 487d, and 487e.

Here, each of the rib portions 487a, 487b, 487c, 487d, and 487e is formed to have a shape that matches each of the rib portions 467a, 467b, 467c, 467d, and 467e of the front assembly 460 in the front-to-rear direction, and is positioned opposite each other in the front-to-rear direction in the assembled state (see FIG. 100).

The function of each of the rib portions 487a, 487b, 487c, 487d, and 487e is similar to the function of the rib portions 467a, 467b, 467c, 467d, and 467e described above, so a description thereof will be omitted.

In addition, in this embodiment, the recesses 482, 483b can also produce the same effect as the passage forming rib 487. That is, the vibration wave Ws can travel in an upper left direction (arrows L, U direction) between the recess 482, which is disposed immediately adjacent to the rear recess 491, and the recess 483b, which is disposed above it and to the right (arrow R side). Therefore, in addition to the effect that the recesses 482, 483b have during assembly, they also have the effect of regulating the traveling direction of the vibration wave Ws.

The space formed inside speaker assembly 450R narrows vertically the further away from speaker 451 it is, first narrowing at the position where recesses 462, 482 and recesses 463b, 483b are lined up vertically, then suddenly expanding vertically at a position further away from speaker 451, and then communicating with the opening formed by recesses 471, 491. This can improve the acoustic effect.

In this embodiment, in the longitudinal direction of the speaker assembly 450, the base end side main body part 461B side to which the speaker 451 is assembled is sealed by the front assembly 460 and the rear assembly 480, so the vibration wave Ws (sound) output from the rear side of the speaker 451 travels to the tip side main body part 461T side, which is the opposite side in the longitudinal direction, in search of an outlet. The vibration wave Ws (sound) that reaches the tip side main body part 461T passes through the opening formed by the front recessed part 471 and the rear recessed part 491, and the opening part 424 of the lower edge plate member 420 (see FIG. 120), in that order, and is emitted to the outside of the speaker assembly 450R (the outside of the pachinko machine 8010 (see FIG. 86)).

In other words, the speaker assembly 450 is configured as a bass-reflex type speaker box, and the rear portion of the speaker 451 is in direct contact with the atmosphere outside the pachinko machine 8010 through the internal path of the speaker assembly 450, the opening formed by the recessed portions 471 and 491, and the opening 424 (see FIG. 120), so that the sound output from the rear side of the speaker 451 can be reproduced and output with high sound quality without being muffled.

The bass-reflex speaker assembly 450 resonates the sound output from the rear side of the speaker 451 to invert the phase, and can emit the sound in phase with the sound output from the front side of the speaker 451 from the opening formed by the recessed portions 471, 491. In other words, the bass-reflex speaker assembly 450 can superimpose the sound output from the rear side of the speaker 450 and the sound output from the front side in the same phase, rather than canceling each other out due to being in opposite phase. In other words, it is possible to amplify deep bass sounds. This allows the pachinko machine 8010 according to this embodiment to perform a realistic performance, which can heighten the player's interest and excitement in the game.

In this embodiment, the upper panel unit 400 in which the opening 424 is formed is positioned on the front side of the glass unit 16 (see FIG. 91), so that the low-pitched sounds output from the rear side of the speaker 451 are emitted to the front side of the front frame 14 (see FIG. 100) using the internal space of the speaker assembly 450 as an enclosure (emitted downward from the front side of the glass unit 16 (see FIG. 86)). This allows the performance of the game by the low-pitched sounds emitted from the front frame 14 to the front side to be appropriately provided to a player playing on the front side of the front frame 14.

The sound of the vibration wave Ws (audio) can be tuned by setting the volume of the speaker assembly 450 and the path length of the vibration wave Ws. For example, in this embodiment, the path of the vibration wave Ws is defined as a path that avoids the rib portions 467a, 467b, 467c, 467d, and 467e of the front assembly 460 and the rib portions 487a, 487b, 487c, 487d, and 487e of the rear assembly 480. Therefore, the sound of the vibration wave Ws (audio) can be tuned by individually setting the arrangement and vertical extension length of each of the rib portions 467a, 467b, 467c, 467d, and 467e and each of the rib portions 487a, 487b, 487c, 487d, and 487e.

In this embodiment, in addition to the above-mentioned purposes, the ribs 467a, 467b, 467c, 467d, and 467e of the front assembly 460 and the ribs 487a, 487b, 487c, 487d, and 487e of the rear assembly 480 are disposed in areas where a load is applied when the speaker assembly 450 is fastened and fixed, thereby reinforcing the speaker assembly 450.

For example, by arranging each of the rib portions 467c, 487c, 467d, 487d near the fastening portion 468 and the through hole 488, the vicinity of the fastening portion 468 and the through hole 488 can be reinforced, and the front assembly 460 and the rear assembly 480 can be prevented from being damaged by the load applied to the front assembly 460 and the rear assembly 480 when a screw is screwed into the fastening portion 468.

In addition, when assembled, the extension plates 463, 483 are sandwiched and pressed between the enlarged rib 419a of the fastening portion 419 and the upper edge plate member 14e (see Figure 125 (a)), and each rib portion 467c, 487c, 467d, 487d is positioned on the extension plate 463, 483 side rather than the nearest fastening portion 468 and through hole 488. Therefore, even after the front assembly 460 and the rear assembly 480 are fastened by screwing into the fastening portion 468, the ribs 467c, 487c, 467d, and 487d are abutted against each other when the fastening portion 419 is inserted into the through holes 463a and 483a of the extension plates 463 and 483 and the upper frame member 410, the upper edge plate member 14e, and the main frame 14a are fastened, thereby preventing deformation of the front assembly 460 and the rear assembly 480. In other words, the front assembly 460 and the rear assembly 480 can be reinforced by the ribs 467c, 487c, 467d, and 487d.

For example, the rib portions 467b and 487b are connected to the upper ends of the recessed portions 462 and 482. Here, the recessed portions 462 and 482 are portions to which the fastening portion 14e1 (see FIGS. 102 and 125) of the upper plate member 14e is aligned in the assembled state, and before the speaker assembly 450 is fastened and fixed to the upper plate member 14e, the recessed portions 462 and 482 of the speaker assembly 450 rest on the fastening portion 14e1. Therefore, an upward load is applied to the upper ends of the recessed portions 462 and 482 from the fastening portion 14e1 as a reaction force generated when the fastening portion 14e1 supports the weight of the speaker assembly 450.

Thus, it is thought that the recessed portions 462, 482 would be easily damaged. In this embodiment, however, the rib portions 467b, 487b are connected to the upper ends of the recessed portions 462, 482, so that the fastening portion 14e1 can reinforce the recessed portions 462, 482 against the load applied thereto, thereby improving the durability of the recessed portions 462, 482.

The opening 424 (see FIG. 120) formed from multiple small diameter through holes functions as a bass reflex port. Here, compared to when the opening 424 is formed from a single large diameter through hole, it is easier to prevent fraudulent acts such as inserting wire, piano wire, etc. into the pachinko machine 8010 through the opening 424.

In this type of fraudulent act, wire, piano wire, etc. are illegally inserted into the play area to deform nails, etc., but in this embodiment, the speaker assembly 450 is formed in a box shape that is sealed except for the opening formed by the front recess 471 and the rear recess 491 and the opening formed by the wiring passage recess 464 and the wiring pressing protrusion 484, and the gap of the opening formed by the wiring passage recess 464 and the wiring pressing protrusion 484 is blocked by the speaker connection wire 453. Therefore, when a wire, piano wire, etc. is inserted into the speaker assembly 450 through the opening formed by the front recess 471 and the rear recess 491, the tip of the wire, piano wire, etc. can be made to exit the speaker assembly 450 through an opening other than the place where it entered, making it difficult for the tip of the wire, piano wire, etc. to reach the play area through a through hole formed in the upper side plate member 14e as an opening for passing the speaker connection wire 453.

In addition, the through holes formed in the upper plate member 14e as openings for passing the speaker connection wires 453 are positioned near the left and right ends of the upper plate member 14e in accordance with the placement of the speakers 451, so that the distance between the openings formed by the front recessed portion 471 and the rear recessed portion 491, which are the points where wire, piano wire, etc. are inserted into the speaker assembly 450, can be increased.

Therefore, even if such fraudulent acts are committed, the success rate of the fraudulent acts can be reduced, making it easier to prevent fraudulent gains from being made.

Figure 124(a) is a rear view of speaker assembly 450R, Figure 124(b) is a cross-sectional view of speaker assembly 450R taken along line CXXIVb-CXXIVb in Figure 124(a), Figure 124(c) is a top view of speaker assembly 450R taken along arrow CXXIVc in Figure 124(a), and Figure 124(d) is a partial bottom view of speaker assembly 450R taken along arrow CXXIVd in Figure 124(a). Note that in Figures 124(a) and 124(c), speaker connection wire 453 is shown by an imaginary line for ease of understanding, while in the partial enlarged view of Figure 124(c), speaker connection wire 453 is omitted.

As shown enlarged in FIG. 124(b), the inner surface 461Hi (lower surface in FIG. 124(b)) of the rear side wall portion 461H of the front assembly 460 is tapered inward toward the rear side, and the outer surface 481Ho (upper surface in FIG. 124(b)) of the front side wall portion 481H of the rear assembly 480 is tapered inward toward the rear side and is shaped to fit with the inner surface 461Hi in the assembled state. This improves the efficiency of the operation of inserting the front side wall portion 481H of the rear assembly 480 into the rear side wall portion 461H of the front assembly 460.

In FIG. 124(b), the position of the front end of rib portion 487c in the assembled state is shown by a solid line, and the position of the front end of rib portion 487c before assembly is shown by an imaginary line. That is, in the assembled state, rib portion 487c receives a compressive load from rib portion 467c and is elastically deformed. The restoring force generated by this elastic deformation causes a compressive force to act from rib portion 487c toward rib portion 467c, so that the gap between rib portions 467c and 487c can be filled. Note that each of rib portions 467a, 467b, 467c, 467d, 467e, 487a, 487b, 487c, 487d, and 487e is designed to have a dimensional relationship that generates a compressive load between the abutting ribs.

As shown in FIG. 124(c), the intermediate body portion 461M is formed with a shorter front-to-rear dimension compared to the base end body portion 461B and the tip end body portion 461T. Therefore, the cross-sectional area of the path through which the vibration wave Ws can pass can be made smaller (narrowed) in the intermediate body portion 461M compared to the tip end body portion 461T. This can improve the acoustic effect.

As shown in FIG. 124(d), the internal space of the tip side main body portion 461T, which is located above the opening formed by the front side recess portion 471 and the rear side recess portion 491, is secured to be larger in a manner that bulges out in the front-to-rear direction compared to the internal space of the intermediate main body portion 461M. This allows the vibration wave Ws that reaches the tip side main body portion 461T to be temporarily retained in the tip side main body portion 461T and released at a low speed. This allows the vibration wave Ws to make it easier to hear deep bass sounds, thereby improving the acoustic effect.

Figure 125(a) is a partial cross-sectional view of the front assembly 460, rear assembly 480, upper frame member 410, main body frame 14a, and upper edge plate member 14e taken along line CXXVa-CXXVa in Figure 124(a), and Figure 125(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the front assembly 460, rear assembly 480, upper frame member 410, main body frame 14a, and upper edge plate member 14e taken along line CXXVb-CXXVb in Figure 124(a).

As shown in FIG. 125(a), the expanded rib 419a of the fastening portion 419 is a portion that sandwiches the front assembly 460, the rear assembly 480, and the upper edge plate member 14e between the main body frame 14a and the expanded rib 419a by fastening and fixing the screws inserted into the through holes 463a and 483a to the fastening portion 419. In other words, by positioning the expanded rib 419a at the front surface position of the extension plate 463, it is possible to prevent the front assembly 460, the rear assembly 480, and the upper edge plate member 14e from shifting in the front-rear direction, and the front assembly 460, the rear assembly 480, the upper edge plate member 14e, and the metal main body frame 14a can be firmly fixed.

As shown in FIG. 125(b), the second fastening portion 419b is fastened to the fastening portion 14e1 of the upper edge plate member 14e at a lower position of the upper frame member 410, and is formed at an upper position of the upper frame member 410 at a position that coincides with the recessed portions 462, 482 of the speaker assembly 450.

The second fastening portion 419b and the fastening portion 14e1 are disposed inside the recessed portions 462, 482 (they pass directly through the recessed portions 462, 482 without coming into contact with them in the fastening direction), and are configured as parts that fasten and fix the upper frame member 410 and the upper edge plate member 14e without going through the front assembly 460 and the rear assembly 480.

The main body frame 14a and the upper edge plate member 14e are fastened together to the second fastening portion 419b located at the upper position of the main body member 411, and the upper edge plate member 14e is fastened and fixed to the second fastening portion 419b located at the lower position of the main body member 411, and the main body frame 14a is not fastened and fixed.

In addition, at an upper position of the main body member 411, the second fastening portion 419b (see FIG. 118) is disposed inside the recessed portions 462, 482 (the portion extending toward the rear side is disposed inside), while at a lower position of the main body member 411, the fastening portion 14e1 (see FIG. 100) is disposed inside the recessed portions 462, 482 (the portion extending toward the front side is disposed inside).

In this embodiment, the left and right speakers 451 are arranged in separate speaker assemblies 450R and 450L, respectively, which prevents interference with the sound reproduced and output from the speakers 451 arranged in the opposing speaker assemblies 450R and 450L, and allows the reproduced sound to be reproduced with high quality as a transparent sound without being muffled.

In this embodiment, the extension plate 483 of the rear assembly 480 and the upper plate member 14e are in surface contact at the top of the speaker assembly 450 (see FIG. 125(a)), while at the bottom of the speaker assembly 450, the back surface of the rear assembly 480 and the front surface of the upper plate member 14e are spaced apart, and the front portion of the upper plate member 14e protrudes toward the front side at the portion positioned opposite the lower end of the rear assembly 480, and the protruding portion and the lower end of the rear assembly 480 abut in the front-to-rear direction. In other words, the speaker assembly 450 is not configured to abut (stick) all over the surface against the upper plate member 14e, but is in line contact, particularly at the lower end.

In this case, the portion that protrudes from the upper plate member 14e and abuts against the lower end of the speaker assembly 450 can function as an insulator, improving the acoustic effect of the sound output from the speaker 451.

In this embodiment, the portion that protrudes from the upper plate member 14e and abuts against the lower end of the speaker assembly 450 is formed integrally with the upper plate member 14e (made of synthetic resin), but this is not limited to this.

For example, a metal member may be disposed between the speaker assembly 450 and the upper plate member 14e, a member made of ebony may be disposed, a glass member may be disposed, a concrete member may be disposed, a soft resin material may be disposed, or other commercially available members may be disposed.

In particular, when using metal components, it is desirable to use materials with a high specific gravity. For example, it is desirable to use cast iron, zinc, brass, lead, steel, etc. Using these metals can add depth to the sound.

It is also desirable to use materials with high hardness. Examples include cast iron, steel, glass, and ceramics. Using these materials can improve the sound start-up performance.

In terms of shape, the protruding portions may be long and plate-like, spike-like, or rounded and dotted. The upper plate member 14e and the speaker assembly 450 may not only be fixed to each other, but may also be connected in a floating manner.

The location of the part functioning as an insulator described above is not limited to the rear surface of the lower end of the speaker assembly 450. For example, it may be the rear surface of the upper end of the speaker assembly 450, the rear surface of the left or right end of the speaker assembly 450, or the side or front surface of the speaker assembly 450.

For example, when placed on the back surface of the upper end, the member functioning as an insulator may be cylindrical and placed between the rear assembly 480 and the upper edge plate member 14e, and positioned by inserting a screw through the through hole 483a. In this case, a separate locking member for positioning the member functioning as an insulator is not required, and the tightness of the screw inserted through the through hole 483a allows the contact between the rear assembly 480, the upper edge plate member 14e, and the member functioning as an insulator (the load applied to each other) to be adjusted, thereby adjusting the acoustic effect.

At this time, even if the screw inserted through the through hole 483a is loosened, the speaker assembly 450 is fastened to the upper edge plate member 14e by a screw inserted through the connecting hole 469 (see FIG. 123(a)), a through hole of the same shape as the connecting hole 469 and arranged on the opposite side of the connecting hole 469 in the left-right direction, or a through hole arranged at the lower end of the speaker assembly 450 at the left-right position where the through hole is arranged, so that the speaker assembly 450 can be prevented from coming off the upper edge plate member 14e.

In addition, the upper frame member 410 is fastened to the upper plate member 14e by a screw inserted through the through hole 483a, and a screw inserted from the rear side into the fastening portion 14e1 (see FIG. 100) of the upper plate member 14e is screwed into the fastening portion 419 (see FIG. 125(b)). As described above, the fastening between the fastening portion 14e1 and the fastening portion 419 is configured so that no load is applied to the speaker assembly 450. Therefore, by firmly fastening the fastening portion 14e1 and the fastening portion 419, the upper frame member 410 can be prevented from coming off the upper plate member 14e by loosely fastening the screw inserted through the through hole 483a (while adjusting the degree of fastening).

The same can be said about the relationship between the speaker assembly 450 and the upper plate member 14e described above, and the main body frame 14a, which is connected and fixed to the speaker assembly 450 via the upper plate member 14e. In other words, the metal main body frame 14a can function as an insulator, and the material and contact relationship can be designed in the same way as described above.

Figure 126 is an exploded front perspective view of the game board 13 and inner frame 12, Figure 127(a) is a rear view of the game board 13, and Figure 127(b) is a front view of the inner frame 12. Note that Figure 127(b) shows the inner frame 12 with the game board 13 removed.

First, the support parts 12a and 12b will be described to explain the procedure for fixing the game board 13 to the inner frame 12. As shown in FIG. 126, a left end front support part 12a and a left end rear support part 12b are arranged at the top and bottom corners of the inner surface of the left wall of the inner frame 12, spaced apart from each other in the front and rear directions, for the purpose of supporting the left end part of the game board 13.

The left-end front support portion 12a has an inclined surface 12a1 that slopes rearward as it moves leftward from the right end of the rear end surface that faces the game board 13 in the assembled state (see FIG. 89), and a flat surface 12a2 that extends left and right from the left end of the inclined surface to the left. In the assembled state, the flat surface 12a2 and the front surface of the game board 13 come into contact with each other.

The left end rear support part 12b has an external shape that is rectangular when viewed from the front, and the front end face is formed on one surface so that it can abut against the rear surface of the game board 13, and is formed in a cup shape with an open center. The left end rear support part 12b has one end located inside and is equipped with an elastic support part 12b1 that has a portion that protrudes from the front end face of the cup-shaped part.

The elastic support portion 12b1 is positioned in such a way that, when in its natural length, it protrudes more toward the front as it moves to the left. That is, the elastic support portion 12b1, together with the inclined surface 12a1 of the left-end front support portion 12a, forms a tapered shape that expands in the left-right direction toward the side where the game board 13 is placed (to the right). This improves the workability when the worker assembles the game board 13 to the inner frame 12. Next, the procedure for fixing the game board 13 to the inner frame 12 will be described with reference to Figures 128 and 129.

128(a) and 128(b) are cross-sectional views of the inner frame 12 taken along the line CXXVIIIa-CXXVIIIa in FIG. 127(b), and FIG. 129(a) and FIG. 129(b) are side views of the board support device 600 and the game board 13, which are schematic diagrams of the board support device 600 and the game board 13. In FIG. 128 and FIG. 129, the process of assembling the game board 13 to the inner frame 12 is illustrated in chronological order, with FIG. 128(a) illustrating the game board 13 as the left end begins to be pushed into the inner frame 12, FIG. 128(b) and FIG. 129(a) illustrating the game board 13 just before it is completely assembled to the inner frame 12, and FIG. 129(b) illustrating the game board 13 after it is completely assembled to the inner frame 12. In addition, in Figures 128 and Z39, some of the components of the game board 13 and inner frame 12 are omitted for ease of understanding.

When a worker assembles the game board 13 to the inner frame 12, first, the game board 13 is temporarily placed on the top surface of the plate passage forming member 160, and after adjusting the vertical position of the game board 13 to a certain extent, the left end of the game board 13 is slid between the left end front support part 12a and the left end rear support part 12b. At this time, as shown in FIG. 128(a), the game board 13 is slid in a position rotated around an axis facing the vertical direction relative to the inner frame 12, so there is a risk that the left end front support part 12b on the near side and the game board 13 may interfere with each other. However, in this embodiment, since the left end front support part 12a has an inclined surface 12a1 formed thereon, the range (position) of interference between the game board 13 and the left end front support part 12b can be reduced. This improves workability.

Next, as shown in FIG. 128(b), the game board 13 is rotated around the left end of the game board 13 (specifically, the contact position between the rear edge of the inclined surface 12a1 and the front surface of the game board 13) as an axis so as to approach the inner frame 12. During this rotation, the front surface of the game board 13 is placed opposite the flat surface 12a2, and a biasing force is applied from the elastic support portion 12b1 toward the game board 13. That is, the front surface of the game board 13 is pressed against the flat surface 12a2 by the biasing force applied from the elastic support portion 12b1. This allows the game board 13 to be temporarily fixed to the inner frame 12.

During the process of rotating the game board 13, the vertical position of the game board 13 is regulated by the support bottom 12c of the inner frame. The support bottom 12c is a plate-shaped portion formed on the inner frame 12 along the left-right direction with an arrangement and length corresponding to the lower bottom surface of the game board 13, and in the assembled state (see Figure 90), it supports the game board 13 from below and has multiple guide ribs 12c1 with their front upper ends cut into inclined surfaces along the left-right direction.

By configuring it in this way, in the process of changing the state from FIG. 128(a) to FIG. 128(b), when viewed from above, each time the rear edge of the lower bottom surface of the game board 13 passes the front edge of the guide rib 12c1, the game board 13 rides up onto the inclined surface of the guide rib 12c1, so that the game board 13 can be made to ride up onto the guide rib 12c1 starting from the left side, allowing the game board 13 to rotate smoothly. This improves the workability of assembling the game board 13 to the inner frame 12.

The inclination angle of the inclined surface relative to the upper surface of the guide rib 12c1 is set to approximately 15°, which is a larger angle than the backward inclination (approximately 10°) of the pachinko machine 8010 when installed in an amusement parlor. This makes it possible to prevent the inclination of the inclined surface of the guide rib 12c1 from being reversed in the front-to-rear direction due to the backward inclination of the pachinko machine 8013 when installed, thereby improving the workability when assembling the game board 13 to the inner frame 12 without being influenced by the backward inclination of the pachinko machine 8013 when installed.

In addition, the inclination angle of the inclined surface of the guide rib 12c1 may be formed at an inclination angle equivalent to the rear inclination when installed in the game arcade. In this case, the inclined surface of the guide rib 12c1 on which the game board 13 rides can be made horizontal.

In the state shown in FIG. 128(b), as shown in FIG. 129(a), the game board 13 is sandwiched between the board support devices 600, which are arranged vertically and in a released state as described below, and the rear surface of the game board 13 abuts against the front surface of the claw member 640 after rotation.

Here, the board support device 600 is configured such that, in the released state, the front rotation claw member 620 and the front restriction claw member 630 (the portion disposed on the front side of the position where the game board 13 is fixed) are retracted from the entry path of the game board 13, thereby improving the workability of assembling the game board 13.

As shown in FIG. 129(b), by pushing the right end of the game board 13 toward the rear side, a load is applied to the post-rotation claw member 640 via the game board 13, causing the board support device 600 to change to a fixed state, which will be described later, and the game board 13 to be fixed to the inner frame 12. In other words, when the game board 13 is fixed, the upper and lower board support devices 600 change state almost simultaneously.

The game board 13 is supported by the support bottom 12c, and its vertical position is regulated. As shown in Figures 129(a) and 129(b), between the release state and the fixed state of the board support device 600, the board support device 600 does not abut against the lower end of the game board 13 (the game board 13 is not pushed up by the board support device 600), and the vertical position of the game board 13 does not change. Therefore, the floating connector 13a and the receiving connector 12d can be stably detached as the state of the board support device 600 changes between the release state and the fixed state.

When the right end of the game board 13 is pushed toward the rear side, the game board 13 rotates with the left end as a fulcrum. Due to the principle of leverage, the force required to apply a load to the claw member 640 after rotation via the game board 13 can be weakened by the long width of the game board 13, and even a worker with little strength can easily assemble the game board 13 into the inner frame 12.

When the game board 13 is assembled to the inner frame 12, the left end of the game board 13 is supported at two points, top and bottom, by the left end front support part 12a and the left end rear support part 12b (see Figure 126). Therefore, for example, even if the right end of the game board 13 is not sufficiently fixed (when at least one of the upper and lower board support devices 600 is not fixed), the degree to which the game board 13 falls forward can be reduced even if the front frame 14 (see Figure 89) is closed against the inner frame 12.

For example, when the upper board support device 600 is in the released state (see FIG. 134(a)), the degree to which the game board 13 tilts forward or backward due to the reaction force of pushing the front frame 14 (see FIG. 89) against the inner frame 12 to close it can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to prevent (reduce the possibility of) the state of the board support device 600 changing due to the reaction force of pushing the front frame 14 against the inner frame 12 to close it.

When the game board 13 is fixed to the inner frame 12, the left end of the game board 13 is fixed by the supports 12a and 12b, the right end is fixed by the board support device 600, and the lower end is regulated in its vertical position by the support bottom 12c.

When the game board 13 is fixed to the inner frame 12 (see Figure 129 (b)), the floating connector 13a is located at the lower end of the back side of the game board 13, is connected to wiring connected to various components and devices arranged on the game board 13, and is supported on the game board 13 so that its position can be changed in the surface direction of the game board 13, and is connected in the rotational direction of the game board 13 to the receiving connector 12d, which is located on the inner frame 12 near the lower board surface support device 600 and has wiring connected to the control board unit 91 (see Figure 3) etc. connected on the back side.

The floating connector 13a and the receiving connector 12d are arranged in an inclined position with the connection direction facing the direction of rotation of the game board 13 in order to reduce the resistance of the connection in the rotation direction of the game board 13 (see Figure 126 for the receiving connector 12d).

The inner frame 12 is equipped with a pair of upper and lower board surface support devices 600 arranged facing each other near the right corner of the inner frame 12. Note that the pair of upper and lower board surface support devices 600 have the same configuration and are arranged facing each other, so only one of the board surface support devices 600 will be described and the description of the other board surface support device 600 will be omitted.

130(a) is a front perspective view of the board support device 600, 130(b) is a rear perspective view of the board support device 600, 131(a) is a front perspective view of the board support device 600, and 131(b) is a rear perspective view of the board support device 600. Note that in Figs. 130(a) and 130(b), the board support device 600 is shown in a fixed state in which the board support device 600 fixes the game board 13, and in Figs. 131(a) and 131(b), the board support device 600 is shown in a released state in which the fixation of the game board 13 by the board support device 600 is released. As shown in Figs. 130 and 131, the open side of the U-shape formed by the front-rotation claw member 620 and the rear-rotation claw member 640 of the board support device 600 is displaced in the front-rear direction.

132 is an exploded front perspective view of the board surface support device 600, and FIG. 133 is an exploded rear perspective view of the board surface support device 600. As shown in FIG. 132 and FIG. 133, the board surface support device 600 mainly includes a frame member 610 formed in a rectangular frame shape when viewed from above, a front rotation claw member 620 rotatably supported by a first shaft member P61 inserted and fixed to the frame member 610, a front restriction claw member 630 rotatably supported by a second shaft member P62 arranged on the front side of the front rotation claw member 620 and inserted and fixed to the front rotation claw member 620, and a rear rotation claw member 640 rotatably supported by a third shaft member P63 arranged on the rear side of the front rotation claw member 620 and inserted and fixed to the front rotation claw member 620.

The frame member 610 mainly comprises a main body plate portion 611 formed into a rectangular frame shape by bending a sheet metal member at a right angle at the corners, a pair of support holes 612 formed in a straight line through a pair of plate portions 611a that are part of the main body plate portion 611 and are arranged opposite each other on the left and right, an arc hole 613 drilled in the plate portion 611a along an arc centered on the support hole 612 on the upper front side of the support hole 612, an arc recess 614 recessed from below in the plate portion 611a along an arc centered on the support hole 612 on the back side of the support hole 612, a rod-shaped restricting rod 615 inserted and fixed to the plate portion 611a at a position vertically above the support hole 612, and a pair of fixing plates 616 that extend in a flange-like manner from the plate portion 611a to the left and right and are fastened and fixed to the inner frame 12 by screws inserted into the through holes 616a in the assembled state (see FIG. 127(b)).

The support hole 612 is a through hole through which the first shaft member P61 is inserted and fixed. The first shaft member P61 is formed as a cylindrical metal rod member with an expanded diameter at the end on the base end side, and after being inserted into the support hole 612, the end on the tip end side is pressed to fix it to the support hole 612. This fixing method and the shape of the shaft member are the same for the second shaft member P62 and the third shaft member P63, so a description will be omitted. Note that when the first shaft member P61 is inserted into the support hole 612, the first shaft member P61 is also inserted into the supported hole 622 of the pre-rotation claw member 620 at the same time.

Like the frame member 610, the front rotating claw member 620 mainly comprises a main body plate portion 621 formed by bending a corner of a sheet metal member at a right angle to form a T-shape in a side view, a pair of supported holes 622 formed in a straight line through plate portions 621a that are part of the main body plate portion 621 and are arranged opposite each other on the left and right and are supported by the first shaft member P61, a pair of support holes 623 formed in a straight line through the upper corners of the front side of the plate portion 621a and through which the second shaft member P62 is inserted and fixed, and a pair of support holes 624 formed in a straight line through the rear side of the plate portion 621a and through which the third shaft member P63 is inserted and fixed.

When the second shaft member P62 is inserted into the support hole 623, the second shaft member P62 is also inserted into the supported hole 632 of the pre-regulation claw member 630 at the same time, and when the third shaft member P63 is inserted into the support hole 624, the third shaft member P63 is also inserted into the supported hole 642 of the post-rotation claw member 640 at the same time.

The main plate portion 621 mainly comprises a pair of plate portions 621a, which are arranged opposite each other on the left and right, and are formed in a T-shape in a side view by a long portion 621a1 that is long from front to back, an extension portion 621a2 that extends in the up and down direction from the front end of the long portion 621a1, a connecting plate portion 621b that connects and fixes the upper edge of the plate portion 621a, a back side extension plate 621c that extends from the back side end of the connecting plate portion 621b and inclines downward by about 45 degrees relative to the surface of the connecting plate portion 621b, a hanging back plate portion 621d that extends perpendicular to the plate portion 621a from the back side end of the extension portion 621a2 toward the opposite plate portion 621a, and a front side extension plate 621e that extends from the lower end of the hanging back plate portion 621d and inclines toward the front side by about 45 degrees relative to the surface of the hanging back plate portion 621d.

The hanging back plate portion 621d is formed in a flat plate shape along a plane perpendicular to the long portion 621a1 and the connecting plate portion 621b. The angle between the side surface of the long portion 621a1 and the connecting plate portion 621b is a right angle, and the bottom surface of the long portion 621a1 and the back side surface of the hanging back plate portion 621d are formed so as to be mutually perpendicular.

The rear extension plate 621c is positioned so that its underside can come into contact with the torsion spring NBb. In this embodiment, in the released state, it comes into contact with the torsion spring NBb, moving the arm of the torsion spring NBb away from the main body plate portion 611 (see FIG. 134(a)). Meanwhile, in the process of changing to the fixed state, the torsion spring NBb retreats upward, causing the torsion spring NBb to begin to come into contact with the main body plate portion 611.

This prevents the repulsive force of the torsion spring NBb from being generated toward the worker when the worker starts to push the game board 13 into the board support device 600, while allowing the repulsive force of the torsion spring NBb to be generated toward the worker just before the game board 13 is completely fixed to the board support device 600. In other words, while reducing the force required when starting to push the game board 13, just before the game board 13 is fixed to the board support device 600, the momentum of the rotation of the game board 13 can be suppressed by the repulsive force.

The hanging back plate portion 621d is a portion that contacts the game board 13 from the front side in the assembled state (see FIG. 89) and regulates the front-to-rear position of the game board 13. The front extension plate 621e functions as a guide when inserting the game board 13 into the back side of the hanging back plate portion 621d.

A torsion spring NBa is wound around the second shaft member P62. The torsion spring NBa generates a biasing force in a direction that brings the front restriction claw member 630 and the hanging back plate portion 621d closer together. A torsion spring NBb is wound around the third shaft member P63. The torsion spring NBb generates a biasing force in a direction that moves the lower end of the rear rotation claw member 640 away from the back side wall of the main body plate portion 611.

The front restricting claw member 630 mainly comprises a main body plate portion 631 formed by bending a metal sheet material at a right angle at a corner to form an L-shape in a side view, a pair of supported holes 632 formed in a straight line through plate portions 631a that are part of the main body plate portion 631 and are arranged opposite each other on the left and right and are supported by a second shaft member P62, an inclined extension plate 633 that extends obliquely from the lower end of a front connecting plate 631b that connects the plate portions 631a to the front side, and a curved surface 634 that is curved and formed as the upper end surface of the plate portion 631a.

The inclined extension plate 633 is a plate portion that is arranged opposite the front frame 14, and is the part that is closest to the front frame 14 in the front-to-rear direction when the panel surface support device 600 is in the released state.

The curved surface 634 is the surface that comes into contact with the restricting rod 615 in the assembled state (see FIG. 126), thereby restricting the free change in position of the restricting front claw member 630.

The post-rotation claw member 640 mainly comprises a main body plate portion 641 formed into a vertically elongated rectangular shape in side view by bending a sheet metal member at a right angle at the corner, a pair of supported holes 642 formed in a straight line through plate portions 641a that are part of the main body plate portion 641 and are arranged opposite each other on the left and right, and are supported by the third shaft member P63, and an inclined extension plate 643 that extends at an angle from the lower end of a front connecting plate 641b that connects the pair of plate portions 641a to the back side.

The front connecting plate 641b is a part that contacts the rear side of the game board 13 in the assembled state (see Figure 89) and regulates the front-to-rear position of the game board 13.

The inclined extension plate 643 is the part that receives the load from the game board 13 when the game board 13 is pushed in, and is formed at an inclination angle that makes face contact with the back surface of the game board 13 in the released state (see Figure 129 (a)).

Figures 134(a), 134(b), 135(a) and 135(b) are side views of the board support device 600. Note that Figures 134(a), 134(b), 135(a) and 135(b) chronologically illustrate the process by which the board support device 600 changes from a released state to a fixed state. Also, Figures 134(a), 134(b), 135(a) and 135(b) illustrate the arrangement of the multi-function cover member 171 arranged in close proximity to the board support device 600 and the game board 13 fixed to the board support device 600 with imaginary lines.

That is, FIG. 134(a) illustrates the release state of the board support device 600, and FIG. 135(b) illustrates the fixed state of the board support device 600. In the fixed state shown in FIG. 135(b), the third shaft member P63 is positioned directly behind the first shaft member P61 (horizontally rearward). This makes it possible to prevent the post-rotation claw member 640 from rotating too much around the first shaft member P61 (the third shaft member P63 moving upwards beyond the first shaft member P61) simply by performing the simple task of pushing the post-rotation claw member 640 toward the rear side via the game board 13. Therefore, the post-rotation claw member 640 can be accurately moved to the position in the fixed state.

Here, as described above, the torsion spring NBa applies a biasing force to the restricting front claw member 630 in a direction approaching the hanging back plate portion 621d. Therefore, when no other external force is acting, the restricting front claw member 630 is positioned close to the hanging back plate portion 621d. On the other hand, the curved surface 634 of the restricting front claw member 630 comes into contact with the restricting rod 615, thereby restricting the change in posture of the restricting front claw member 630.

That is, as shown in Figures 134(a), 134(b), 135(a) and 135(b), as the board surface support device 600 changes from the released state to the fixed state, the front side of the rotating front claw member 620 where the extension portion 621a2 is disposed tilts, while the front side of the restricting front claw member 630 rises up in a manner that moves away from the hanging back plate portion 621d.

In more detail, while the regulating rod 615 is in contact with the resistance portion 634a, which is the front portion of the curved surface 634 and intersects with a circle centered on the second shaft member P62 (between Figure 134(a) and Figure 135(a)), the front end of the regulating front claw member 630 rises in response to the tilting movement of the rotating front claw member 620. In other words, the regulating front claw member 630 moves in the opposite direction to the movement direction of the rotating front claw member 620.

On the other hand, when the non-resistance portion 634b, which is connected to the back side of the resistance portion 634a and has an arc shape along a circle centered on the second shaft member P62, is positioned opposite the regulation rod 615 and the regulation rod 615 and the curved surface 634 no longer abut in the circular direction centered on the second shaft member P62, the rising action of the regulation front claw member 630 is released and the tip of the regulation front claw member 630 on the inclined extension plate 633 side is positioned close to the hanging back plate portion 621d (see Figures 135(a) to 135(b)).

In the angle range in which the restricting front claw member 630 performs a rising motion (the range between FIG. 134(a) and FIG. 135(a)), even if a downward load is applied to the restricting front claw member 630 in a direction that tilts the front end of the restricting front claw member 630, the change in posture of the restricting front claw member 630 when it operates due to the downward load is a change in posture in the direction opposite to the downward load (a change in posture in the rising direction), so the reaction force against the downward load becomes excessive and the change in posture of the restricting front claw member 630 in response to the downward load is restricted.

In addition, the game board 13 comes into contact with the rear surface of the rear extension plate 621c, so that unless the game board 13 is pushed inward, the rotation of the front rotation claw member 620 is restricted by the game board 13.

This makes it possible to prevent the rotation front claw member 620 from rotating due to a downward load being applied to the regulating front claw member 630. Therefore, for example, when a load is applied to the regulating front claw member 630 from the front frame 14, it is possible to prevent the rotation front claw member 620 from tilting. Note that in this embodiment, the shape of the front connecting plate 631b and the length and inclination angle of the inclined extension plate 633 are set so that the multi-function cover member 171 arranged on the front frame 14 is in a positional relationship in which it abuts against the inclined extension plate 633 of the regulating front claw member 630 when the board surface support device 600 is in the released state.

In addition, in the state shown in FIG. 134(b), the game board 13 abuts against the back surface of the rear extension plate 621c, and as the game board 13 moves (tilts) toward the front, friction is generated between the rear extension plate 621c and the game board 13. This makes it possible to prevent the game board 13 from moving (tilting) toward the front in the state shown in FIG. 134(b). Therefore, when the lower board support device 600 (see FIGS. 136 to 139), which will be described later, applies a load to the game board 13, it is possible to prevent the upper end portion of the game board 13 from moving (tilting) toward the front in reaction.

Here, in the case where the front frame 14 (see FIG. 89) is closed while the board surface support device 600 is in the released state, and the front frame 14 is configured to rotate the rotating front claw member 620 due to the load from the front frame 14, depending on the manner in which the multi-function cover member 171 arranged on the front frame 14 abuts against the regulating front claw member 630, the board surface support device 600 may either reach a fixed state or not reach a fixed state and become stable at an intermediate angle.

If the board support device 600 were to be stabilized at an incomplete angle and the front frame 14 (see Figure 89) were to be closed in that state, the distance between the back of the glass unit 16 (see Figure 86) and the front of the game board 13 would become too short, which could cause problems during play.

In contrast, in this embodiment, a configuration is adopted that prevents the rotation of the front rotating claw member 620 due to the load from the front frame 14 (see FIG. 89), and prevents the front frame 14 from closing when the multi-function cover member 171 arranged on the front frame 14 comes into contact with the restricting front claw member 630. This makes it possible to make the store clerk who is working to close the front frame 14 aware that the board surface support device 600 is not in a fixed state.

When the store attendant notices this, he or she can push the game board 13 in until the board support device 600 is fixed in place, stabilizing the distance between the rear of the glass unit 16 and the front of the game board 13 when the front frame 14 (see Figure 89) is closed.

In addition, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 135(a), just before the front rotation claw member 620 is fixed, depending on the manner in which the multi-function cover member 171 arranged on the front frame 14 abuts against the front regulating claw member 630, it is unlikely that the board surface support device 600 will reach the fixed state or that the board surface support device 600 will not reach the fixed state and will be stable at an intermediate angle (the board surface support device 600 will almost always reach the fixed state).

Therefore, in this embodiment, when the front frame 14 is in the closed position, the multi-function cover member 171 is extended to a position where it can come into contact with the restricting front claw member 630, and in the state shown in FIG. 135(a), the restricting front claw member 630 is configured so that its position is not restricted by the restricting rod 615.

In addition, in the state shown in FIG. 135(a), the back surface of the rear extension plate 621c is no longer in contact with the game board 13, and the game board 13 does not restrict the rotation of the front rotation claw member 620.

In other words, when a downward load is applied to the restricting front claw member 630 just before the rotating front claw member 620 is locked in place, the front end of the rotating front claw member 620 is allowed to tilt.

This prevents the front frame 14 from closing even when the game board 13 is positioned just before the board support device 600 is fixed (for example, when the store clerk does not push the game board 13 with enough force and it is 90% stable). In this case, if a load is applied to the board support device 600 from the multi-function cover member 171 arranged on the front frame 14, the load can change the board support device 600 to the fixed state.

Therefore, the workability of fixing the game board 13 to the board support device 600 can be improved. In this embodiment, the game board 13 is placed on the board support device 600 in the released state so that the back surface of the game board 13 abuts against the inclined extension plate 643 of the board support device 600 (see FIG. 134(a)), and the game board 13 can be fixed by pushing the game board 13 to the back side. That is, the game board 13 displaces the rear rotation claw member 640, which in turn rotates the front rotation claw member 620, changing the board support device 600 to the fixed state. According to this method, no downward load is applied to the front end of the front restriction claw member 630, so that the board support device 600 can be changed from the released state to the fixed state with little resistance.

135(a), the front of the game board 13 and the surface of the hanging back plate portion 621d of the board support device 600 facing the game board 13 come into contact in the front-rear direction. When the game board 13 moves (tilts) toward the front side in this state, it moves (tilts) while pushing aside the hanging back plate portion 621d, so the biasing force of the torsion spring NBb applied to the front-rotation claw member 620 via the rear-rotation claw member 640 is applied as resistance against the movement (tilt) of the game board 13 toward the front side. This makes it possible to reduce the possibility that the game board 13 moves (tilts) toward the front side in the state shown in FIG. 135(a). Therefore, when the lower board support device 600 (see FIGS. 136 to 139) described later applies a load to the game board 13, the upper end portion of the game board 13 can be prevented from moving (tilting) toward the front side due to the reaction force.

Between the state shown in FIG. 135(a) and the state shown in FIG. 135(b), the pre-regulation claw member 630 tilts due to the biasing force of the torsion spring NBa, and the non-resistance portion 634b is positioned opposite the regulation rod 615 (see FIG. 135(b)). In this state, when the game board 13 moves (tilts) toward the front and the game board 13 presses the dangling back plate portion 621d to rotate the pre-rotation claw member 620, the non-resistance portion 634b abuts against the regulation rod 615 in a direction along an arc centered on the first shaft member P61, and the resistance to the movement (tilt) of the game board 13 toward the front increases accordingly.

This reduces the possibility that the game board 13 will move (tip) forward between the state shown in FIG. 135(a) and the state shown in FIG. 135(b). Therefore, when the lower board support device 600 (see FIG. 136 to FIG. 139), which will be described later, applies a load to the game board 13, it is possible to prevent the upper end portion of the game board 13 from moving (tipping) forward in reaction.

The non-resisting portion 634b of the curved surface 634 is formed such that the radius of the curved surface, centered on the second shaft member P62, gradually increases from the portion that contacts the regulating rod 615 in the state shown in FIG. 135(a) to the portion that contacts the regulating rod 615 in the state shown in FIG. 135(b).

As a result, when the inclined extension plate 633 is pushed toward the rear side by the multi-function cover member 171 from the state shown in FIG. 135(a), and the second shaft member P62 is displaced by the rotation of the front-rotation claw member 620, the non-resistance portion 634b and the regulating rod 615 momentarily separate from each other. Therefore, the resistance applied to the front-regulation claw member 630 by the regulating rod 615 is reduced momentarily, and the front-regulation claw member 630 approaches the hanging rear plate portion 621d vigorously due to the biasing force of the torsion spring NBa, changing the state to the state shown in FIG. 135(b).

Therefore, as in this embodiment, even if the multi-function cover member 171 is in a dimensional relationship spaced apart from the restricting front claw member 630 and the inclined extension plate 633 in the fixed state of the board surface support device 600 shown in FIG. 135(b), the front frame 14 can be placed in the closed position immediately before the fixed state of the board surface support device 600 shown in FIG. 135(a), causing the multi-function cover member 171 to abut against the restricting front claw member 630 and the inclined extension plate 633, and then the board surface support device 600 can be placed in a fixed state.

In this embodiment, when the game board 13 is not fixed to the board support device 600, the front frame 14 can be placed in the closed position regardless of the state of the board support device 600. That is, when the rear side of the rear extension plate 621c is not in contact with the game board 13 and the rotation of the rotation front claw member 620 is not restricted by the game board 13, the board support device 600 can operate while avoiding interference with the multi-function cover member 171 (for example, the state can be changed from the state shown in FIG. 134(a) to the state shown in FIG. 135(a)). Therefore, even when the game board 13 is not placed (for example, when it is desired to temporarily close the front frame 14 when replacing the board), it is possible to avoid restricting the closing of the front frame 14, thereby improving the work efficiency of the worker.

When the board surface support device 600 is changed from a fixed state to a released state, the inclined extension plate 633 is pulled upward toward the front, and the restricting claw member 630 is rotated against the biasing force of the torsion spring NBa. At this time, the load received from the restricting rod 615 is small (the curved surface 634 and the restricting rod 615 are not in contact in the direction of rotation), so the restricting claw member 630 can be rotated with a light force, and by continuing to rotate in this state, the board surface support device 600 can be put into the released state.

When the board support device 600 is released while the game board 13 is fixed, the game board 13 is pushed forward by the displaced post-rotation claw member 640 (see FIG. 134(a)). Therefore, the workability of removing the game board 13 can be improved compared to when the front-to-rear position of the game board 13 does not change when the board support device 600 is released.

Also, as shown in Figures 129(a) and 134(a), in the released state, the upper end surface of the game board 13 abuts against the lower surface of the rear extension plate 621c of the board support device 600. This eliminates the risk of the game board 13 tipping over to the front side when both the upper and lower board support devices 600 are in the released state.

The upper and lower board support devices 600 can be operated to switch between the released state and the fixed state one by one. Here, in a configuration in which the game board 13 moves back and forth as the state of the board support devices 600 changes, as in this embodiment, if the board support devices 600 are operated one by one, the front and rear positions of the game board 13 may differ between the top and bottom, and the load applied to the game board 13 may become excessive.

In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, the operation of the pre-regulation claw member 630, which is operated when the board support device 600 is released, does not match the operation of the pre-rotation claw member 620 and the post-rotation claw member 640. In other words, as shown in Figures 135(a) and 135(b), the amount of displacement of the pre-regulation claw member 630 is smaller than the amount of displacement of the pre-rotation claw member 620 and the post-rotation claw member 640 that support the game board 13.

Therefore, when the restricting front claw member 630 is displaced to such an extent that it does not return to the fixed state (to such an extent that its return is restricted by the restricting rod 615), the amount of displacement of the rotating front claw member 620 and the rotating rear claw member 640 can be suppressed, so that the deviation of the front-to-rear position of the game board 13 at the points supported by the upper and lower board support devices 600 can be suppressed. Therefore, the load applied to the game board 13 can be suppressed.

The same effect is also achieved because the rear-rotation claw member 640 is rotatably supported by the front-rotation claw member 620. That is, during the transition from the fixed state (see FIG. 135(b)) to the released state (see FIG. 134(a)), the rear-rotation claw member 640 is displaceable in a direction that widens the angle between the front-rotation claw member 620 and the rear-rotation claw member 640 against the biasing force of the torsion spring NBb.

As a result, the amount of displacement of the game board 13 pushed out by the post-rotation claw members 640 can be reduced compared to the amount of displacement of the pre-rotation claw members 620, so that the deviation in the front-to-back position of the game board 13 at the points supported by the upper and lower board support devices 600 can be reduced. This reduces the load applied to the game board 13.

Next, the relationship between the board support device 600 arranged on the lower side and the front frame 14 will be described with reference to Figures 136 to 139. Figures 136 to 139 are partial cross-sectional views of the pachinko machine 8010 taken along line CXXXVI-CXXXVI in Figure 86. Note that Figures 136 to 139 show the front frame 14 in a simplified form and in a closed state.

In addition, Figure 136 shows the release state of the board support device 600, Figure 137 shows the fixed state of the board support device 600, Figure 138 shows the state in which the board support device 600 has rotated a predetermined angle (approximately 25°) from the release state to the fixed state, and Figure 139 shows the state just before the board support device 600 is fixed, with the thickness portion of the game board 13 supported by the board support device 600 being shown by imaginary lines.

Figures 136 to 139 explain the relationship between the panel surface support device 600 and the opening/closing restricting part 159 fixed to the front frame 14. For ease of understanding, the opening/closing restricting part 159 shown in cross section in Figures 136 and 137 is shown by imaginary lines in Figures 138 and 139.

As shown in FIG. 136, when the board support device 600 is in the released state, if the front frame 14 is placed in the closed position (see FIG. 136), interference between the opening/closing restricting unit 159 and the board support device 600 is avoided, but interference occurs between the game board 13 and the operating unit back member 155 above the opening/closing restricting unit 159. Therefore, when the board support device 600 is in the released state, the front frame 14 is allowed to be closed when the game board 13 is removed, but closing the front frame 14 is restricted when the game board 13 is placed.

As shown in FIG. 137, when the board support device 600 is in a fixed state, if the front frame 14 is placed in the closed position (see FIG. 137), interference between the opening/closing restrictor 159 and the board support device 600 is avoided. In addition, by placing the game board 13 on the rear side compared to the position when the board support device 600 is in the released state, interference between the game board 13 and the operating unit rear member 155 above the opening/closing restrictor 159 is avoided. Therefore, when the board support device 600 is in a fixed state, the front frame 14 is allowed to be closed regardless of whether the game board 13 is present or not.

As shown in FIG. 138, when the front frame 14 is placed in the closed position (see FIG. 138) when the pre-rotation claw member 620 of the board surface support device 600 is rotated a predetermined angle from the released state toward the fixed state, the opening/closing restricting portion 159 interferes with the inclined extension plate 633 of the board surface support device 600.

In addition, even if an attempt is made in this state to rotate the front-rotation claw member 620 by applying a load toward the rear side to the inclined extension plate 633, the action of the restricting rod 615 causes the rotational direction of the front-rotation claw member 620 (clockwise direction in FIG. 138) and the rotational direction of the restricting front-claw member 630 (counterclockwise direction in FIG. 138) to be opposite, resulting in an excessive reaction force, and as described above, it is difficult to do so with a normal load (see FIG. 134(b)).

Therefore, in the state of the board support device 600 shown in FIG. 138, the front frame 14 is restricted from closing regardless of whether or not the game board 13 is present. In particular, when the game board 13 is placed, there is a risk that the front lower end of the game board 13 and the rear extension plate 621c will come into contact in the vertical direction (see FIG. 138), so the effect of restricting the closure of the front frame 14 becomes even stronger.

As shown in FIG. 139, when the front frame 14 is placed in the closed position (see FIG. 139) when the pre-rotation claw member 620 of the board surface support device 600 is in a state immediately before being fixed, the opening/closing restricting portion 159 interferes with the inclined extension plate 633 of the board surface support device 600.

In addition, in this state, when attempting to rotate the front rotation claw member 620 by applying a load toward the rear side to the inclined extension plate 633, the action of the regulating rod 615 ensures that the rotation direction of the front rotation claw member 620 (clockwise direction in FIG. 138) and the rotation direction of the regulating front claw member 630 (counterclockwise direction in FIG. 138) do not become opposite directions, and as described above, they can be easily pushed in with a normal load (see FIG. 135(a)).

Therefore, in the state of the board surface support device 600 shown in FIG. 139, by pushing in the front frame 14, the pre-regulation claw member 630 is pushed in via the opening/closing regulation portion 159, and the board surface support device 600 can be fixed, so that the front frame 14 can be allowed to be closed.

Figure 140 is an exploded front perspective view of the outer frame 11 and the inner frame 12, and Figure 141 is an exploded rear perspective view of the outer frame 11 and the inner frame 12. Note that Figures 140 and 141 show the ball launching unit 112a and the cover member that closes the rear of the back pack 92 disassembled from the inner frame 12.

The detailed structure of the ball launching unit 112a will be described with reference to Figures 142 to 148. Figure 142(a) is a front perspective view of the ball launching unit 112a, and Figure 142(b) is a rear perspective view of the ball launching unit 112a. Figures 143(a) and 143(b) are exploded front perspective views of the ball launching unit 112a. Note that Figure 143(a) illustrates the disassembled state after the cover member 721 has been opened, and Figure 143(b) illustrates the state after the ball receiving member 731 has been disassembled and inverted front to back. That is, in Figure 143(b), only the rear side of the ball receiving member 731 is illustrated.

As shown in Figures 142 and 143, the ball launching unit 112a mainly comprises a base member 710 formed from metal or die casting, and a ball sending device 720 having a cover member 721 supported by a shaft so as to be rotatable between a closed state (see Figure 142(a)) in which the front of the base member 710 is partially covered and an open state (see Figure 23(a)) in which the front of the base member 710 is open, centered on the right side of a resin base member 711 attached to the base member 710.

The base member 710 mainly comprises a base member 711 that is a member supporting the cover member 721 and is attached to the base member 710 by a hook or the like that elastically deforms, is disposed on the front side of the base member 710, and is made of a synthetic resin or the like, a launch solenoid 701 disposed on the front side, a launch rail 730 that guides the ball P8 shot by the launch solenoid 701 toward the play area, a fastening portion 716 that is cylindrically protruding toward the front side at the middle position of a bulging portion 716a that bulges in a straight line from the base member 710 toward the front side to regulate the position of the ball receiving member 731, and into which a screw is screwed to fasten and fix the ball receiving member 731, a number of mounting holes 718, and a number of positioning protrusions 719.

The base member 711 mainly comprises a pair of receiving portions 712 at the right corners through which the rod-shaped portions 722 are inserted, a locking portion 713 drilled on the opposite left-right side of the receiving portions 712 so that the hook portions 723 can be locked, a protruding portion 714 protruding from the front side adjacent to the right side of the locking portion 713, and a malfunction determination protruding portion 715 protruding from the front side and positioned opposite the suction force generating solenoid 741 when the cover member 721 is in the closed state (see FIG. 142(a)).

The protruding portion 714 is a portion that covers the upper surface side of the cutting metal member 725 when the cover member 721 is in the closed state (see FIG. 142(a)), and is mainly composed of an opposing flat surface 714a that is disposed opposite the left inner surface 724c of the sphere passage opening 724 when the cover member 721 is in the closed state and is formed as a plane parallel to the left inner surface 724c, and an inclined surface 714b that is on the opposite side of the opposing flat surface 714a and inclines to the right as it approaches the back side.

The malfunction determination protrusion 715 does not come into contact with the adhesive force generating solenoid 741 when the adhesive force generating solenoid 741 is fastened and fixed to the cover member 721, but it does come into contact with the adhesive force generating solenoid 741 when the adhesive force generating solenoid 741 is loosened (floating from the cover member 721), and is formed with a protruding height that restricts the rotation of the cover member 721.

This makes it possible to prevent the cover member 721 from being closed when the adhesive force generating solenoid 741 is loose, and by creating a case in which the cover member 721 cannot be closed, it is possible to make the store staff aware that the adhesive force generating solenoid 741 is loose. This makes it possible to carry out repairs (fastening the adhesive force generating solenoid 741 to the cover member 721 without loosening) before a malfunction occurs in the ball launching unit 112a.

The ball feeding device 720 mainly comprises a cover member 721 rotatably supported on a base member 711, and a switching device 740 that is controlled to change between a restricting state that restricts the flow of the ball P8 that has entered the inside of the cover member 721, and an allowing state that allows the ball P8 (see Figure 144) to flow down to the launch rail 730.

The cover member 721 is made of a light-transmitting resin material and formed in a cup shape with an open back side (the side facing the page in the position of FIG. 143(a)). It mainly comprises a pair of rod-shaped parts 722 that are loosely fitted into the receiving part 712 of the base member 711, hook parts 723 that are formed in a hook shape on the left and right opposite sides of the rod-shaped parts 722, a ball passing opening 724 that is drilled in the front-rear direction at a position displaced toward the rod-shaped parts 722 from the hook parts 723 and is large enough to allow the ball P8 (see FIG. 144) to pass through, a cutting metal member 725 that is disposed in a positional relationship that protrudes slightly upward from the lower edge at the inner end of the ball passing opening 724, and an axle rod part 726 that supports the ball guide arm member 742 of the switching device 740.

The switching device 740 mainly comprises an adhesive force generating solenoid 741 fastened to the cover member 721, a ball guide arm member 742 which is a synthetic resin member with one end loosely fitted into the shaft rod portion 726 and rotates and changes its position depending on whether the adhesive force generating solenoid 741 generates magnetic force, a metal plate 743 which is a sheet metal member that is attached to the upper surface of the ball guide arm member 742 and is attached to the adhesive force generating solenoid 741, a guide inclined portion 744 which is part of the ball guide arm member 742 and is disposed below the ball passage opening 724 and inclines downward the further it is from the ball passage opening 724, and a restricting protrusion portion 745 which extends upward from the base of the guide inclined portion 744 by a distance sufficient to accommodate the ball P8, and whose extended end protrudes toward the ball passage opening 724 along a plane perpendicular to the shaft rod portion 726.

The ball passage opening 724 is an opening that forms a passageway that can guide the ball P8 (see FIG. 144), and mainly comprises a flow-down plate portion 724a that slopes downward in the direction away from the hook portion 723 along the rotation radial direction, a rib-like rib portion 724b that is disposed above and opposite the flow-down plate portion 724a and extends downward from the upper surface of the ball passage opening 724, with the extended tip surface sloping downward as it approaches the rear surface side, and a left inner surface 724c that is connected to the left end portion of the flow-down plate portion 724a and has a surface that is formed in the up-down direction. With this configuration, the ball P8 that flows into the ball passage opening 724 flows down toward the rear surface and to the right.

When the cover member 721 is in the closed state (see FIG. 142(a)), and a ball P8 (see FIG. 144) enters the ball passage opening 724, the ball P8 comes into contact with the inclined surface 714b and flows down toward the back side while shifting to the right along the inclination of the inclined surface 714b. Therefore, since the ball P8 flows down in a manner that moves away from the cutting metal member 725 in the left-right direction, it is possible to prevent the ball P8 from colliding with the cutting metal member 725 even while the cutting metal member 725 is positioned in a manner that protrudes inside the ball passage opening 724.

The launch rail 730 is a rail member that extends from the middle position of the base member 710 so as to slope upward toward the left side. Near the bottom end of the rail member, a ball receiving member 731 is disposed at a distance shorter than the diameter of the ball P8 (see FIG. 144).

The ball receiving member 731 is a long plate member that is restricted to a position parallel to the extension direction of the launch rail 730 and the direction of its long length and is fastened and fixed to the base member 710. It is provided with a through hole 731a formed as a long hole along the long length direction and for passing a fastening screw, and a restricting groove 731b formed in a straight line (a straight line passing through the through hole 731a and facing the long hole direction of the through hole 731a) like the bulging portion 716a, with a width slightly larger than the width of the bulging portion 716a and a groove depth slightly larger than the bulging height of the bulging portion 716a.

When fastening the ball receiving member 731 to the base member 710, the ball receiving member 731 can be slid along the straight line along which the bulging portion 716a bulges when selecting which position of the through hole 731a to fasten with the fastening portion 716, thereby adjusting the waiting position (the distance from the plunger 702) of the ball P8 (see FIG. 144). Therefore, by adjusting the position of the ball receiving member 731, the firing strength of the ball P81 (the firing strength when the operating handle 51 (see FIG. 86) is rotated the same amount) can be easily adjusted. In addition, since the restricting groove 731b of the ball receiving member 731 is guided by the bulging portion 716a, the posture of the ball receiving member 731 can be kept unchanged.

The launch rail 730 is formed into a roughly M-shaped cross section by bending a metal plate, and has a rolling plate portion 730a formed into a roughly V-shaped cross section and extending diagonally upward to the left, and mounting plate portions 730b, 730c hanging down from the front and rear sides of the rolling plate portion 730a, and is attached to the base member 710 with screws inserted into multiple mounting holes 732 (two in this embodiment) formed in the mounting plate portions 730b, 730c.

In addition, a rail guard 733 made of synthetic resin material is provided in the longitudinal direction between the mounting plate portions 730b and 730c, suppressing noise and vibrations caused by contact between the metal rail and the metal game ball.

The rolling plate portion 730a has a rolling surface with a generally V-shaped cross section and is configured to contact the circumferential surface of the ball P8 (see FIG. 146(b)) at two points, one at the front and one at the rear, to guide the ball P8 upward.

Figures 144(a) to 144(c) are front views of the ball launching unit 112a, showing the ball delivery status by the ball delivery device 720 in chronological order. Note that in Figures 144(a) to 144(c), the cover member 721 is omitted from the illustration in order to make it easier to understand.

As shown in FIG. 144(a), when the switching device 740 is in the regulating state (power supply to the suction force generating solenoid 741 is stopped and the ball guide arm member 742 is lowered by gravity), the ball feeding device 720 has a regulating protrusion 745 positioned at a position corresponding to the rear open end of the ball passage opening 724, which abuts against the game ball P8 that has entered the ball passage opening 724 and restricts it from flowing down from the rear open end.

Next, as shown in FIG. 144(b), when the switching device 740 is changed to the permissive state (power is supplied to the suction force generating solenoid 741 and the ball guide arm member 742 is raised), the restricting protrusion 745 retracts above the ball, and the restriction on the flow of ball P8 is released, allowing ball P8 to flow above the guide inclined portion 744. In this state, ball P8 abuts against the front side wall of the base member 711, restricting it from flowing further down, and it remains on the upper surface of the guide inclined portion 744.

Next, as shown in FIG. 144(c), the ball guide arm member 742 returns to the restricted state, and the ball P8 on the guide inclined portion 744 is lowered to a position where it does not come into contact with the front side wall of the base member 711. As a result, the ball P8 is guided to the rear side according to the inclination of the guide inclined portion 744, and is guided to the launch rail 730.

The state of the ball guide arm member 742 in FIG. 144(c) is the same as that shown in FIG. 144(a), so even in the state shown in FIG. 144(c), the flow of balls that have entered the ball passage opening 724 is restricted. Therefore, balls can be supplied one by one to the launch rail 730. The ball P8 that enters the ball passage opening 724 is supplied from an opening formed at the downstream end of the upper tray 17 (see FIG. 86), and is a ball that has been stored in the upper tray 17.

Figure 145 is a front perspective view of the cutting metal member 725. The cutting metal member 725 is a metal plate member that is fastened to the cover member 721, and mainly comprises a through hole 725a through which a screw that is screwed into the cover member 721 can be inserted, a lower blade portion 725b having an upper edge that is roughly aligned with the upper surface of the flow-down plate portion 724a, and an upper blade portion 725c that forms an acute-angled notch at the tip between the lower blade portion 725b and the upper blade portion 725c that extends from the same plate as the plate on the base end side of the lower blade portion 725b.

The upper blade 725c is formed so that its tip is inclined toward the rear surface side more than the lower blade 725b, and its lower edge projects upward from the flow-down plate 724a. The lower edge of the upper blade 725c is inclined downward toward the base end (left side), and the upper edge of the lower blade 725b is inclined upward toward the base end (left side). In other words, the upper blade 725c and the lower blade 725b form a tapered shape when viewed from the front.

The notch between the upper blade 725c and the lower blade 725b is for cutting a thread material such as a fishing line that is fixed to a ball. Next, with reference to Figures 146 and 147, we will explain how thread Y8 is treated when thread Y8 is fixed to ball P8 and enters the ball.

Figure 146(a) is a front view of the ball launching unit 112a, Figure 146(b) is a partial top view of the ball launching unit 112a as viewed in the direction of the arrow CXLVIb in Figure 146(a), Figure 147(a) is a front view of the ball launching unit 112a, Figure 147(b) is a front perspective view of the cutting metal member 725 showing the relationship between the thread Y8 and the cutting metal member 725 in the state of Figure 147(a), and Figure 148 is a partial front view of the ball launching unit 112a, the inner rail 61, and the outer rail 62 after the launch of the ball P8. Note that in Figures 146 and 147, some of the components of the ball launching unit 112a are omitted from the illustration in order to make it easier to understand.

As shown in Figures 146(a) and 146(b), the ball P8 guided to the launch rail 730 remains in contact with the lower left edge of the ball receiving member 731 (see Figure 146(a)). From this state, current is passed through the launch solenoid 701, causing the plunger 702 to jut out with force, imparting a launch force to the ball P8, and the ball P8 is launched along the launch rail 730 (see Figure 147(a)).

Here, a known fraudulent practice is to launch a ball P8 with one end of a string Y8 fixed to the ball P8, and then, once the ball P8 has entered the play area, move the other end of the string Y8 that has been left in hand, pulling and loosening the string Y8, causing the ball P8 to be repeatedly detected in the winning hole.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the thread Y8 fixed to the ball P8 is configured to be cut by utilizing the momentum of the ball P8 when it is launched. In more detail, when the ball P8 is placed in the launch standby position (see FIG. 146(a)), the thread Y8 rests on the upper surface of the flow-down plate portion 724a in a position that is shifted to the right as it approaches the back side (see FIG. 146(b)).

When the ball P8 is shot out in this state, the thread Y8 passes under the flow-down plate portion 724a and is pulled by the ball P8 rolling on the launch rail 730. The middle part of the thread Y8 moves along the upper surface of the flow-down plate portion 724a, so that the thread Y8 enters the underside of the upper blade portion 725c that protrudes above the flow-down plate portion 724a, and enters the notch formed by the lower blade portion 725b and the upper blade portion 725c.

The player holds the front end (other end) of the thread Y8, and the load caused by the release of the ball P8 is applied to one end of the thread Y8 that is attached to the ball P8, so that a large tensile force is applied to the thread Y8. This causes the thread Y8 to be pressed against the cut formed by the lower blade portion 725b and the upper blade portion 725c, and it is eventually cut (see Figure 148). This makes it possible to prevent fraudulent activity of repeatedly detecting the ball P8 in the winning slot.

If the launch strength of the ball P8 is weak, there is a risk that the string Y8 will not be pulled sufficiently and the string Y8 will not be cut. In that case, the ball P8 will not reach the play area, but will flow back between the inner rail 61 and the outer rail 62, pass through the foul ball receiving port 146, flow down the foul ball passage 145 (see Figure 98), and be discharged into the lower tray 50 (see Figure 86). Therefore, in this state, no matter how much load is applied to the string Y8, the ball P8 will not pass through the winning hole, so it is possible to prevent the occurrence of fraudulent behavior in which the ball P8 is repeatedly detected at the winning hole.

Next, the performance operation unit 1000 will be described with reference to Figures 149 to 179. Figure 149 is a front view of the game board 13, Figures 150 and 151 are exploded front oblique views of the performance operation unit 1000, and Figure 152 is an exploded rear oblique view of the performance operation unit 1000. The game board 13 shown in Figure 149 differs from the game board 13 shown in Figure 2 mainly in that the petal operation device 800 is visible from the upper frame portion of the center frame 86, and the other configurations are substantially the same.

A performance action unit 1000 shown in Figures 150 to 152 is disposed on the upper frame portion of the center frame 86. The performance action unit 1000 is configured with a petal action device 800, a side base material 1000S, a substrate cover 1000C, a back plate 1100, and an advance/retreat action unit 900 disposed on the back plate 1100, etc.

The forward/backward movement unit 900 is composed of a number of movable parts that are involved in raising and lowering the petal movement device 800 up and down (forward/backward movement, i.e., movement including at least one of an advancement movement toward the inside of the display area of the third pattern display device 81 and an escape movement toward the outside of the display area of the third pattern display device 81) by the driving force of the drive motor 921, and is composed of a drive side arm member 910 to which the petal movement device 800 is connected at one end and which is journaled at the back panel 1100 at the other end and which rotates when the driving force of the drive motor 921 is transmitted via the arm gear 924; It mainly comprises a drive motor 921 that generates a driving force to drive the drive side arm member 910, a transmission means 920 consisting of multiple gears that transmits the driving force of the drive motor 921 to the drive side arm member 910, a thin slide plate 930 that slides left and right in conjunction with the rotational movement of the drive side arm member 910, a thin plate-shaped second performance member 940 that rotates in conjunction with the sliding movement of the slide plate 930, and a long plate-shaped driven side arm member 950 that connects the back plate 1100 and the petal operation device 800 on the left and right opposite sides of the drive side arm member 910.

Next, the structure of the petal movement device 800 will be described. Figure 153 is a front view of the petal movement device 800, and Figure 154 is a cross-sectional view of the petal movement device 800 taken along the line CLIV-CLIV in Figure 153. In Figure 154, the support substrate 801 is diagrammatically illustrated by imaginary lines.

The petal operating device 800 is constructed by supporting components such as petals 802 on a support base 801. As shown in FIG. 152, the support base 801 is disposed on the rear side of the petals 802, etc., and although its overall shape is hidden by other components and not shown in the figure, it is made of a resin material and comprises a roughly rectangular plate-shaped portion and a substrate disposed on the rear side of the plate-shaped portion.

A central motor 804 is fixed from the rear to a position toward the right of the upper end of the central main body of the support base 801, and the drive shaft of the central motor 804 protrudes forward through a small gap formed in the support base 801, and a first gear 804G (see Figure 156), which will be described later, is fixed to its tip.

An opening 801P is drilled in the central main body of the support base material 801 at a position slightly below and to the left of the central motor 804, and a pair of cylindrical screw insertion sections 801S are integrally formed to the right of the opening 801P, extending rearward, having an insertion hole inside, and having a screw insertion hole at the tip. Around the screw insertion section 801S, a donut-shaped recess 801D (see FIG. 152) is formed that is recessed from the front side to the back side in a donut shape so that a detection arc plate 880d of the loose fitting device 880 described later can pass through.

An oil damper 805 is fixed from the front side below the central motor 804 of the support base 801 (see Figure 152) to which the central motor 804 is fixed (see Figure 156).

A decorative member 807 is fixed to the front of the support base material 801 so as to cover the peripheral area from the front while leaving open the vertically long, roughly elliptical area in the center. The decorative member 807 is divided into a horizontally long upper part that constitutes the upper end area, and a roughly U-shaped lower part that constitutes the area below the upper part.

In this embodiment, the support base 801 is shaped to be somewhat elongated vertically overall, but because the petal operating device 800 is arranged to be movable vertically as described below, the operating space can be reduced by forming the support base 801 into a vertically elongated shape rather than a horizontally elongated shape.

At this time, the central motor 804 and the oil damper 805 are linked to the second gear 830G and the third gear 810G, which are arranged concentrically so as to overlap the position of the opening 801P, as described below. Therefore, they can be arranged in any position on the outer periphery of the second gear 830G and the third gear 810G, respectively, so long as they do not interfere with each other, but in this embodiment, they are arranged to the right of the second gear 830G and the third gear 810G, respectively (see Figure 156).

As a result, as shown in FIG. 154, by concentrating the weight on the right half of the petal operating device 800, which is supported in a slightly tilted position toward the front, it is possible to prevent the opposite left half from sagging downward. This makes it possible to prevent the gap between the support base 801 and the driving side arm member 910 (see FIG. 152) connected to the left half of the support base 801 from widening, and allows the driving force to be properly transmitted to the support base 801 via the driving side arm member 910.

Figure 155 is an exploded front perspective view of the petal operation device 800, and Figure 156 is an exploded rear perspective view of the petal operation device 800. Note that in Figures 155 and 156, the support substrate 801 is omitted from the illustration in order to make it easier to understand.

As shown in Figures 155 and 156, the petals 802 are formed as resin members molded to resemble one of the five separate petals that make up a hibiscus flower in bloom, and are provided with a plate-like flat member 803 on the back side.

Figure 157(a) is an exploded front perspective view of the petal 802, the flat plate member 803, and the slide member 820, and Figure 157(b) is an exploded rear perspective view of the petal 802, the flat plate member 803, and the slide member 820.

Each of the petals 802 has a front shape that is roughly an arc extending radially when arranged, and curves gently forward from the center to the outer periphery (see Figure 154).

The surface of the petals 802 is irregularly uneven, including numerous wrinkles, and the rim also has an irregular uneven shape when viewed from the front. The five petals 802 are not strictly identical to each other, and although there are slight differences in the unevenness, they are generally formed into similar shapes. Most of the petals 802 have a specific color (red) but are nearly transparent, and the outer rim is colored so that the specific color (red) is darker, without forming any particular boundary between it and the inner region.

Each petal 802 is integrally formed with a screw-in portion 802S that extends cylindrically rearward and has a screw hole inside at two locations: near the outer periphery on the rear side of the petal 802 and at the center in the radial direction.

The petals 802 are arranged closer to the front than the rear portion 802a, which is arranged on the rounded tip side (counterclockwise when viewed from the front, right side of the paper in FIG. 157(a)) from the position where it is fastened to the flat plate member 803. In other words, the front portion 802b is arranged closer to the rear cover 886 of the loose fitting device 880 than the rear portion 802a.

The front part 802b of each petal 802 is placed in front of the rear part 802a of the adjacent petal 802, and the rear part 802a is placed in back of the front part 802b of the other adjacent petal 802, so that the five petals 802 are arranged so that their inner tips converge toward the same center.

The petals 802 are shaped so that the rear portions 802a and the front portions 802b are misaligned from each other in the front to back direction, so that the rear portions 802a and the front portions 802b can be positioned so that they overlap in the front to back direction in the assembled position (see Figures 174 and 175). This makes it possible to clearly distinguish the difference in shape (difference in size) of the entire petal 802 between the assembled position and the fully opened position (see Figures 178 and 179).

When arranged, the five petals 802 as a whole have a disk-shaped (donut-shaped) rear side with a circular opening S1 in the center (see Figure 155).

As shown in Figures 155, 156, and 157, the flat plate members 803 are long, plate-shaped resin members that are separate from each other and are fixed to each of the five petals 802.

Each of the flat plate members 803 has a front shape that extends from the center to the outer periphery in a roughly rectangular shape when arranged, and the outer periphery extends forward.

In addition, near the opening S1 (near the inner circumference) on the rear side of the flat plate member 803 in the arranged state, a pair of screw-in portions 803S that extend cylindrically rearward and have screw holes therein are integrally formed at positions spaced apart in the circumferential direction (the short side direction of the flat plate member 803).

The screw-in portions 803S are formed on both side walls in the circumferential direction (short direction) of each flat plate member 803 in an arrangement that is approximately flush with the wall. Furthermore, in the portion along both side walls of this flat plate member 803, a slide rib 803a that is perpendicular to the line connecting the pair of screw-in portions 803S and extends rearward beyond the rear side surface of the flat plate member 803 in a rectangular shape is formed integrally with the peripheral wall of the screw-in portion 803S so as to extend to both sides along a surface direction circumscribing the peripheral surface of the screw-in portion 803S.

As shown in FIG. 157(b), the rear side of each flat plate member 803 is integrally formed with a screw insertion portion 803H having an internal screw insertion hole at two locations corresponding to the screw insertion portion 802S of the petal 802, and an insertion hole on the front side for positioning the screw insertion portion 802S of the petal 802.

The screw-insertion portion 803H of each flat plate member 803 is abutted from the front against the screw-insertion portion 802S of the corresponding petal 802, and a screw is screwed in from the rear, thereby fixing each flat plate member 803 to the corresponding petal 802.

Figure 158 is a front view of the slit member 810, and Figure 159 is a front perspective view of the slit member 810. In the explanation of Figures 158 and 159, Figures 155 and 156 will be referred to as appropriate. As shown in Figures 155 and 156, the slit member 810 is disposed on the rear side of the flat plate member 803.

As shown in FIG. 158, the slit member 810 is a resin plate-like member having a front shape in which five similarly shaped parts are connected in a circular ring shape, with a circular opening 811 drilled in the center, and as shown in FIG. 159, a roughly cylindrical front peripheral wall portion 812 and a rear peripheral wall portion 813 (see FIG. 156) extend in both the front and rear directions from the periphery of the circular opening 811.

Returning to FIG. 156, the explanation will be given. The rear peripheral wall portion 813 is integrally formed with a cylindrically extending threaded portion 813S having a screw hole inside at two adjacent locations among five locations equally spaced circumferentially, and at one of the three remaining locations other than the two adjacent locations. Furthermore, a positioning boss 813a extends from the tip edge of the location among the above-mentioned five locations where the threaded portion 813S is not formed. The rear peripheral wall portion 813 is configured to bulge outward at five locations corresponding to the threaded portion 813S and the positioning boss 813a. One purpose of this bulging portion is to suppress sliding friction, but details will be given later.

As shown in FIG. 158, the slit member 810 has a central slit 814 and both side slits 815. The central slit 814 is formed to extend linearly from a position slightly outside the circular opening 811 further outward. However, the central slit 814 extends along a direction D12 inclined at an angle θ11 (approximately 15° in this pachinko machine 8010) counterclockwise when viewed from the front, relative to the direction from the center of the circular opening 811 toward the outside, i.e., the radial direction D11 of the circular opening 811.

The side slits 815 are formed to extend parallel to both sides of the central slit 814 with a small gap between them.

In this way, a set of three slits, consisting of a central slit 814 and two side slits 815 on either side of it, is formed at five locations in the circumferential direction at equal intervals (72° apart). Note that each end of the central slit 814 and the two side slits 815 may be formed in a round shape (semicircular) when viewed from the front, or in a rectangular shape.

In this embodiment, one end of the outer edge of the two side slits 815 located on the outermost side of the set of three slits, i.e., the two small diameter corners of the four corners of the three slits, are shaped to extend slightly in a roughly rectangular shape (with a rectangular slit) in the extension direction of the two side slits 815. This rectangular extension (slit) is intended to fit the slide rib 803a of the flat plate member 803.

The slit member 810 is connected to the side end of the flat plate in which the central slit 814 and both side slits 815 are formed, and is formed with an outer diameter smaller than the outer peripheral ends of the central slit 814 and both side slits 815, and is provided with an arc plate 816 whose outer diameter is formed in an arc shape whose center coincides with the center of the circular opening 811.

As a result, the arc plate 816 increases the rigidity of the flat plate in which the central slit 814 and the two side slits 815 are formed. Therefore, it is possible to suppress deformation of the flat plate in which the central slit 814 and the two side slits 815 are formed in the circumferential direction or the axial direction.

As described above, as shown in FIG. 158, each set of the central slit 814 and the side slits 815 extends along a direction D12 that is inclined with respect to the radial direction D11 of the circular opening 811. As a result, the five sets of central slits 814 and side slits 815 are arranged closer together toward the inside, which also makes the external shape of the slit member 810 more compact.

In other words, the five sets of central slits 814 and both side slits 815 can be laid out more densely when they are arranged to extend along the inclined direction D12 as described above than when the five sets of central slits 814 and both side slits 815 are arranged to extend radially along the radial direction D11 of the circular opening 811 without being inclined relative to this radial direction D11, and the outer circumferential shape of the slit member 810 can be made smaller accordingly.

As shown in Fig. 155 and Fig. 156, the slide member 820 is arranged in the central slit 814 and both side slits 815 from the rear side of the slit member 810. As shown in Fig. 157, the slide member 820 is a resin member having a long plate-like front shape, and includes an extension portion having a small thickness at both ends of the slide member 820 and a semicircular tip when viewed from the front, a central portion between the extension portions that is thicker than the performance portion, a screw insertion hole 821 drilled in the extension portion, a guide pin 822 that is protruding from the center of the slide member 820 to the front side and is inserted into the central slit 814 in the assembled state, and a slide pin 823 that is fixed so as to penetrate from the center of the slide member 820 to the back side.

As shown in Figures 155 and 156, the slide member 820 is positioned so that it spans the central slit 814 and both side slits 815 in the slit member 820, with the extension direction of the three slits, the central slit 814 and both side slits 815, intersecting at right angles with the longitudinal direction.

Meanwhile, the screw-in portion 803S of the flat plate member 803 is fitted from the front into the central slit 814 and both side slits 815 in the slit member 810. When fully fitted, the screw-in portion 803S of the flat plate member 803 protrudes very slightly rearward from the rear side surface of the slit member 810. In this state, washer head screws 824 are inserted from the rear into the screw insertion holes 821 on both sides of the slide member 820, and are screwed into the screw-in portion 803S of the flat plate member 803 and fixed.

As a result, the slide member 820 is fixed to the rear side of the flat plate member 803 with the slit member 810 interposed therebetween. At this time, the guide pin 822 of the slide member 820 is inserted into the central slit 814 in the slit member 810 with almost no gap, and the slide rib 803a of the flat plate member 803 is inserted along the corresponding outer edges of the side slits 815 in the slit member 810 with almost no gap.

As a result, the flat plate member 803 is held slidably in the central slit 814 and both side slits 815 of the slit member 810, and at this time, the flat plate member 803 is restricted by the slide rib 803a so that it slides in a fixed position facing outward without rotating around the guide pin 822.

Figure 160 is a front perspective view of the slide member 820 and the central motor 804, and Figures 161(a) and 161(b) are rear perspective views of the slide member 820 and the central motor 804. Note that the fourth gear 880G is omitted from Figure 161(a). Note that in the explanation of Figures 160 and 161, Figures 155 and 156 will be referred to as appropriate.

As described above, the slit member 810 to which the flat plate member 803 is slidably attached has a rotating plate 830 disposed from the rear side. As shown in Figures 160 and 161, the rotating plate 830 is a circular plate made of resin with a circular pivot opening 831 in the center.

As shown in FIG. 160, the rotating plate 830 has a peripheral wall extending forward from the periphery of the pivot opening 831 on the front side, and a guide rail 832 formed around the peripheral wall.

The guide rail 832 is formed integrally with the rotating plate 830 such that a peripheral wall extends forward from the front side of the rotating plate 830, and this peripheral wall extends in the surface direction of the rotating plate 830 in a closed, elongated loop shape when viewed from the front.

The extension height of the peripheral wall of the guide rail 832 is the same as the extension height of the peripheral wall at the periphery of the pivot opening 831. The inner width of the guide rail 832 is such that the slide pin 823 can be inserted with a small gap to allow for play. The corners at the extension end of the peripheral wall of the guide rail 832 are formed to be rounded off.

The guide rail 832 extends from a position where it contacts the outside of the peripheral wall at the periphery of the pivot opening 831 in a clockwise direction as viewed from the front along a direction approximately halfway between the tangent and normal of the pivot opening 831, and then curves in an arc further in the clockwise direction as viewed from the front than this halfway direction, extending to a position near the outer periphery of the rotating plate 830 (see FIG. 175(a)).

The peripheral wall of the guide rail 832 at the pivot opening 831 side end, i.e., the center end, which circumscribes the periphery of the pivot opening 831, is formed integrally and continuously with the peripheral wall at the periphery of the pivot opening 831, and its front end protrudes forward from the front end of the peripheral wall at the periphery of the pivot opening 831.

Four more guide rails 832 are formed around the peripheral wall at the periphery of the pivot opening 831 in the same manner as described above, so that a total of five guide rails 832 are equally spaced apart and extend outward in a spiral shape from around the pivot opening 831.

As shown in FIG. 161, a second gear 830G is integrally formed on the rear side of the rotating plate 830, extending rearward like a peripheral wall from the periphery of the pivot opening 831 and having teeth on its outer periphery. The second gear 830G is disposed to mesh with the first gear 804G and is driven to rotate by the central motor 804.

As shown in FIG. 154, the rotating plate 830 is attached so that the pivot opening 831 fits onto the rear peripheral wall portion 813 of the slit member 810. At this time, the rear ends of the five slide pins 823 protruding rearward from the slide member 820 are inserted into the five guide rails 832 (see FIG. 174(c)).

The outer peripheral surface of the rear peripheral wall portion 813 of the slit member 810 locally bulges at five points as described above, so that it makes linear contact with the inner peripheral surface of the pivot opening 831 of the rotating plate 830, rather than a planar contact, so that the pivot opening 831 of the rotating plate 830 fits onto the rear peripheral wall portion 813 of the slit member 810 with little frictional resistance, allowing the rotating plate 830 to be pivoted smoothly and freely.

As shown in FIG. 161(a), a third gear 810G, which has a diameter slightly smaller than that of the second gear 830G and a diameter larger than that of the pivot opening 831, is fixed concentrically to the rear of the second gear 830G and is positioned to mesh with the damper gear 805G of the oil damper 805.

A circular pivot opening 810a is drilled in the center of the third gear 810G, and around the pivot opening 810a, screw insertion holes 810b are drilled at positions corresponding to the three screw-in portions 813S in the rear peripheral wall portion 813 of the slit member 810 (see Figure 156), and positioning holes 810c are drilled at positions corresponding to the two positioning bosses 813a.

The third gear 810G is arranged so as to overlap the rear side of the second gear 830G which is fitted onto the rear peripheral wall portion 813 of the slit member 810, and is positioned relative to the rear peripheral wall portion 813 of the slit member 810 by inserting the positioning boss 813a (see FIG. 156) into the positioning hole 810c, and is fixed by threading a screw (not shown) into the screw-in portion 813S (see FIG. 156) through the screw insertion hole 810b.

As a result, the slit member 810 is interlocked (linked) to the damper gear 805G of the oil damper 805 via the third gear 810G and braked by the oil damper 805, and the third gear 810G acts as a retainer to hold the rotating plate 830 against the rear peripheral wall portion 813 of the slit member 810 so that it does not come off.

As shown in Figures 155 and 156, a central shaft rotating device 850 is arranged from the front side of the slit member 810. The central shaft rotating device 850 mainly comprises a central shaft member 851 that is fastened and fixed to the support base material 801 (see Figure 154), and a loose fitting device 880 that is loosely fitted so as to be rotatable around the central shaft member 851.

Figure 162 is an exploded front perspective view of the central shaft rotating device 850 and the loose fitting device 880, and Figure 163 is an exploded rear perspective view of the central shaft rotating device 850 and the loose fitting device 880.

As shown in Figures 162 and 163, the central shaft member 851 includes a shaft portion 852 formed in an incomplete cylindrical shape with part of the peripheral wall of the cylinder cut away along the axial direction, and a flange 855 formed in a disk shape so as to expand in diameter at the front end of the shaft portion 852, with the shaft portion 852 and the flange 855 being integrally formed.

The center of the flange 855 is circularly open and communicates with the inside of the shaft 852, forming an inner cavity 856 that penetrates the inside of the shaft 852 from front to back. Around the inner cavity 856 on the front side of the flange 855, at two locations on the left and right sides of the inner cavity 856, there are a front screw-in portion 857 with a screw hole inside, a holding portion 858 with a countersunk shape drilled toward the back side at a position shifted from the front screw-in portion 857 toward the inner cavity 856, and two support protrusions 859 that extend forward in a cylindrical shape and are somewhat short, and are integrally formed. The front end of the front screw-in portion 857 and the base of the support protrusions 859 have the same extension height.

A rear screw-in portion 853 having a screw hole therein is integrally formed on the inner peripheral surface of the bore portion 856. The rear screw-in portion 853 extends cylindrically along the axial direction of the shaft portion 852 in parallel to two opposing locations, and extends further rearward than the rear end of the shaft portion 852. In addition, a rear positioning boss 854 is integrally formed at the rear end of the peripheral wall of the shaft portion 852 at a position equidistant from both rear screw-in portions 853 so as to protrude rearward.

As shown in Figures 162 and 163, an LED board 861 is disposed in front of the central shaft member 851. The LED board 861 is a substantially disk-shaped board with a diameter slightly smaller than the flange 855 of the central shaft member 851.

The LED board 861 has a screw insertion hole 862 and a positioning hole 863 formed at positions corresponding to the front screw-in portion 857 and the front positioning boss 854 of the central shaft member 851, respectively.

The front positioning boss 854 of the central shaft member 851 is inserted into the positioning hole 863 of the LED board 861 to position it, and a screw is screwed into the front screw-in portion 857 of the central shaft member 851 through the screw insertion hole 862 of the LED board 861, thereby fixing the LED board 861 so that it covers the front side of the flange 855 of the central shaft member 851.

In addition, an insertion hole 864 is drilled in the LED board 861 at a position corresponding to the holding portion 858 of the central shaft member 851, and is large enough to fit the screw-in portion 869 of the central decorative member 868 therein.

As shown in FIG. 162, forward-facing LEDs 865 are fixed to the front side of the LED board 861 at one central location and at multiple equally spaced locations arranged in multiple (double) concentric circles around the central location, and are designed to emit light forward.

Landscape LEDs 866 are fixed in a number of locations spaced equally apart in the circumferential direction near the outer periphery of the front and rear sides of the LED board 861, and emit light outward along the radial direction of the LED board 861. The landscape LEDs 866 on the front side of the LED board 861 are alternately arranged concentrically with the forward LEDs 865. A connector connection portion 867 is fixed to the rear side of the LED board 861.

A central decorative member 868 is disposed in front of the LED board 861. The central decorative member 868 is formed from a nearly transparent resin material that has a specific color (yellow), extends cylindrically from a long plate-shaped base toward the rear side, and includes a pair of screw-in portions 869 in the center of which are formed screw holes into which screws can be screwed.

The screw-in portion 869 is disposed at a position corresponding to the insertion hole 864 of the LED board 861. The screw-in portion 869, which has passed through the insertion hole 864 of the LED board 861, is abutted from the front side against the holding portion 858 of the flange 855, sandwiching the LED board 861, and a screw is screwed into the screw-in portion 869 from the rear side of the flange 855, thereby fastening and fixing the central decorative member 868 to the flange 855. In this way, the central decorative member 868 functions as a retainer for the LED board 861.

The loose fitting device 880 mainly comprises a small diameter cylindrical member 881 formed of a flanged cylindrical shape having an inner circumferential surface with an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the shaft portion 852 of the central shaft member 851, a large diameter cylindrical member 882 arranged coaxially with the small diameter cylindrical member 881 and formed of a flanged cylindrical shape having an outer circumferential surface with an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the front peripheral wall portion 812 of the slit member 810, and a main cylindrical member 883, a flanged cylindrical member sandwiched between the small diameter cylindrical member 881 and the large diameter cylindrical member 882, which is loosely fitted to the small diameter cylindrical member 881 and the large diameter cylindrical member 882 so as to be rotatable relative to each other.

The main cylindrical member 883 has four equally spaced locations around the circumference of the cylindrical portion, and two locations every other one are integrally formed with threaded portions 883S that extend cylindrically from front to back and have a screw hole inside. Furthermore, a positioning boss 883a extends from the tip edge of the location where the threaded portion 883S is not formed among the four locations.

The main cylindrical member 883 is configured to bulge outward at four locations corresponding to the screw-in portions 883S and the positioning bosses 883a. In addition, the main cylindrical member 883 is formed with a sliding rib 883b at the midpoint of the circumferential direction between the four corresponding locations, which protrudes in a rib-like manner in the outer diameter direction with a protruding length similar to that of the screw-in portions 883S and the positioning bosses 883a and extends in the axial direction.

The flange portion of the main cylindrical member 883 is provided with a decorative member 884 that is formed with an outer shape larger than that of the LED board 861 and covers the LED board 861 from the front side in the assembled state (see FIG. 149), and a rear cover 886 that is fastened and fixed to the decorative member 884 near the outer diameter, forming a bottomless cup shape with the outer periphery side rising toward the front side from the fastening part, and abuts against the flange portion of the main cylindrical member 883 from the back side and is fastened and fixed.

The rear cover 886 is entirely plated (yellow in this pachinko machine 8010) on both sides, giving the sides a mirror-like finish. Therefore, for example, the light from the horizontally facing LEDs 866 arranged on the rear side of the LED board 861 can be reflected near the outer periphery to create a light-emitting effect.

The decorative member 884 is a member that produces a light-emitting effect when illuminated by the LEDs 865, 866 arranged on the LED board 861. It has a front side panel part in the shape of a hibiscus flower and made of a light-transmitting resin material of a specific color (red), and a back side panel part in the shape of a disk with a peripheral wall rising up on the back side and made of a colorless light-transmitting resin material, and an opening 885 is drilled in the center large enough to insert the central decorative member 868 through.

The cylindrical body member 883 configured in this manner is rotatable relative to the central shaft member 851. The loose fitting device 880 is fastened and fixed to the fourth gear 880G, which is disposed to the rear of the third gear 810G (see FIG. 156).

As shown in FIG. 161(a), a fourth gear 880G, which has a diameter slightly smaller than that of the third gear 810G and a diameter larger than that of the pivot opening 831, is arranged and fixed concentrically to the rear of the third gear 810G, and is meshed with a pair of intermediate gears 808 that are rotatably supported on the support base 801 and mesh with each other.

One gear of the intermediate gear 808 meshes with the third gear 810G, and the other gear that meshes with the first gear meshes with the fourth gear 880G. In other words, the fourth gear 880G rotates in the opposite direction to the third gear 810G via the intermediate gear 808.

A circular pivot opening 880a is drilled in the center of the fourth gear 880G, and around the pivot opening 880a, screw insertion holes 880b are drilled at positions corresponding to the two screw-in portions 883S of the main cylindrical member 883, and positioning holes 880c are drilled at positions corresponding to the two positioning bosses 883a.

The fourth gear 880G is positioned so as to overlap the rear side of the third gear 810G, which is fitted onto the main cylindrical member 883 of the central shaft rotating device 850, and is positioned relative to the main cylindrical member 883 of the loose fitting device 880 by inserting the positioning boss 883a (see FIG. 163) into the positioning hole 880c, and is fixed by threading a screw (not shown) into the screw-in portion 883S (see FIG. 163) through the screw insertion hole 880b.

As a result, the loose fitting device 880 is interlocked (linked) to the damper gear 805G of the oil damper 805 via the third gear 810G and braked by the oil damper 805, while the fourth gear 880G acts as a retainer, holding the slit member 810 in place in the main cylindrical member 883 of the loose fitting device 880.

The fourth gear 880G is provided with a detection arc plate 880d that extends toward the rear side in an arc shape centered on the rotation axis, on the outer periphery side of the screw insertion hole 880b and the positioning hole 880c. The detection arc plate 880d is a plate of the same shape that is arranged at five locations at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

In the assembled state (see FIG. 154), the detection arc plate 880d is housed in the doughnut-shaped recess 801D (see FIG. 152) and is detected by a photocoupler-type detection sensor 801C arranged to be able to detect a member passing through the doughnut-shaped recess 801D. That is, in this embodiment, no matter what position the fourth gear 880G starts rotating from, it is possible to detect the rotation angle corresponding to the arrangement interval (central angle 72°) of the detection arc plate 880d (a minimum angle of 72° can be detected, and rotation of 72° or more can be ensured by detection).

The assembly of the central shaft rotation device 850 will now be described. The shaft portion 852 of the central shaft member 851, on which the LED board 861 is arranged and fixed, and the main cylindrical member 883 of the loose-fitting device 880 are inserted from the front into the circular opening 811 of the slit member 810. When the shaft portion 852 of the central shaft member 851 and the main cylindrical member 883 of the loose-fitting device 880 are fully inserted, their respective rear ends protrude slightly rearward from the pivot opening 810a of the third gear 810G.

The rear positioning boss 854, which protrudes further rearward from the rear end of the shaft portion 852, is inserted into a positioning notch (not shown) in the support base material 801 (see FIG. 152) to position it, and the rear screw-in portion 853, which also protrudes further rearward from the rear end of the shaft portion 852, is inserted into an insertion hole in the screw insertion portion 801S in the support base material 801 and screwed in, thereby fixing the central shaft member 851 to the support base material 801.

At this time, wiring is connected to the connector connection portion 867 of the LED board 861, and the wiring is led out rearward through the inner cavity portion 856 of the central shaft member 851 and the opening 801P of the support base material 801 (not shown).

With the above mounting structure, the shaft portion 852 of the central shaft member 851 is fixed to the support base material 801 so as to protrude forward, and as shown in FIG. 154, the rear peripheral wall portion 813 of the slit member 810 is fitted onto the main cylindrical member 883 of the loose fitting device 880, and the front peripheral wall portion 812 is fitted onto the large diameter cylindrical member 882.

At this time, the outer peripheral surface of the main cylindrical member 883 is locally bulged at eight points along the circumferential direction by the screw-in portions 883S, the positioning bosses 883a, and the sliding ribs 883b, so that it comes into linear contact with the inner peripheral surface of the rear peripheral wall portion 813 of the slit member 810 rather than in a planar manner, and as a result, the rear peripheral wall portion 813 of the slit member 810 is fitted onto the main cylindrical member 883 with little frictional resistance, and the slit member 810 is pivotally supported so as to rotate smoothly.

Figure 164 is a rear perspective view of the petal operation device 800, the driving side arm member 910, and the driven side arm member 950, and Figure 165 is a front perspective view of the back plate 1100. The petal operation device 800 moves up and down (moves forward and backward) when a load is applied in the vertical direction from the driving side arm member 910. In addition, in the explanations from Figure 164 onwards, Figures 150 to 152 will be referred to as appropriate.

The back panel 1100 is a horizontally long rectangular member that is fastened to the innermost part of the back case 200 (see Figure 88) that is fastened to the back of the game board 13, and mainly comprises a support pillar 1110 that protrudes cylindrically toward the front side at the lower left corner when viewed from the front, a gear storage section 1120 that is recessed above the support pillar 1110 so that multiple gears can be stored from the front side, a rail fixing section 1130 that is arranged in a straight line in the vertical direction at the center position from the left to the right, and a support long hole 1140 that is drilled as a long hole that slopes downward as it approaches the rail fixing section 1130 on the left and right opposite sides of the support pillar 1110 across the rail fixing section 1130.

The support pillar 1110 is a cylindrical portion that rotatably supports the drive arm member 910, and is provided with a pair of left and right holes near the outer periphery of the front end portion of the support pillar 1110, threaded portions 1111 that are formed so that screws can be threaded therein, and a pair of upper and lower positioning bosses 1112 that extend to the front side on the same plane as the tip edge of the threaded portions 1111.

As shown in FIG. 164, the driving arm member 910 is made of a long rod-shaped main body member bent in an L-shape when viewed from the rear, and mainly comprises a pivot hole 911 that is bored in a circular shape in the front-rear direction at one end and is rotatably supported by a support column 1110, a connecting protrusion 912 that is protruded in a stepped cylindrical shape on the front side at a position near one end of the long main body member, a transmission long hole 913 that is bored in a linear long hole shape from the bending point of the long main body member to the pivot hole 911 side, and a support part 914 that supports the petal operation device 800 at the other end of the long main body member.

The driving side arm member 910 rotates around the support column 1110 in conjunction with the rotation of the arm gear 924, which has an inner fitting protrusion 925 that fits into the transmission long hole 913 and a flange portion 926 that extends radially outward to a position detected by the detection sensor 1162.

The gear accommodating section 1120 is a recessed section in which the gear of the transmission means 920 is accommodated, and is composed of three circular recesses that are arranged in a line with some intersection, and is mainly composed of a first accommodating section 1121 that is located on the left end side and accommodates the motor gear 922, a second accommodating section 1122 that is arranged in a line with the first accommodating section 1121, and a third accommodating section 1123 that is located directly opposite the first accommodating section 1121 across the second accommodating section 1122 and accommodates the arm gear 924 that engages with the drive side arm member 910.

The rail fixing section 1130 is a section that supports the operating rail 1000R (see FIG. 150, not shown in FIG. 165) which is made of multiple metal plates stacked one on top of the other and supported so that it can slide up and down. It is equipped with insertion holes 1131 through which screws can be inserted to fasten the operating rail 1000R to the back plate 1100, and positioning bosses 1132 which engage with the operating rail 1000R and position the operating rail 1000R, and these are arranged in a vertical straight line. The rigidity of the operating rail 1000R keeps the petal operating device 800 in a constant position.

The support slot 1140 is a slot that slidably supports the driven arm member 950, and is inclined at an angle of approximately 50° in front view, gradually descending toward the left, and includes an extension wall 1141 that extends from near the outer periphery toward the front side.

As shown in FIG. 164, the driven arm member 950 is composed of a long rod-shaped main body member that is formed in a substantially straight line when viewed from the rear, and mainly comprises a supported protruding portion 951 that is cylindrically protruding toward the rear side at one end and slidably supported in the support elongated hole 1140 of the rear plate 1100, and a support portion 952 that supports the petal operating device 800 at the other end.

A cylindrical collar is loosely fitted into the supported protrusion 951, and with the collar fitted inside the support elongated hole 1140, a screw is fastened into the threaded portion 951a formed at the tip of the supported protrusion 951, so that the driven arm member 950 is supported slidably on the back plate 1100. In other words, the inner diameter of the collar is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the supported protrusion 951, and the outer diameter is slightly smaller than the width of the support elongated hole 1140.

Figure 166 is an exploded front perspective view of the back panel 1100, the side base material 1000S, and the second performance member 940, and Figure 167 is an exploded front perspective view of the drive side arm member 910, the slide plate 930, and the second performance member 940.

The slide plate 930 is supported on the side base material 1000S so that it can slide left and right with multiple (three in this embodiment) supported long holes 931 drilled in the front-to-rear direction as long holes extending left and right, and is connected to the connecting protrusion 912 of the drive side arm member 910 with a base end long hole 932 drilled in the front-to-rear direction as long holes extending up and down arranged on the left end side, and is connected to the second performance member 940 with a tip end insertion hole 933 arranged on the right end side and drilled in the front-to-rear direction.

The base end long hole 932 mainly comprises a retaining portion 932a formed at the upper end along the trajectory of the connecting protrusion 912 rotating around the support column 1110, and a displacement portion 932b extending vertically downward from the lower end of the retaining portion 932a.

As shown in FIG. 166, the side base material 1000S is a plate-like member that is fastened to a support column portion 1150 having a screw-in portion 1151 at the tip into which a screw can be screwed, and is arranged at a position corresponding to the support column portion 1150 and has an insertion hole through which a screw can be inserted, and corresponds to the arrangement relationship between the fastening plate portion 1001S and the supported long hole 931 of the slide plate 930. It mainly comprises a support protrusion 1002S that is cylindrically protruding toward the back side in the above positional relationship (three places), a support hole 1003S that is circularly drilled in the front-to-rear direction in the right corner when viewed from the front and supports the second performance member 940 rotatably, an arc recess 1004S that is recessed in an arc shape concentric with the center of the support hole 1003S, and a protruding rib portion 1005S that is similarly protruding toward the front side along an arc shape concentric with the center of the support hole 1003S.

The support protrusion 1002S is formed in a cylindrical shape with a diameter smaller than the width of the supported long hole 931 of the slide plate 930, and a flanged cylindrical collar is attached to its tip and placed in the gap between the support protrusion 1002S and the supported long hole 931. In this state, a screw for preventing it from coming loose is screwed into the tip of the support protrusion 1002S, forming a part that supports the slide plate 930 so that it can slide.

The pivot hole 1003S is a circular hole that pivotally supports the second performance member 940 for rotation, and the arc recess 1004S and the convex rib portion 1005S are arranged for the purpose of smoothing the rotational movement of the second performance member 940. Note that the convex rib portion 1005S does not come into contact when the second performance member 940 is in the correct position, but is formed with a convex height that allows it to come into contact if the second performance member 940 is displaced or bent from the correct position.

The second performance member 940 has a main body portion whose lower end is formed into two branches and whose upper end is formed into a circle centered on the shaft support portion 941, and is mainly composed of the shaft support portion 941, which is cylindrically protruding toward the rear side at the right corner when viewed from the front and is supported by a collar in the shaft support hole 1003S, and an auxiliary protrusion 942, which is positioned close to the shaft support portion 941 and protrudes toward the rear side in a cylindrical shape.

The supported shaft portion 941 is a cylindrical portion formed with an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the collar, which is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the support hole 1003S, and has a screw-in portion 941a at its tip into which a screw is screwed (see FIG. 152). When the supported shaft portion 941 is inserted into the support hole 1003S with the collar between them, a disk-shaped cover member 945 with an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the support hole 1003S is placed at its tip, and a screw is screwed into the screw-in portion 941a, so that the cover member 945 acts as a retainer. This causes the second performance member 940 to be supported by the side base material 1000S.

The auxiliary protrusion 942 is inserted into the tip-side through-hole 933 of the slide plate 930 (see FIG. 169), and a circular resin collar is fastened and fixed to the tip, preventing it from coming off the slide plate 930. In other words, the connection between the auxiliary protrusion 942 and the tip-side through-hole 933 links the slide plate 930 and the second performance member 940.

The auxiliary protrusion 942 is a protrusion that displaces near the center of the width of the arc recess 1004S, and is formed in a cylindrical shape with a diameter slightly smaller than the width of the arc recess 1004S. As a result, even if the second performance member 940 is about to bend, the auxiliary protrusion 942 abuts against the arc recess 1004S, generating resistance and suppressing bending deformation.

The explanation will be given with reference to FIG. 165. The back plate 1100 mainly includes three screw-in portions 1161 configured to allow screws to be screwed in when fastening the plate-shaped support plate 921a that supports the drive motor 921, a detection sensor 1162 that detects the flange portion 926 that protrudes radially outward within a predetermined angle range from the arm gear 924, a shaft support 1163 on which a collar that guides the coil spring SP8 that generates a biasing force in the direction of lifting the petal operating device 800 is rotatably supported, a cover support portion 1164 that is arranged in a triangular shape in front view to be able to support the board cover 1000C at the lower right of the support long hole 1140, a wiring stopper portion 1165 that is arranged close to the cover support portion 1164 and is hidden by the board cover 1000C in front view, and a screw-in portion 1166 into which a screw that fastens the board cover 1000C is screwed in.

Similarly, the side base material 1000S has threaded portions 1006S, 1007S into which screws are threaded to fasten the board cover 1000C. The threaded portion 1006S is positioned in the direction of movement of the second performance member 940, with a slight gap between it and the second performance member 940 positioned at the end of the movement (see FIG. 168). Therefore, even if the auxiliary protrusion 942 breaks due to long-term use and the portion that restricts the counterclockwise rotation of the second performance member 940 when viewed from the front is chipped, for example, the threaded portion 1006S can restrict the displacement of the second performance member 940.

In this way, the substrate cover 1000C is not fixed to a single member, but is fastened to each of the side base material 1000S and the back plate 1100, which are stacked in front of and behind each other and fastened to each other, so that the substrate cover 1000C can be firmly fixed to the side base material 1000S and the back plate 1100. This makes it easier to suppress vibration and displacement of the substrate cover 1000C and the side base material 1000S, even when the petal operating device 800, which is a heavy device, is raised and lowered by rotating the driving side arm member 910.

Next, referring to Figures 168 to 173, the raising and lowering operation of the petal operation device 800 by the forward and backward operation unit 900 will be described. Figures 168, 170, and 172 are front views of the petal operation device 800, the forward and backward operation unit 900, and the back plate 1100, and Figures 169, 171, and 173 are rear views of the petal operation device 800 and the forward and backward operation unit 900.

Note that Figures 168 and 169 show the driving side arm member 910 positioned at the upper end of the range of movement, Figures 170 and 171 show the connecting protrusion 912 (see Figure 164) of the driving side arm member 910 positioned at the connecting position between the retaining portion 932a and the displacement portion 932b of the base end side long hole 932, and Figures 172 and 173 show the driving side arm member 910 positioned at the lower end of the range of movement.

As shown in Figures 169 and 173, when the driving side arm member 910 is positioned at the end of its range of movement, the transmission long hole 913 of the driving side arm member 910 extends in the tangent direction of a circle centered on the rotation axis of the arm gear 924, with the internal fitting protrusion 925 (see Figure 151) of the arm gear 924 as the base point. Therefore, when the driving motor 921 starts, only the internal fitting protrusion 925 is displaced, and a range (a range in which the driving side arm member 910 rotates freely) is generated in which the position is maintained, so that the resistance at the start of the driving motor 921 can be reduced.

In Figures 170 and 171, the petal operation device 800 is slightly lowered compared to the state shown in Figures 168 and 169, while the positioning of the slide plate 930 and the second performance member 940 is maintained. In other words, when the drive side arm member 910 rotates in the downward direction, the petal operation device 800 operates ahead of the slide plate 930 and the second performance member 940.

In the range from Figures 170 and 171 to Figures 172 and 173, the drive side arm member 910 and the slide plate 930 are linked together, so that the petal operation device 800 and the second performance member 940 can be visually seen as being linked together.

Here, the second performance member 940 moves in a protruding manner toward the original position of the petal movement device 800, making it appear as if the second performance member 940 is moving in tandem with the petal movement device 800.

Next, the gathering/dispersing rotation operation of the petal operation device 800 will be described. Figure 174(a) is a front perspective view of the petal operation device 800, Figure 174(b) is a front view of the petal operation device 800, Figure 174(c) is a front view of the petal operation device 800 with the central shaft rotation device 850 omitted, and Figure 174(d) is a front view of the slit member 810 and the rotating plate 830.

Figure 175(a) is a front view of the rotating plate 830, Figure 175(b) is a rear view of the petal operation device 800, Figure 175(c) is a rear view of the petals 802 and the flat plate member 803, and Figure 175(d) is a rear perspective view of the petal operation device 800.

Similarly, Figure 176(a) is a front perspective view of the petal operation device 800, Figure 176(b) is a front view of the petal operation device 800, Figure 176(c) is a front view of the petal operation device 800 with the central shaft rotation device 850 omitted, and Figure 176(d) is a front view of the slit member 810 and the rotating plate 830.

Figure 177(a) is a front view of the rotating plate 830, Figure 177(b) is a rear view of the petal operation device 800, Figure 177(c) is a rear view of the petal 802 and the flat plate member 803, and Figure 177(d) is a rear perspective view of the petal operation device 800.

Similarly, Figure 178(a) is a front perspective view of the petal operation device 800, Figure 178(b) is a front view of the petal operation device 800, Figure 178(c) is a front view of the petal operation device 800 with the central shaft rotation device 850 omitted, and Figure 178(d) is a front view of the slit member 810 and the rotating plate 830.

Figure 179(a) is a front view of the rotating plate 830, Figure 179(b) is a rear view of the petal operation device 800, Figure 179(c) is a rear view of the petals 802 and the flat plate member 803, and Figure 179(d) is a rear perspective view of the petal operation device 800.

As shown in FIG. 172, when the petal operation device 800 is at the lowest position after being lowered by the raising and lowering operation, it performs an opening operation (first operation) from the initial position (assembled position) shown in FIG. 174 and FIG. 175, through the half-opened position shown in FIG. 176 and FIG. 177, to the fully open position shown in FIG. 178 and FIG. 179, and then performs a rotation operation (second operation) at the fully open position, and then performs a gathering operation (third operation) to return to the initial position (assembled position).

In the initial position (assembly position), as shown in FIG. 174(d), the slide pin 823 of the slide member 820 (see FIG. 157) is located at the inner end (the end on the side of the circular opening 811) of the central slit 814 in the slit member 810, and accordingly, as shown in FIG. 174 and FIG. 175, the five petals 802 are in the most assembled position toward the central decorative member 868 at the center, and are in an assembled state that forms a blooming hibiscus flower as a whole.

When the petals 802 are in the initial position (assembly position) as described above, the first gear 804G is rotated counterclockwise in rear view by the central motor 804 as shown by arrow A9 in Figure 175 (c), and the second gear 830G (see Figure 175 (d)) is coupled to this, causing the rotating plate 830 to rotate clockwise in rear view as shown by arrow A10.

At this time, as described above, the rotating plate 830 is fitted around the front peripheral wall portion 812 of the slit member 810 at the pivot opening 831 with little frictional resistance, so it can easily rotate around the front peripheral wall portion 812 with a small torque. On the other hand, the slit member 810 is rotatably fitted around the large diameter cylindrical member 882 of the loose fitting device 880 at the circular opening 811 as described above, but at the same time, it is braked in conjunction with the gear 805G of the oil damper 805 via the third gear 810G as described above, so it is held so that it cannot rotate with a small torque that can initially move the rotating plate 830.

Therefore, when the first gear 804G is rotated by the central motor 804, initially, only the rotating plate 830 is rotated as described above, and the slit member 810 is held in a stopped state (see Figures 176 and 177).

When the rotating plate 830 is rotated as described above, as shown in FIG. 175(a), the guide rail 832 on its front side rotates in the counterclockwise direction as viewed from the front as indicated by the arrow A11, and accordingly, a force is applied to the slide pin 823 of the slide member 820 (see FIG. 157) in a radially outward direction, as if it is guided by the guide rail 832.

At this time, the movement of the slide pin 823 is restricted by the central slit 814 of the slit member 810 as shown in FIG. 174(d), so the slide pin 823 moves while being guided linearly from the inner end to the outer side along the central slit 814.

At this time, the slide pin 823 is guided by the rotating guide rail 832, and some torque is also applied to the slit member 810, but the braking force of the oil damper 805 exceeds this torque, so the slit member 810 is held stationary and the slide pin 823 moves linearly outward along the central slit 814 as the rotating plate 830 rotates.

As a result, the five sets of petals 802 begin to spread outward radially from the assembled position as shown in Figures 176 and 177. In this spreading operation, the central slit 814 of the slit member 810 extends along a direction D12 that is inclined at an angle θ11 counterclockwise as viewed from the front with respect to the radial direction D11 of the circular opening 811 as shown in Figure 177, as described above. This means that a relatively large load is applied to the slide pin 823 moving outward, but on the other hand, the movement speed of the slide pin 823 becomes relatively fast due to this inclination.

In other words, by tilting the central slit 814 counterclockwise when viewed from the front in this manner, the load on the slide pin 823 becomes relatively large, but the slide pin 823 can be moved a predetermined distance with a relatively small amount of rotation (angle) of the rotating plate 830, thereby making it possible to more efficiently spread out the petals 802.

Here, for example, if there was no inclination and the central slit 814 extended radially along the radial direction D11, the load on the slide pin 823 would be relatively small compared to the above case, while the movement speed of the slide pin 823 would be relatively slow. Furthermore, if, for example, the central slit 814 were inclined clockwise relative to the radial direction D11 when viewed from the front, the reduction in the load on the slide pin 823 and the decrease in the movement speed would both be even more significant.

At this time, as described above, the guide rails 832 extend from the center end in a clockwise direction as viewed from the front along a direction D15 midway between the tangent and normal of the pivot opening 831 as shown in FIG. 177, and then extend outward in an arc-like curve further in the clockwise direction as viewed from the front than the direction D15, so that the five guide rails 832 extend outward as a whole in a spiral shape.

The more the guide rail 832 is inclined clockwise when viewed from the front, the smaller the load on the slide pin 823 and the slower the movement speed. Furthermore, the more the guide rail 832 is curved in an arc toward the clockwise side when viewed from the front from the direction D15, the more significant the reduction in the load on the slide pin 823 and the decrease in the movement speed become.

In other words, in the case of the above-mentioned central slit 814, by tilting it counterclockwise when viewed from the front, the load on the slide pin 823 is relatively large and the movement speed is relatively fast, whereas in the case of the guide rail 832, by tilting it clockwise when viewed from the front and curving it into an arc, the load on the slide pin 823 is relatively small and the movement speed is relatively slow.

As described above, the guide rail 832 is formed in a groove shape by a peripheral wall extending forward from the front side of the rotating plate 830, and the tip of the slide pin 823 is fitted into it from the front side. Therefore, if a large load is applied between the guide rail 832 and the slide pin 823, there is a risk that the slide pin 823 will deviate from the guide rail 832 when moving. For this reason, the slide pin 823 is configured to be moved at a sacrifice to reduce its speed while reducing the load on the slide pin 823.

On the other hand, in the case of the central slit 814, the slide pin 823 passes through it, so there is little risk of deviation, and for this reason, the slide pin 823 is configured to increase its movement speed while increasing the load on the slide pin 823.

In this way, the guide rail 832 reduces the load on the slide pin 823, preventing problems such as deviation and ensuring reliable power transmission, while the central slit 814 increases the movement speed of the slide pin 823.

After that, as shown in Figures 178 and 179, when the slide pin 823 reaches the outer end, which is the outer limit of movement of the central slit 814 (see Figure 178 (d)), the five sets of petals 802 spread out radially to the fully open position, and the spreading operation ends.

In this fully open state, as shown in Figures 178 and 179, the five petals 802 move radially and apart, so that the petals 802 are positioned so that they can be seen continuously outside the decorative member 884 when viewed from the front. As a result, the decorative member 884 and the petals 802 are seen as a unified whole, like a slightly larger hibiscus flower (see Figure 178(b)), compared to when only the decorative member 884 is visible (see Figure 174(b)).

When the slide pin 823 reaches the outer end, which is the outer limit of movement of the central slit 814, and can no longer move outward, the slide pin 823 is then locked at the outer end of the central slit 814, and the rotating plate 830 cannot rotate any further in the same direction as before, even with a small torque that is less than the braking force of the oil damper 805. Therefore, by stopping the operation of the central motor 804, the fully open state after the end of the opening operation can be maintained.

After the above-mentioned opening operation is completed, the central motor 804 transmits the rotational power in the same direction to the rotating plate 830, and when the torque applied to the rotating plate 830 exceeds the braking force of the oil damper 805, the slit member 810 shakes off the braking force of the oil damper 805 and starts to rotate together with the rotating plate 830 in the counterclockwise direction as viewed from the front, as shown by the arrow A12 in FIG. 178(d). Thus, after the opening operation, the petals 802 rotate in the counterclockwise direction as viewed from the front in the fully open state, as shown by the arrow A13 in FIG. 178(b).

At this time, if the central motor 804 is not stopped after the opening operation and continues to apply rotational power to the rotating plate 830, it is possible to immediately transition from the opening operation to the rotation operation without any gap.

When the petals 802 rotate in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the front in a fully open state as shown by arrow A13, the decorative member 884 rotates in the opposite direction (clockwise as viewed from the front) as shown by arrow A14 in FIG. 178(b). Therefore, the amount of movement (relative amount of movement) of one petal 802 based on a specified position of the decorative member 884 becomes larger compared to when the decorative member 884 is stationary, so the rotational speed of the petals 802 can be made to appear faster than the actual rotational speed.

After completing the above rotational operation, the central motor 804 rotates the first gear 804G in the opposite direction to the previous rotation, in the clockwise direction as viewed from the rear as shown by arrow A15 in FIG. 179(b). While the slit member 810 is braked and held in a stopped state by the oil damper 805, first only the rotating plate 830 is driven to rotate in the clockwise direction as viewed from the rear as shown by arrow A15 in FIG. 179(b), thereby performing a gathering operation in the opposite direction to the above spreading operation.

In other words, the slide pin 823 returns from the outer end, which is the outer limit of movement of the central slit 814, to the inner end, which is the inner limit of movement, and at the same time, the five sets of petals 802 gather from the fully open position toward the central decorative member 868 in the center, returning to the gathering position (initial position) shown in Figures 174 and 175, returning to the gathered state, and the gathering operation is completed.

After this, the central motor 804 may be stopped to end the operation of the petal operating device 800, but the central motor 804 may be allowed to continue operating without being stopped, or may be stopped and then started again, and the central motor 804 may further rotate the first gear 804G in the clockwise direction as viewed from behind, as indicated by arrow A15 in Figure 179(b), causing the petals 802 to rotate in a gathered state in the clockwise direction as viewed from the front, as indicated by arrow A16 in Figure 174(b).

When the petals 802 rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed from the front in a gathered state as shown by arrow A16, the decorative member 884 rotates in the opposite direction (counterclockwise as viewed from the front) as shown by arrow A17 in FIG. 174(b). Therefore, the amount of movement (relative amount of movement) of one petal 802 based on a specified position of the decorative member 884 becomes larger compared to when the decorative member 884 is stationary, so the rotational speed of the petals 802 can be made to appear faster than the actual rotational speed.

As described above, the central motor 804 can be controlled to stop the assembly operation and transition to the rotation operation after a pause, or to transition immediately and continuously without a pause.

In this embodiment, the rotation of the fourth gear 880G is detected by the detection arc plate 880d passing through the detection sensor 801c (see FIG. 153). Therefore, the MPU 221 (see FIG. 4) can determine whether the petal operating device 800 is performing a rotational operation by determining the output of the detection sensor 801c without controlling the rotation angle of the central motor 804.

Next, the ninth embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 180 to 183. In the eighth embodiment, a tunnel-shaped foul ball passage 145 closed on all sides by walls is formed between the passage forming unit 140 and the plate member 14d. However, the passage forming unit 9140 in the ninth embodiment is configured such that a notch 9145b is formed in the wall portion that forms the foul ball passage 9145, and the sheet metal member 9150 protrudes along the notch 9145b. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted. The differences from the eighth embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 180 to 183.

Figure 180 is a front perspective view of the passage forming unit 9140 in the ninth embodiment, Figure 181 is a rear perspective view of the passage forming unit 9140, and Figures 182 and 183 are front views of the ball launching unit 112a. As shown in Figures 180 and 181, the passage forming unit 9140 differs from the passage forming unit 140 in the eighth embodiment in the internal configuration of the foul ball passage section 9145, the vertical positional relationship between the lower end of the foul ball passage section 9145 and the lower end of the front door side lower tray passage section 9142, the shape of the lower end of the front door side lower tray passage section 9142, and the configuration of the partition plate section 53a.

First, the foul ball passage 9145 has a notch 9145b recessed from the front end of the passage forming unit 9140 toward the rear side in the lower curved inner portion of the S-shaped path SL2. The sheet metal member 9150 has a thin plate-shaped blade portion 9153 formed by bending the portion extending from the top of the plate-shaped portion 152 toward the front side in a manner that covers the notch 9145b from above.

The notch 9145b is formed in a range including the recessed end of the S-shaped path SL2, and the recessed depth is approximately equal to the radius Ra of the sphere.

The upper surface of the thin plate blade portion 9153 abuts against the lower surface of the upper stopper protrusion (not shown) that protrudes from the plate member 14d (see FIG. 91) toward the rear side, and is configured to withstand the upward load generated from inside the foul ball passage portion 9145.

This thin blade portion 9153 is intended to counter the fraudulent practice of threading a thread Y8 through the foul ball passage portion 9145 and pulling or loosening the thread Y8 to manipulate the balls inside the play area and obtain an unfair advantage, and is positioned for the purpose of cutting the thread Y8 threaded through the foul ball passage portion 9145. Here, possible fraudulent acts will be explained.

Returning to FIG. 148, as described above, the ball launching unit 112a of the eighth embodiment is provided with a cutting metal member 725 for cutting the thread Y8 attached to the ball. This cutting metal member 725 is a member that uses the momentum of the ball's launch to cut the thread Y8 attached to the ball, but if the momentum of the launch is weak, the ball may be launched without cutting the thread Y8.

However, this ball does not reach the play area, but flows down into the foul ball receiving port 146, passes through the foul ball passage 145, and is discharged onto the lower tray 50. Therefore, there is no risk of the ball directly entering the play area.

In contrast, if we consider a case where balls P8 and P9 are fixed to both ends of the string Y8, a new problem arises. That is, as shown in FIG. 182, when ball P8 fixed to one end of string Y8 is weakly shot and guided to foul ball receiving portion 146, ball P9 fixed to the other end of string Y9 is guided to launch rail 730, string Y8 is positioned on the rear side (launch solenoid 701 side) of cutting metal member 725, so that even if ball P9 is shot out with force, string Y8 will not be cut by cutting metal member 725.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 183, if the ball P9 is shot with sufficient force, it will reach the play area without cutting the string Y8. The ball P8 that was shot in advance passes through the foul ball passage 145, is discharged in front of the player, and is stored in the lower tray 50 (see FIG. 86).

Therefore, a person committing fraud can grab a ball P8 stored in the lower tray 50 and move the ball P8 to pull or loosen the string Y8, thereby repeatedly passing the ball P9 through the winning hole 63 (see Figure 2) or the like, thereby obtaining fraudulent benefits.

In contrast, in this embodiment, when a cheating offense is committed using thread Y8 with balls P8 and P9 fixed to both ends as described above, the thin plate blade portion 9153 is disposed in the foul ball passage portion 145 through which thread Y8 inevitably passes, so that thread Y8 can be cut early.

That is, when a person committing fraud pulls on the thread Y8, the thread Y8 rubs against the thin plate blade portion 9153, damaging the thread Y8 and enabling the thread Y8 to be cut early (see FIG. 180). At this time, as in this embodiment, the cutout 9145b that exposes the thin plate blade portion 9153 is formed closer to the front side, i.e., on the side to which the thread Y8 is pulled when the thread Y8 is pulled from the front side, so that the thread Y8 can be positioned inside the cutout 9145b when the thread Y8 is pulled, and the thread Y8 can be rubbed against the thin plate blade portion 9153.

As described above, the thin plate blade portion 9153 can increase its resistance to an upward load by abutting against the plate member 14d (see FIG. 91) on the opposite side of the foul ball passage portion 9145. This can prevent the thin plate blade portion 9153 from warping or bending when a load directed outward from the foul ball passage portion 9145 is applied to the thin plate blade portion 9153 when the thread Y8 is pulled. Therefore, most of the load applied from the thread Y8 toward the thin plate blade portion 9153 can be used to damage the thread Y8.

In addition, in this embodiment, as described above, the recess depth of the notch 9145b is set to approximately the radius Ra of the ball P8, so that the ball P8 is prevented from passing through the front side of the notch 9145b, and at the same time, the ball P8 is prevented from colliding with the thin plate blade portion 9153. This prevents the thin plate blade portion 9153 from cracking or chipping due to a collision with the ball P8, thereby improving the durability of the thin plate blade portion 9153.

Secondly, in the passage forming unit 9140, the lower end of the foul ball passage section 9145 is positioned lower than the lower end of the front door side lower tray passage section 9142. In detail, it is positioned with a vertical difference of about the radius Ra of the ball. This makes it easier for the paid-out ball to damage the thread Y8. That is, since a person committing a fraudulent act is afraid of being discovered, after grabbing the ball P8, in order to prevent the store clerk from suspecting it, it is easy to commit a fraudulent act by keeping the ball P8 close to the body (for example, in a trouser pocket) and pulling or loosening the thread 8. In that case, the thread Y8 is maintained in a state of extending toward the player side along the upper surface of the side wall of the lower tray 50 (abutting against the upper surface). At this time, the thread Y8 is stretched through a position about the diameter of the ball above the bottom surface of the ball guide opening 53 (see FIG. 86).

In this state, when the prize ball is dispensed, the ball discharged from the lower end of the front door side lower tray passage section 9142 to the lower tray 50 collides with the lower tray 50 and bounces around, and flows down the lower tray 50 (see FIG. 1) to the right while stepping on or hitting the string Y8 located on the front side of the ball guide opening 53, and flows down through the bottom opening located behind the ball removal lever 52. In other words, by positioning the lower end of the front door side lower tray passage section 9142 above the lower end of the foul ball passage section 9145 (by raising the upper limit position when bouncing around), the ball discharged from the front door side lower tray passage section 9142 to the lower tray 50 can come into contact with the string Y8, increasing the possibility of damaging the string Y8, and the string Y8 can be cut early.

And thirdly, a right inclined surface 9142a is formed on the bottom surface of the lower end of the front door side lower tray passage section 9142, which slopes downward as it approaches the right. The right inclined surface 9142a makes it easier to impart a rightward velocity to the ball that passes through the front door side lower tray passage section 9142 and is discharged from the ball guide opening 53 to the lower tray 50.

This allows the ball, which has been dispensed onto the lower tray 50, to be directed towards the string Y8 before its momentum (kinetic energy) weakens. In other words, the right inclined surface 9142a can force a rightward (towards the foul ball passage 9145) velocity component onto the ball being discharged along the front-to-back direction onto the lower tray 50, thereby increasing the proportion of balls that step on or hit the string Y8 among the balls dispensed.

In addition, fourthly, in this embodiment, the lower end of the lower tray passage section 9142 on the front door side occupies an area on the left side of the ball guide opening 53 that is approximately 2/3 of the left-right width dimension of the ball guide opening 53, and the lower end of the foul ball passage section 9145 occupies the remaining area on the right side of the ball guide opening 53 (an area that is approximately 1/3 of the left-right width dimension of the ball guide opening 53), and a riding-up prevention step section 9053a is formed at the boundary between them.

As shown in FIG. 180, the climbing restriction step 9053a is configured as a flat portion that connects the right end (right edge) of the right inclined surface 9142a formed as the bottom part of the front door side lower tray passage section 9142 and the left end (left edge) of the bottom part near the outlet of the foul ball passage section 9145 located to the right of the right end and extends vertically.

A space V9 with a vertical width larger than the diameter of the ball is formed above the riding restriction step 9053a on the back side of the ball guide opening 53, and this space V9 connects the front door side lower plate passage section 9142 and the foul ball passage section 9145. Therefore, even before passing through the ball guide opening 53, the ball that has passed through the front door side lower plate passage section 9142 can flow down to the right along the space V9. This makes it easier to bring the ball closer to the thread Y8.

The vertical width of the climb-prevention step 9053a is set to be equal to the radius Ra of the ball. This prevents the ball that rolls through the foul ball passage 9145 and comes into contact with the climb-prevention step 9053a from climbing up to the right inclined surface 9142a. In other words, the climb-prevention step 9053a functions as a one-way valve that allows the ball to pass left and right in space V9 in one direction (from left to right) and restricts it from passing in the other direction (from right to left).

Next, the tenth embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 184 to 186. In the eighth embodiment, a tunnel-shaped foul ball passage 145 closed on all four sides by walls is formed between the passage forming unit 140 and the plate member 14d. However, the passage forming unit 10140 in the tenth embodiment is configured in such a way that a notch 10145c is formed in the wall portion that forms the foul ball passage 10145, and the sheet metal member 10150 protrudes along the notch 10145c. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted. The differences from the eighth embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 184 to 186.

Figures 184 to 186 are front perspective views of the passage forming unit 10140 in the tenth embodiment. Figure 184 illustrates the passage forming unit 10140 as viewed from diagonally above right, Figure 185 illustrates the passage forming unit 10140 as viewed from diagonally above left, and Figure 186 illustrates the passage forming unit 10140 as viewed from diagonally below left.

As shown in Figures 184 to 186, the passage forming unit 10140 differs from the passage forming unit 140 in the eighth embodiment only in the internal configuration of the foul ball passage portion 10145.

That is, the foul ball passage 10145 has a notch 10145c recessed from the front end of the passage forming unit 10140 toward the rear end in the upper curved inner portion of the S-shaped path SL2. The sheet metal member 10150 has thin plate-shaped thin plate blades 10153 and 10154 that extend toward the front side in a manner that covers the lower part of the notch 10145c.

The notch 10145c is formed in a series of ranges including the recessed end of the S-shaped path SL2, and the recessed depth is approximately equal to twice the radius Ra (diameter) of the ball (see FIG. 180). In addition, the notch 10145c has a through hole drilled in the front-rear direction along the rolling plate portion 10145d below the rolling plate portion 10145d through which the ball is guided to the passage portion 145a, and the thin plate blade portions 10153 and 10154 of the sheet metal member 10150 are inserted into the through hole from the back side.

In this embodiment, the plate member 14d (see FIG. 91) is provided with an auxiliary protrusion 14d2 that is disposed inside the cutout 10145c and that protrudes from the side surface on the rear side of the plate member 14d toward the rear side with the outer shape of the front view of the foul ball passage portion 10145 before the cutout 10145 is formed. The auxiliary protrusion 14d2 is shown by imaginary lines in FIG. 184 and FIG. 185, and is omitted in FIG. 186.

The auxiliary protrusion 14d2 is provided in such a manner that it fills the notch 10145c partway (approximately the radius Ra of the ball (see FIG. 180)), so that the length in the front-to-rear direction where the thin plate blade portions 10153, 10154 are exposed is approximately the radius Ra of the ball P8. This prevents the ball flowing down the foul ball passage 10145 from colliding with the thin plate blade portions 10153, 10154, so that the thin plate blade portions 10153, 10154 can be prevented from cracking or chipping due to collision with the ball P8, and the durability of the thin plate blade portions 10153, 10154 can be improved.

The protruding tip 14d3 of the auxiliary protrusion 14d2 is formed in an inclined shape that extends toward the rear side as it approaches the foul ball receiving portion 146 (to the right). Therefore, the width (front-to-back width) of the gap on the rear side of the protruding tip 14d3 of the auxiliary protrusion 14d2 in the cutout 10145c becomes wider the closer it is to the passage portion 145a. This makes it easier to insert the thread Y8 arranged in the passage portion 145a into the gap on the rear side of the protruding tip 14d3 of the auxiliary protrusion 14d2, which is the gap where the thin plate blade portions 10153 and 10154 are arranged.

The first thin plate blade portion 10153 is a thin plate portion that protrudes from the rear edge of the cutout 10145c to the front side, and the second thin plate blade portion 10154 is a portion that forms a bifurcated blade portion with the first thin plate blade portion 10153 on the front side of the first thin plate blade portion 10153, and is extended to the left in a slightly upwardly inclined manner from the right end of the front edge of the first thin plate blade portion 10153. As a result, an acute-angled recess 10155 with an acute-angled recess depth is formed between the first thin plate blade portion 10153 and the second thin plate blade portion 10154.

The thin plate blades 10153 and 10154 are metal members arranged for the purpose of cutting the thread Y8, similar to the thin plate blade 9153 in the ninth embodiment.

The acute-angled recess 10155 is positioned on the rear side of the protruding tip 14d3 and on the front side of the rear edge of the notch 10145c. This allows the thread Y8 to easily enter the acute-angled recess 10155 and cause damage to the thread Y8 when the thread Y8 gets stuck on the rear side of the protruding tip 14d3 of the auxiliary protruding portion 14d2.

In addition, the second thin plate blade portion 10154, which is located on the front side, is positioned higher than the first thin plate blade portion 10153, which makes it easier for the thread Y8, which is pulled diagonally downward on the front side by a fraudster, to penetrate deep into the acute-angled recess 10155.

The plate-shaped portion connected to the right of the thin blade portions 10153 and 10154 abuts against the underside of the rolling plate portion 10145d and is configured to withstand the upward load generated from inside the foul ball passage portion 10145.

The lower end of the inclined plate portion 146a and the lower end surface of the auxiliary protrusion 14d2 are arranged facing opposite left and right sides at the bending point where the internal passage of the foul ball passage portion 10145 bends in opposite left and right directions. In other words, at these two points, the string Y8 is pulled in opposite left and right directions.

For example, a person committing a cheating act may try to avoid being discovered by letting go of the ball P8 that has come to his/her hand, and allowing the ball P8 to flow back through the foul ball passage 10145 and be discharged through the playing area. However, according to this embodiment, a load is applied to the thread Y8 or the ball P8 in opposite directions at the lower end of the extended end of the inclined plate portion 146a and the lower end surface of the auxiliary protrusion 14d2, making it easier for the ball P8 flowing back to get caught on the lower end surface of the auxiliary protrusion 14d2 and become stuck there.

This allows the ball P8 and the thread Y8 to remain inside the foul ball passage 10145, lengthening the time that the thread Y8 is exposed to the playing area, and thus speeding up the discovery of fraudulent activity.

A sticky material (such as glue or glue) may be placed deep inside the acute-angled recess 10155 to adhere to the thread Y8 that has entered the acute-angled recess 10155. In this case, even if the thread Y8 attached to the ball P8 that has come into the hands of a cheater is cut, the thread will be adhered to the sticky material placed in the acute-angled recess 10155, and the ball P9 will not be ejected from the play area but will remain there, so cheating using the thread Y8 can be discovered sooner.

Next, an eleventh embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 187 to 190. In the eighth embodiment, a ball (foul ball) that was launched with a weak strength and did not reach the play area is discharged to the lower tray 50, but the tray passage forming member 2160 in the eleventh embodiment is provided with a foul ball receiving port 2164 that receives foul balls. 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 187 is a front view of the inner frame 12 and the plate passage forming member 2160 in the eleventh embodiment, and Figure 188 is a partially enlarged front oblique view of the outer rail 2062.

As shown in Figures 187 and 188, the outer rail 2062 is arranged in the lower left corner of the game board 13 and is formed from a resin material so as to have an arc shape on the game area side similar to that of the outer rail 62 in the eighth embodiment, and is equipped with a tip member 2062a arranged close to the ball launching unit 112a, and a guide member 2062b formed up to near the left end of the inner frame 12 in a positional relationship with the tip member 2062a, with a gap V11 of a width allowing the ball to flow down.

Downstream of the gap V11, a foul ball passage 2062c is formed, which is connected to a foul ball receiving port 2164 formed in the right corner inside the upper tray passage section 161 on the main body side. The foul ball passage 2062c is formed with a width slightly larger than the width just large enough for one ball to pass through, and a spare return ball prevention member 68 is placed above it.

In this embodiment, the main body upper tray passage 161 has been moved to the left to the position where the main body lower tray passage 162 was arranged in the above embodiment, and the formation of the main body lower tray passage 162 has been omitted. In other words, the balls paid out from the payout device 133 (see Figure 87) arranged on the back side of the game board 13 are supplied to the upper tray 17 exclusively via the main body upper tray passage 161. Then, when the balls on the upper tray 17 exceed the allowable amount, a full tank switch (not shown) arranged to protrude inside the ball flow path downstream of the payout device 133 is turned ON by the load of balls, and the payout of balls from the payout device 133 is stopped.

That is, in this embodiment, both balls that have passed through the foul ball passage 2062c and balls dispensed from the payout device 133 (see FIG. 87) are supplied to the upper tray 17. Therefore, when considering the fraudulent act described above of gluing balls to both ends of the string Y8 and passing one ball through the foul ball passage 2062c to cause the string Y8 to enter the play area along the foul ball passage 2062c, it is possible to cause the action of damaging the string Y8 by hitting the dispensed ball against it, regardless of the amount of balls accumulated on the upper tray 17. This makes it easier to cut the string Y8 early.

Figure 189 is a partially enlarged front perspective view of the outer rail 2062. In Figure 189, a spare return ball prevention member 68 disposed at the top of the foul ball passage 2062c is disassembled and arranged side by side as a rear perspective view. In addition, Figure 188 will be referred to as appropriate in the explanation of Figure 189.

The return ball prevention member 68 is temporarily fastened to the game board 13 with a long metal screw B11 in a position in which the base member 68b1 of the support member 68b, which supports the tilting gate member 68a, is positioned on the front side.

In detail, the guide member 2062b is hollow on the back side of the return ball prevention member 68. In the hollow, a support cylindrical portion 2062b2 is formed, which is cylindrically protrudes from the back side of the guide member 2062b to the front side and has a screw groove on the inner wall into which the long screw B11 is screwed. A blocking plate 2062b4 that blocks the cavity of the guide member 2062b from the front side is placed on the tip of the support cylindrical portion 2062b2, and with the base member 68b1 abutting against the front of the blocking plate 2062b4, the long screw B11 is inserted through a through hole drilled in advance as an attachment hole in the base member 68b1 and a through hole 2062b5 drilled in the blocking plate 2062b4 so as to match the through hole, and in this state, the long screw B11 is screwed into the support cylindrical portion 2062b2, thereby fastening and fixing the return ball prevention member 68 to the guide member 2062b.

The upper and left surfaces of the blocking plate 2062b4, which come into contact with the guide member 2062b, are formed to match the shape of the end surface of the guide member 2062b, while the lower surface is recessed to a degree that avoids interference with the support member 68b, and the right surface (the surface facing the front in Figure 189) is formed as an inclined surface with a gradient similar to that of the gradient increasing portion 2062d of the guide member 2062b.

The gradient increasing portion 2062d has a gradient that slopes downward as it approaches the tip member 2062a with respect to the surface that constitutes the outer frame of the play area of the guide member 2062b. In other words, a straight line L11 extended along the surface of the gradient increasing portion 2062d toward the tip member 2062a intersects with the tip member 2062a below the upper end of the surface (upper surface) that constitutes the outer frame of the play area of the tip member 2062a (in this embodiment, about 1/3 below the diameter of the ball).

With this configuration, when a ball is launched towards the play area, the gradient increase section 2062d is removed from the path of the ball, and it is possible to avoid a collision between the lower tip of the gradient increase section 2062d and the ball. On the other hand, when a ball that did not reach the play area flows back, the upper end of the tip member 2062a protrudes inside the path of the ball rolling through the gradient increase section 2062d, so it is possible to reduce the possibility that the ball will pass left and right through the gap V11, pass over the tip member 2062a and return to the ball launching unit 112a side.

The side surface 2062d1 on the front side of the gradient increasing section 2062d is recessed toward the rear side to a position where a cut 2062b1 can be formed between the blocking plate 2062b4 and the blocking plate 2062b4, the width of which is less than the diameter of the ball and allows the string to enter (approximately 2 mm in this embodiment). The cut 2062b1 is formed at the point where the path of the ball shot into the play area intersects with the foul ball passage 2062c at an acute angle.

The support cylinder 2062b2 on the right side as viewed from the front has a semicircular cutout 2062b3 on the side facing the gradient increasing portion 2062d, closer to the front than the side surface 2062d1. This cutout 2062b is provided for the purpose of exposing the long screw B11.

In this way, the long screw B11 that is screwed into the support cylindrical portion 2062b2 on the right side as viewed from the front is exposed in the front and rear positions where the notch 2062b1 is formed, so that in the same manner as described above in the ninth or tenth embodiment, when a foul play is committed by passing a thread Y8 with balls P8 and P9 fixed to both ends through the foul ball passage 2062c, the thread Y8 can rub against the long screw B11.

In other words, due to the positioning of the notch 2062b1, when the thread Y8 is subjected to a load pulling both ends, it is pressed against the long screw B11 located deep in the notch 2062b1 (see FIG. 190(a)). In this state, the thread Y8 slides in the longitudinal direction, causing friction with the long screw B11, allowing the thread Y8 to be cut early.

In this embodiment, the notch 2062b1 is positioned further forward than the position through which the center of the ball passes. This prevents the notch 2062b1 from being positioned at the position where the launched ball comes into contact with the outer rail 2062 (vertically below the center of the ball), and therefore prevents the notch 2062b1 from colliding with the launched ball and affecting the ball's orientation, etc.

In addition, a player committing a fraudulent act by threading a thread Y8 with balls P8 and P9 attached to both ends through the foul ball passage 2062c will pull the end of the thread Y8 that protrudes toward the player (the end to which ball P8 is attached, see FIG. 182) toward the front to adjust the position of ball P9 within the play area, so that the thread Y8 will be closer to the front near the gap V11 close to the player. Therefore, by positioning the cut 2062c closer to the front, it is easier for the thread Y8 to enter the cut 2062c compared to when the cut 2062c is positioned closer to the back.

A button switch SW11 with a detector protruding downward is disposed in a hollow portion formed in the guide member 2062b. The button switch SW11 is configured as a switch that can be pressed with a load that is much weaker than the load generated when the gate member 68a rotates due to the weight of the weight portion 68a2. This reduces the possibility that the button switch SW11 will interfere with the operation of the gate member 68a. The button switch SW11 is for detecting the position of the gate member 68a, and is disposed so that it can be switched ON and OFF when the position of the gate member 68a changes.

Figures 190(a) and 190(b) are partial front enlarged views of the foul ball passage 2062c. Note that Figure 190(a) shows the state in which the weight of the weight 68a2 of the gate member 68a of the return ball prevention member 68 causes the weight 68a2 side to tilt toward the foul ball passage 2062c, and Figure 190(b) shows the state in which the weight 68a2 is pushed up by the passing ball, causing the opening/closing part 68a1 side of the gate member 68a to tilt toward the foul ball passage 2062c. Also, Figure 190(a) shows the path of the thread Y8 used in cheating for reference, and shows that the button switch SW11 is ON, and Figure 190(b) shows that the button switch SW11 is OFF.

As shown in Figure 190(b), the return ball prevention member 68 only provides a slight resistance to the ball passing through, but does not provide enough resistance to stop the ball passing through the foul ball passage 2062c. This is because the ball flows away under its own weight, and even if the width of the foul ball passage 2062c is narrowed by tilting the opening and closing part 68a1 as shown in Figure 190(b), once the ball flows away, it immediately returns to the state shown in Figure 190(a), so it can be restored to the state shown in Figure 190(a) by the time the next ball is guided into the foul ball passage 2062c (at the earliest, 0.6 seconds later).

On the other hand, for objects that do not flow away like balls, such as objects that fill the passage as they move forward, such as endoscopes, the return ball prevention member 68 provides a large resistance. This structure is designed to prevent fraudulent activity.

For example, possible fraudulent acts include moving the tip of an endoscope-like device through the foul ball passage 2062c in the opposite direction to the ball's flow, reaching the inside of the play area and attempting to interfere with the inside of the play area (for example, bending the nails (not shown) set into the play board 13, grasping the ball and putting it in the winning hole, using the tip of the device as a guide to the winning hole, or emitting a laser from the tip to cut the nails).

Figure 191 is a partial front enlarged view of the foul ball passage 2062c. Note that in Figure 191, the outline of a device such as an endoscope that may be used for illegal entry is shown in imaginary lines.

When the tip of a device such as an endoscope is advanced through the foul ball passage 2062c in the opposite direction to the flow direction of the ball, in this embodiment, it is advanced while pushing out the gate member 68a of the return ball prevention member 68. Here, when moving from the state shown in FIG. 191 (where the weight portion 68a2 is pushed out by the tip of the endoscope) to the state shown in FIG. 190(a), the insertion portion (long, flexible portion) connected to the tip of the endoscope is still positioned below the weight portion 68a2, and maintains the weight portion 68a2 in a state of being pushed up. This makes it difficult to push out the opening/closing portion 68a1, and prevents the tip of the endoscope from advancing any further.

If the endoscope is forcibly advanced and the gate member 68a is destroyed to enter the inside, it will not be possible to prevent tampering. However, in this case, the button switch SW11 will remain in the OFF state, so by controlling the switch SW11 to sound an alarm if it remains in the OFF state for a specified period of time, tampering can be detected early.

Also, when the button switch SW11 is in the OFF state, the payout device 133 (see FIG. 87) may be controlled to stop paying out balls. Even in this case, in normal use, the button switch SW11 is turned OFF only when a foul ball passes (see FIG. 190(b)), and the button switch SW11 is immediately turned ON (see FIG. 190(a)). This makes it possible to minimize the period during which the payout device 133 stops paying out balls, preventing the player from feeling uncomfortable. On the other hand, if the gate member 68a is illegally destroyed, the state in which the payout device 133 stops paying out balls can be maintained.

The member placed above the foul ball passage 2062c does not have to be the return ball prevention member 68, and may be another movable member. However, by placing the return ball prevention member 68 as in this embodiment, if the return ball prevention member 68 on the side of the game board 13 cracks or bends due to long-term use, it can be replaced early. This has the effect of preventing fraudulent acts even before replacement, compared to simply purchasing a replacement part for the return ball prevention member 68 as an option, and the effect of saving the trouble of forgetting where it is stored and searching for it. In addition, it is not necessary to have the entire configuration of the return ball prevention member 68, and for example, the gate member 68a may be supported by a fixed shaft (the support member 68b may not be provided).

In addition, if the return ball prevention member 68 is cracked or bent and is replaced, whether or not it will have the effect of preventing the above-mentioned cheating will depend on the extent of the damage to the return ball prevention member 68. However, from the perspective of someone committing cheating, since they will not know whether or not it has been replaced, and even if it has been replaced, they will not know the extent of the damage, the deterrent effect on cheating will still be maintained.

Next, the twelfth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 192 to 197. In the eighth embodiment, the petal operation device 800 rotates only in the assembled position or the fully open position, but the petal operation device 2800 in the twelfth embodiment is configured in such a way that it can rotate even in the open position. 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 192 is a rear perspective view of the loose fitting device 2880 in the twelfth embodiment. As shown in Figure 192, the rear cover 2886 of the loose fitting device 2880, in comparison with the configuration of the rear cover 886 in the eighth embodiment, is provided with a flange portion 2887 extending radially outward from the outer edge of the rear end, and a restricting portion 2888 protruding from the extended tip of the flange portion 2887 toward the rear side. The loose fitting device 2880 in this embodiment differs from the loose fitting device 880 in the eighth embodiment only in the rear cover 2886, and is provided with the same parts as the loose fitting device 880 in other parts.

The restricting portion 2888 protrudes to a position (middle position) between the rear portion 802a and the front portion 802b of the petal 802. In other words, the restricting portion 2888 protrudes to a position where it can abut against the front portion 802b but cannot abut against the rear portion 802a.

In this embodiment, a case where a single flange portion 2887 and a single restricting portion 2888 are provided will be described, but they may be provided at multiple locations on the rear cover 2886. Next, the function of the flange portion 2887 and the restricting portion 2888 will be described with reference to Figures 193 and 194.

Figures 193(a) and 193(b) are front views of the petal operation device 2800, and Figures 194(a) and 194(b) are partially enlarged front views of the slit member 810 and the slide member 2820. In Figures 193 and 194, an example of the operation of the petal operation device 2800 is illustrated in chronological order, and Figures 193(a) and 194(a), and Figures 193(b) and 194(b) respectively illustrate states at the same time.

In addition, in Figures 194(a) and 194(b), for the sake of convenience, the guide pin 822 and the slide pin 823 are shown in cross section, and in the same cross section, a pair of screw-in portions 2803S of the flat plate member 2803 are shown in cross section. In addition, in Figure 193, the petals 802 that change position due to the action of the regulating portion 2888 are shown in white (the same applies to Figures 195 and 196).

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 194(a), a pair of screw-insertion portions 2803S arranged inside the two side slits 815 have inclined surfaces 2803T on the surfaces facing each other, which are inclined about the screw insertion portion 803H in a manner that moves away from the opposing screw-insertion portion 2803S.

The inclined surface 2803T is inclined at approximately 30° with respect to the direction in which the sliding member 2820 slides. The effect of the restricting portion 2888 on the petals 802 will now be described.

As shown in Figures 193(a) and 193(b), when the petal 802 is slid (the rotating plate 830 (see Figure 155) is rotated counterclockwise when viewed from the front) in a position in which the restricting portion 2888 is positioned radially outward in the direction in which the front portion 802b of the petal 802 moves, the restricting portion 2888 comes into contact with the front portion 802b of the petal 802, and the petal 802 receives a load from the restricting portion 2888.

When the petal 802 is subjected to a load from the restricting portion 2888, if the petal 802 is further slid (the rotating plate 830 (see FIG. 155) is rotated counterclockwise when viewed from the front), the petal 802 changes its position to deflect the load.

At this time, the slide member 2820 fastened to the petal 802 can change its position from the normal position shown in FIG. 194(a) (the position in which the longitudinal direction is oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the central slit 814 and both side slits 815) to an inclined position inclined relative to the central slit 814 and both side slits 815 as shown in FIG. 194(b). The position of the petal 802 changes as much as possible.

In this way, the position of the slide member 2820 and the petals 802 change, and the load from the restricting portion 2888 is diverted, while the resistance between the slide member 2820 and the slit member 810 changes.

In other words, in the normal position shown in FIG. 194(a), the slide member 2820 only has the narrow slide ribs 803a in contact with the slits 815 on both sides, so frictional resistance is suppressed and the slide member 2820 can move smoothly in the longitudinal direction of the slits 814 and 815.

In contrast, in the inclined position shown in FIG. 194(b), the sliding member 2820 is in contact (pressed) with the outer inner wall of the slits 815 at the sliding rib 803a and with the inner inner wall at the inclined surface 2803T, increasing frictional resistance. In addition, the width of the inclined surface 2803T is greater than the sliding rib 803a, which also results in a significant increase in frictional resistance. Note that the inclined surface 2803T is in contact with the inner inner wall of the slits 815 from both directions in the short direction of the slits 815, so the increase in frictional resistance occurs regardless of the direction of rotation of the rotating plate 830.

Therefore, in the inclined position shown in FIG. 194(b), the movement resistance against the longitudinal movement of the slide member 2820 in the slits 814, 815 increases, so that the torque applied from the slide pin 823 to the rotating plate 830 (see FIG. 156) can be made to exceed the braking force of the oil damper 805 (see FIG. 156) without waiting for the slide member 2820 to reach the end of the slits 814, 815 (the braking force of the oil damper 805 can be set to a value between the movement resistance of the slide member 2820 in the normal position and the movement resistance of the slide member 2820 in the inclined position).

In this case, the slit member 810 shakes off the braking force of the oil damper 805 and starts rotating together with the rotating plate 830 (see FIG. 155). That is, it starts rotating in the counterclockwise direction as viewed from the front from the state shown in FIG. 193(b). This direction corresponds to the direction in which the petals 802 move away from the restricting portion 2888, so the load applied to the petals 802 from the restricting portion 2888 can be released.

Figure 195 is a front view of the petal operation device 2800. Note that Figure 195 illustrates the state after the rotating plate 830 (see Figure 156) has continued to rotate in the same direction from the state shown in Figure 193 (b).

As shown in FIG. 195, the petal operating device 2800 can be rotated in the open-close position. At this time, the rear cover 2886 rotates in the opposite direction (clockwise direction when viewed from the front) to the rotation direction of the rotating plate 830 (see FIG. 155). In the state shown in FIG. 195, the torque applied from the slide pin 823 to the rotating plate 830 (see FIG. 156) exceeds the braking force of the oil damper 805 (see FIG. 156), so the petals 802 can be rotated in both forward and reverse directions while maintaining the open-close position.

Figures 196(a), 196(b) and 197 are front views of the petal operation device 2800. Note that Figures 196(a), 196(b) and 197 show the movement of the petals 802 from the spreading position to the gathered position in chronological order.

In Fig. 196(a), from the state shown in Fig. 195, the rotating plate 830 (see Fig. 156) is rotated clockwise when viewed from the front, and the front portion 802b of the petal 802 is pressed against the restricting portion 2888. When the rotating plate 830 is further rotated in the same direction from this state, the restricting portion 2888 pushes the front portion 802b forward, and the position of the petal 802 and the sliding member 2820 is returned to the normal position, as shown in Fig. 196(b).

Furthermore, when the rotating plate 830 (see FIG. 156) rotates in the same direction, the braking force of the oil damper 805 (see FIG. 156) exceeds the torque applied to the rotating plate 830 by the slide pin 823, so the rotation of the petals 802 stops and the petals 802 slide toward the assembly position.

In this way, according to this embodiment, the petals 802 can be rotated in the open position and then automatically returned to the assembled position.

Note that, although the case where the petal 802 opens at a position where the front portion 802b of the petal 802 abuts against the restricting portion 2888 has been described, if the petal 802 is rotated by a small angle (if the rotating plate 830 is rotated clockwise when viewed from the front), the front portion 802b can be prevented from abutting against the restricting portion 2888. Therefore, even in this embodiment, it is possible to move the petal 802 to the fully open position and rotate it at the fully open position.

The restricting portion 2888 is positioned so that it does not come into contact with the petals 802 in the gathered position or fully open position, or so that even if it comes into contact with the petals 802 rotating in the fully open position, the petals 802 can slip past the restricting portion 2888 by slightly changing their position, allowing the load to be diverted. This makes it possible to prevent the restricting portion 2888 from interfering with the rotation of the petals 802 in the fully open position.

Also, as shown in this embodiment, by arranging the restricting portion 2888 at a position that protrudes from the rear cover 886 when viewed from the front, the restricting portion 2888 can be used as part of the performance device. For example, by arranging a star-shaped pattern on the front side of the restricting portion 2888, it can be used as a guide for indicating whether the petals 802 should pass through a position close to the star-shaped pattern or a position farther away when opening, and the difference in perspective can make a difference in whether the petals 802 open to their fullest extent and rotate, or open only partway when rotating.

For example, by performing an effect in which the probability of winning varies depending on the degree of expansion during rotation, the player's attention to the degree of distance between the star pattern and the petals 802 can be increased, and the star pattern can be made to function as a part of the effect. This allows the regulating unit 2888 to be used as part of the effect device.

The restricting portion 2888 may be disposed in a position that is hidden by the rear cover 886 when viewed from the front. In this case, there is no need to design the shape of the restricting portion 2888 from a design perspective, and therefore the design freedom of the restricting portion 2888 can be improved.

In the fully open position, the petals 802 may come into contact with the restricting portion 2888 and change position slightly, which may be used as a presentation effect (for example, a presentation that indicates the likelihood of a big win). In this case, the meaning conveyed to the player can be changed depending on whether the petals 802 are simply rotating or whether they come into contact with the restricting portion 2888 and rotate while changing position slightly (fluttering).

In this embodiment, the position where the petals 802 come into contact with the restricting portion 2888 is the tip position, but if the contact position is closer to the center (if the arrangement of the petals 802 is different), the degree of spreading when the petals 802 change position changes. Therefore, even if the restricting portion 2888 is fixed to the rear cover 2886, the degree of spreading when the petals 802 change position can be changed in multiple ways.

Next, referring to Figures 198 and 199, another example of the twelfth embodiment will be described. In the twelfth embodiment, a case was described in which the slit member 810 rotates together with the rotating plate 830 regardless of the direction of rotation of the rotating plate 830 in the mid-opening position. However, the slit member 3810 of the petal operating device 3800 in this other example of the twelfth embodiment is configured to be able to switch between a case in which the slit member 3810 rotates together with the rotating plate 830 and a case in which the rotating plate 830 rotates independently, depending on the direction of rotation of the rotating plate 830. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

198(a), 198(b), 199(a) and 199(b) are partially enlarged front views of the slit member 3810 and the slide member 2820 in another example of the twelfth embodiment. In Figs. 198 and 199, an example of the operation of the petal operating device 3800 when the rotating plate 830 rotates clockwise as viewed from the front from the state shown in Fig. 198(a) is illustrated in chronological order. In Figs. 198(a), 198(b), 199(a) and 199(b), the arrangement and shape of the guide rail 832 of the rotating plate 830 are illustrated by imaginary lines.

When the rotating plate 830 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed from the front from the state shown in FIG. 198(a), the load generated between the slide member 2820 and the slit member 3810 exceeds the resistance applied to the slit member 3810 by the oil damper 805, and the slit member 3810 and the rotating plate 830 rotate together, as in the twelfth embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted here.

In addition, in Figures 198 and 199, for the sake of convenience, the guide pin 822 and the slide pin 823 are shown in cross section, and in the same cross section, a pair of screw-in portions 2803S of the flat plate member 2803 are shown in cross section.

When the rotating plate 830 is rotated clockwise as viewed from the front, the slide member 2820, which receives a load from the guide rail 832 of the rotating plate 830 because the slide pin 823 is inserted through the guide rail 832, is displaced in the lower right direction in FIG. 198(a) in conjunction with the displacement of the guide rail 832 (see FIG. 198(b)). In this embodiment, additional recesses 3814a, 3815a, 3815b are formed on the side that receives the slide member 2820 that is displaced in this manner.

That is, the slit member 3810 differs from the slit member 810 mainly in that it has a central recess 3814a recessed into the wall portion on the clockwise side as seen from the front among the wall portions extending along the radial direction of the central slit 814, in such a manner as to widen the width of the central slit 814; a clockwise side recess 3815a recessed into the wall portion on the clockwise side as seen from the front among the wall portions extending along the radial direction of the both side slits 815 arranged on the clockwise side as seen from the front of the central slit 814, in such a manner as to widen the width of the both side slits 815 in the short direction; and a counterclockwise side recess 3815b recessed into the wall portion on the clockwise side as seen from the front among the wall portions extending along the radial direction of the both side slits 815 arranged on the counterclockwise side as seen from the front of the central slit 814, in such a manner as to widen the width of the both side slits 815 in the short direction.

The clockwise recess 3815a is positioned opposite the slide rib 803a of the flat plate member 2803 in the state shown in FIG. 198(a).

In the state shown in FIG. 198(a), the central recess 3814a is formed continuously from a position facing the guide pin 822 of the slide member 2820 toward the rotation center side of the slit member 3810 (the lower side in FIG. 198(a)).

The central recess 3814a is deeper than the clockwise recess 3815a and has a longer radial length than the clockwise recess 3815a.

In the state shown in FIG. 198(a), the counterclockwise recess 3815b is formed continuously from a position facing the inclined surface 2803T of the flat plate member 2803 toward the rotation center side of the slit member 3810 (the lower side in FIG. 198(a)).

The counterclockwise recess 3815b is deeper than the clockwise recess 3815a and has a longer radial length than the central recess 3814a.

The action of the rotating plate 830 of the petal operating device 3800 configured as described above when it rotates clockwise when viewed from the front will be described. First, when the rotating plate 830 starts to rotate clockwise when viewed from the front from the state shown in FIG. 198(a), the slide member 2820 and the flat plate member 2803 move in the lower right direction of FIG. 198(a) (the direction in which the slide rib 803a at the right end enters the clockwise side recessed portion 3815a) (see FIG. 198(b)).

This releases the contact between the wall portions of the two side slits 815 on the counterclockwise side when viewed from the front and the flat plate member 2803, thereby reducing the frictional resistance between the flat plate member 2803 and the slit member 3810.

When the rotating plate 830 is further rotated clockwise as viewed from the front, the slide member 2820 and the flat plate member 2803 rotate counterclockwise as viewed from the front, with the abutment point between the clockwise recess 3815a and the slide rib 803a (the first abutment point between the slide member 2820 and the flat plate member 2803 and the slit member 3810) as the fulcrum (see Figures 199(a) and 199(b)).

In addition, since the central slit 3814a and the counterclockwise side recess 3815b are deeper than the clockwise side recess 3815a, contact between the guide pin 822 and the central recess 3814a and between the screw-in portion 2803S and the counterclockwise side recess 3815b during rotation of the slide member 2820 and the flat plate member 2803 described above is avoided.

Furthermore, during the above-mentioned rotation, the slide member 2820 and the flat plate member 2803 are recessed in the clockwise side recessed portion 3815a with a recessed depth such that the rotating tip portion (the left side portion in Figs. 198 and 199) does not come into contact with the central slit 814 and both side slits 815.

As a result, the load applied to the slit member 3810 via the slide member 2820 and the flat plate member 2803 is reduced, and the load generated between the slide member 2820 and the slit member 3810 falls below the resistance applied to the slit member 3810 by the oil damper 805. As a result, the slit member 3810 and the rotating plate 830 no longer rotate together.

As shown in FIG. 199(b), in the process of reaching a position where the longitudinal direction of the central slit 814 of the slit member 3810 is perpendicular to the direction connecting the pair of screw-in portions 2803S (the longitudinal direction of the flat member 2803), the sliding rib 803a on the radial center side housed in the clockwise side side slits 815 in front view abuts against the wall of the both side slits 815, causing the sliding member 2820 and the flat member 2803 to rotate counterclockwise in front view with the abutting portion as a fulcrum. As a result, the sliding rib 803a that had entered the clockwise side recessed portion 3815a moves counterclockwise in front view from the recessed base end of the clockwise side recessed portion 3815a.

In other words, the slide member 2820 and the flat plate member 2803 are in a state of moving radially (see FIG. 194(a)), so by continuing to rotate the rotating plate 830 in a clockwise direction as viewed from the front, the slide member 2820 and the flat plate member 2803 can be moved radially toward the center.

Therefore, according to another example of the twelfth embodiment, after the state shown in FIG. 198(a) is reached, by changing the rotation direction of the rotating plate 830, it is possible to switch between a case in which the slit member 3810 rotates together with the rotating plate 830, and a case in which the rotating plate 830 rotates independently and the position of the slit member 3810 is maintained.

This allows the slide member 2820, the flat plate member 2803, and the petals 802 (see FIG. 193(a)) fastened to the flat plate member 2803 to perform operations that were not possible in the twelfth embodiment.

In other words, in the twelfth embodiment, after the posture of the slide member 2820 and the flat plate member 2803 changes during the opening operation caused by rotating the rotating plate 830 counterclockwise when viewed from the front (see FIG. 194(b)), a rotational movement (a rotational movement that rotates together with the slit member 3810) of the flat plate member 2803 and the petals 802 (see FIG. 193(a)) fastened and fixed to the flat plate member 2803 occurs during the restoration of the changed posture (see FIG. 195, FIG. 196(a) and FIG. 196(b)).

On the other hand, in another example of the twelfth embodiment, after the posture of the slide member 2820 and the flat plate member 2803 changes during the spreading operation accompanying the rotation of the rotating plate 830 counterclockwise as viewed from the front (see FIG. 198(a)), the posture of the slide member 2820 and the flat plate member 2803 can be returned to their original position by rotating the rotating plate 830 clockwise as viewed from the front (see FIG. 199(b)). In other words, the rotational movement (rotational movement that rotates together with the slit member 3810) of the flat plate member 2803 and the petals 802 fastened and fixed to the flat plate member 2803 (see FIG. 193(a)) until the changed posture is restored can be omitted.

Therefore, according to another example of the twelfth embodiment, after the posture of the slide member 2820 and the flat plate member 2803 changes during the opening operation caused by rotating the rotating plate 830 counterclockwise as viewed from the front (see Figure 198 (a)), the rotating plate 830 can be rotated clockwise as viewed from the front from any state (phase or posture), so that the slide member 2820 and the flat plate member 2803 can start moving from the position of the flat plate member 2803 and the petals 802 fastened and fixed to the flat plate member 2803 that matches the any state (phase or posture) toward the assembly position. This allows the arrangement of the petals 802 (see FIG. 193(a)) fastened to the flat plate member 2803 to be diversified when they rotate (see FIG. 195) while spreading (see FIG. 198(a)) and then assemble toward the assembly position (see FIG. 197), thereby diversifying the operation of the petal operation device 3800.

Next, a thirteenth embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 200 to 203. In the first embodiment, the curved surface constituting the front side of the lower frame member 320 is formed from a plate without any openings. However, the operating device 8300 in the thirteenth embodiment is configured in such a manner that a plurality of through holes 8326a to 8326c are formed through the curved wall portion 8326 of the lower frame member 8320. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

200, 201, 202(a) and 202(b) are front perspective views of the operating device 8300 in the thirteenth embodiment. Note that in 200 and 202(a) the second state of the tilting device 310 is illustrated, in 201 the first state of the tilting device 310 is illustrated, and in 202(b) the state of the tilting device 310 in the middle of changing from the first state to the second state is illustrated.

As shown in Figures 200 and 201, in comparison with the operation devices 300 to 7300 in the above-mentioned embodiments, the difference in the curved wall portion 8326 of the lower frame member 8320 of the operation device 8300 in this embodiment has not been explained, but the other configurations have been almost entirely explained in the operation devices 300 to 7300 in the above-mentioned embodiments. Therefore, the details of the lower frame member 8320 will be explained below, and only a brief supplementary explanation will be given of the other configurations.

The curved wall portion 8326 of the lower frame member 8320 is a curved plate-like portion arranged opposite the protective lens member 311i of the tilting device 310 in the first state in the front-rear direction, and mainly comprises a first through hole 8326a drilled in a generally egg-shaped manner at the center position on the left and right, a pair of second through holes 8326b drilled on the left and right of the vibration device 5400 along the slope of the upper surface of the bottom plate portion 321 with a horizontally elongated rectangular cross-sectional shape when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the tilting device 310 and along the surface of the bottom plate portion 321, connecting the upper surface and lower side surface of the bottom plate portion 321 at the surface position, and a pair of third through holes 8326c drilled in the left and right corners with a vertically elongated rectangular cross-sectional shape when viewed from the front.

Each of the through holes 8326a to 8326c has the purpose of facilitating the passage of liquids such as the drinking water described above downwards, and facilitating the removal of coin-shaped foreign objects inserted into the gaps V13 and V14 of the operation device 8300 described below. Coin-shaped foreign objects may be inserted into the gaps V13 and V14 between the tilting device 310 and the upper frame member 330 by, for example, a player who finds the operation of the tilting device 300 to be a nuisance in order to forcibly stop the operation of the tilting device 300, or by a curious player for no reason.

Here, since the operating device 8300 is equipped with a tilting device 310 that is configured to be operable, slight gaps V13, V14 are formed between the upper frame member 330 and the tilting device 310. While this allows the tilting device 310 to operate smoothly, it also increases the possibility of foreign objects being inserted into the gaps V13, V14.

In particular, in this embodiment, the tilting device 310 is configured to rotate around the ring member BR1 (see FIG. 14(b)) located at the rear end; in other words, the position where it is supported by the upper frame member 330 is closer to the rear end, so the longer the front-to-rear length of the tilting device 310 is, the more likely it is to shift (deform) left and right near the front end. Note that this shift (deformation) includes, for example, shifts that take advantage of the rattle that occurs when design errors built into components from the design stage are added together, and shifts (deformations) that occur when each component is slightly deformed.

Therefore, even if the gap V13 between the upper frame member 330 on both the left and right sides of the tilting device 310 is designed so that it is not large enough to insert a coin-shaped foreign object (e.g., a 1 yen coin) during normal use, if the tilting device 310 is misaligned to one side (e.g., to the left), the gap V13 that is created on the other side (e.g., to the right) will be the sum of the gaps V13 that are created between the upper frame member 330 on both the left and right sides of the tilting device 310 during normal use, and may be large enough to insert a coin-shaped foreign object.

In other words, if the gap V13 between the tilting device 310 and the upper frame member 330 on both the left and right sides during normal use is not set to less than half the thickness of a coin-shaped foreign object (for example, 0.5 mm or less for a 1 yen coin), a coin-shaped foreign object may be inserted if the tilting device 310 is misaligned to the left or right.

In addition, the gap V14 in the front-to-rear direction between the front end of the tilting device 310 and the upper frame member 330 can be easily enlarged by applying a load toward the rear side of the tilting device 310, causing it to shift (deform), by utilizing the play near the ring member BR1 (see Figure 14 (b)) of the tilting device 310. This allows a coin-shaped foreign object to be inserted into this gap V14 as well.

In this embodiment, when a coin-shaped foreign object is inserted in the left or right gap V13 or the front-to-rear gap V14 between the tilting device 310 and the upper frame member 330, if the tilting device 310 performs a tilting operation, the coin-shaped foreign object may enter the lower frame member 8320.

In particular, as shown in Figures 202(a) and 202(b), if the left and right wall portions of the tilting device 310 are configured in a shape that narrows inwardly to the left and right toward the top and bottom center, it will fit the player's fingers more easily and create a good feeling of operation, but on the other hand, a coin-shaped foreign object that is stuck in the gap V13 in the second state (see Figure 202(a)) will be subjected to a downward load from the part of the case main body 311 that protrudes outward from above the narrowed portion, making it more likely to enter the lower frame member 8320.

If the tilting device 310 is operated with a coin-shaped foreign object inserted in the gaps V13 and V14, the operating resistance will be excessive, which may cause problems with the operation of the tilting device 310. In addition, rubbing between the coin-shaped foreign object and the protective lens member 311i may reduce the translucency of the protective lens member 311i, which may cause problems with the light emission performance.

In the first place, if a coin-shaped foreign object gets caught inside and restricts the operation of the tilting device 310, it becomes impossible to execute the intended performance with the operation device 8300, so if it is discovered that a coin-shaped foreign object has been inserted into the gaps V13, V14, it is desirable to remove it as soon as possible, but if there is no through-hole formed in the lower frame member 320, it is necessary to disassemble the operation device 300 to remove the coin-shaped foreign object.

In contrast, in this embodiment, through holes 8326a to 8326c are formed in the curved wall portion 8326, making it possible to remove coin-shaped foreign objects through the through holes 8326a to 8326c. The shape and arrangement of the through holes 8326a to 8326c are described below.

203(a) is a front view of the operating device 8300, FIG. 203(b) is a side view of the operating device 8300 as viewed in the direction of the arrow CCIIIb in FIG. 203(a), FIG. 203(c) is a bottom view of the operating device 8300, FIG. 203(d) is a partial cross-sectional view of the operating device 8300 taken along line CCIIId-CCIIId in FIG. 203(a), and FIG. 203(e) is a cross-sectional view of the operating device 8300 taken along line CCIIIe-CCIIIe in FIG. 203(a).

The first through hole 8326a has the same left-right center as the left-right center of the vibration device 5400, and is drilled with a left-right width greater than the left-right width of the vibration device 5400 (first storage section 5431 of the vibration device 5400, see FIG. 58). Therefore, even if liquid such as drinking water is poured near the left-right center position of the gap V14, the liquid is discharged through the first through hole 8326a before reaching the vibration device 5400, so that the liquid can be prevented from reaching the vibration device 5400.

The lower edge of the first through hole 8326a is positioned below the upper surface of the extension portion 311h (see FIG. 12) of the tilting device 310 in the first state. Therefore, if a coin-shaped foreign object inserted in the gap V14 is placed on the upper surface of the extension portion 311h, the coin-shaped foreign object can be easily removed through the first through hole 8326a along the slope of the upper surface of the extension portion 311h (slope D81 that slopes downward toward the center of the left and right in the first state of the tilting device 310 due to the fact that the extension portion 311h is curved toward the left and right when viewed in the up-down direction in the second state, and slope D82 that slopes downward toward the front side due to the tilting device 310 being tilted, see FIG. 201).

This makes it easier to remove coin-shaped foreign objects while keeping the size of the first through-hole 8326a to a minimum, thereby maintaining the design freedom of the lower frame member 8320. For example, compared to a case where the first through-hole 8326a needs to be significantly widened to the left and right, it is easier to ensure the strength of the lower frame member 8320.

In this embodiment, the size of the first through-hole 8326a is set so that the portion above the top surface of the extension portion 311h of the tilting device 310 in the first state (see FIG. 12) is equal to or larger than the size of an object assumed to be a coin-shaped foreign object. That is, in this embodiment, the portion above the top surface of the extension portion 311h of the tilting device 310 in the first state is formed with a left-right width and a top-down width of approximately 30 mm.

The first through hole 8326a is located on the front side of the spherical shell portion 313a (see FIG. 15) when the tilting device 310 is in the first state. The spherical shell portion 313a is a portion that transmits light emitted from the LED device 341f (see FIG. 25). In this embodiment, except for the spherical shell portion 313a, the plate portions of the lens member 313 that are connected to the left and right, top and bottom of the spherical shell portion 313 are mirror-finished (mirror-finished members are fixed) in this embodiment, thereby reflecting light that has passed through the spherical shell portion 313.

This arrangement allows the first through-hole 8326a to be used to create a difference in the amount of light that passes through the spherical shell portion 313a (see Figure 15) and is visible to the player when the tilting device 310 is in the first state, and in particular, the first through-hole 8326a allows the central portion in the left-right direction to be viewed brightly by removing the resin member that weakens the amount of light.

When a coin-shaped foreign object is positioned so as to partially block the first through hole 8326a, the amount of light that passes through the spherical shell portion 313a (see FIG. 15) and is visible to the player is weaker than when there is no coin-shaped foreign object (the coin-shaped foreign object casts a shadow). In other words, the amount of light and the shadow of the coin-shaped foreign object can be used as clues to make it easier to notice that a coin-shaped foreign object remains in the lower frame member 8320, thereby reducing the possibility that the coin-shaped foreign object will remain unnoticed in the lower frame member 8320. This effect is not limited to when the coin-shaped foreign object is viewed through the first through hole 8326a, but is also the same when the coin-shaped foreign object is viewed through the second through hole 8326b or the third through hole 8326c.

The second through hole 8326b is configured as a through hole that can eject coin-shaped foreign objects that have fallen onto the bottom plate portion 321 in a direction along the surface of the bottom plate portion 321. Therefore, in this embodiment, the second through hole 8326 is formed with a left-right width of about 30 mm and a width in the normal direction of the bottom plate portion 321 of about 2 mm, so that the largest possible coin-shaped foreign object (e.g., a 500 yen coin) can be ejected.

The second through hole 8326b is located near the center of the bottom plate portion 321, so that the coin-shaped foreign object can be easily removed even after it has slid downward along the curved shape of the front edge of the bottom plate portion 321.

The second through holes 8326b are arranged on both the left and right sides of the vibration device 5400, so that the second through holes 8326b can be used, for example, to drain liquids such as drinking water that flow along the curved wall portion 8326 or the bottom plate portion 321 to the outside before they reach the vibration device 5400.

The third through-hole 8326c has a central axis that is positioned along the left and right edges of the tilting device 310 (see FIG. 203(a)), and is formed as a through-hole that allows coin-shaped foreign objects that have entered the gap V13 along the left and right side walls of the tilting device 310 to be removed while still in an upright position (posture).

That is, the longitudinal length of the third through hole 8326c needs to be large enough to eject coin-shaped foreign objects when viewed in a direction along the surface of the bottom plate portion 321. In this embodiment, the longitudinal length of the third through hole 8326c is approximately 30 mm when viewed in a direction along the surface of the bottom plate portion 321, and the left-right width is approximately 2 mm.

When removing a coin-shaped foreign object, the worker can access the through holes 8326a to 8326c simply by removing the covering cover 370 and exposing the operating device 8300 in a front view (see FIG. 92). The covering cover 370 is fastened to the front frame 14 by a screw inserted in the front-rear direction at the fastening portion 370a (see FIG. 91) of the main body curved portion 371, and fastened to the bottom plate in which the recessed portion 15a is formed by a screw inserted in the up-down direction at the hanging portion 372. Therefore, the covering cover 370 can be easily removed by removing the screw with the front frame 14 open (see FIG. 89). This allows the work time to be kept short.

According to the configuration of this embodiment, coin-shaped foreign objects that have entered the gaps V13 and V14 of the operating device 8300 can be easily removed without disassembling the operating device 8300.

The harness HN3 connected to the operating device 8300 is connected to a connector portion 8353 that opens outward to the right at the lower right corner of the main body cover 351 (see FIG. 203(b)). In each of the embodiments described above, only the harness HN3 is connected to the operating device 8300 to transmit and receive signals to and from the MPU 221 (see FIG. 4).

Therefore, even if a situation occurs in which the coin-shaped foreign object cannot be removed, the operation device 8300 can be easily removed from the front frame 14 by removing the screw fastening the front frame 14 and the operation device 8300 and then removing the harness HN3 from the connector portion 8353. Therefore, if a replacement operation device 8300 that is normal is prepared, the operation device 8300 with the coin-shaped foreign object caught in it can be quickly replaced with the normal operation device 8300.

As a result, even if a coin-shaped foreign object gets into the operating device 8300, preventing normal operation and causing the pachinko machine 10 to stop operating, the operation of the pachinko machine 10 can be quickly resumed.

Next, the 14th embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 204. In the 8th embodiment, the case was described where the board surface support device 600 does not receive load from the front frame 14 when it is in a fixed state, but the board surface support device 600 in the 14th embodiment is arranged in such a way that, in a fixed state, it receives load from the front frame 14 via a front-rear displacement member 2652 that is arranged so as to be able to abut against the front frame 14. 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 204(a) and 204(b) are partial cross-sectional views of the inner frame 12 in the fourteenth embodiment taken along a line corresponding to line CXXXVI-CXXXVI in Figure 86. Note that Figure 204(a) illustrates a state in which the front frame 14 is open relative to the inner frame 12 (illustration of the front frame 14 is omitted), and Figure 204(b) illustrates a state in which the front frame 14 is closed relative to the inner frame 12. Also, the shape of the inner frame 12 is simplified in Figure 204(a), and the shapes of the front frame 14 and inner frame 12 are simplified and illustrated with imaginary lines in Figure 204(a), and in Figure 204(b), respectively.

204(a) and 204(b), the inner frame 12 in this embodiment is provided with a load transmission device 2650, which is different from the eighth embodiment. The load transmission device 2650 includes a vertical displacement member 2651 arranged to be vertically displaceable on the front side of the plate portion (plate portion arranged on the back side) of the main body plate portion 611 that is fastened and fixed to the inner frame 12, a front-rear displacement member 2652 arranged to be able to abut against the lower end of the vertical displacement member 2651 and supported to be displaceable in the front-rear direction, a locking portion 2653 protruding downward from the front-rear displacement member 2652, a support portion 2654 fixed to the plate portion 611a, which is a portion that displaceably holds the front-rear displacement member 2652 from above and below at two positions, front and rear, and a biasing member 2655 such as a coil spring that abuts against the support portion 2654 and the locking portion 2653 and applies a biasing force toward the front side to the front-rear displacement member 2652.

The vertical displacement member 2651 can be switched between a state in which it abuts against the torsion spring NBb when the board surface support device 600 is in a fixed state, and a state in which it is separated from the torsion spring NBb. That is, in the lower position shown in FIG. 204(a), it is retracted from the torsion spring NBb, and in the upper position shown in FIG. 204(b) (a position displaced upward from the lower position), it abuts against the torsion spring NBb, deforming the torsion spring NBb. In this embodiment, the position of the vertical displacement member 2651 is set so that there is a slight gap between the upper end of the vertical displacement member 2651 and the torsion spring NBb in the lower position, as shown in FIG. 204(a).

The front-rear displacement member 2652 is configured to be displaceable between a forward position (see FIG. 204(a)) in which it is pushed forward by the biasing force of the biasing member 2655, and a rear position (see FIG. 204(b)) in which it is pushed rearward by the front frame 14.

Here, an inclined surface 2652a is formed at the rear tip of the front-rear displacement member 2652, which slopes downward as it approaches the tip. The inclined surface 2652a is an inclined surface that is continuously connected from the vertically lower position of the up-down displacement member 2651 when the front-rear displacement member 2652 is disposed in the forward position to the vertically lower position of the up-down displacement member 2651 when the front-rear displacement member 2652 is disposed in the rear position.

The inclination angle and formation range of the inclined surface 2652a are set so that the vertical displacement member 2651 is in a lower position when in the forward/backward displacement member 2652's forward position, and the vertical displacement member 2651 is in an upper position when in the rearward/backward displacement member 2652's rear position.

In this embodiment, with the above-described configuration, closing the front frame 14 positions the vertical displacement member 2651 in an upper position, and the torsion spring NBb can be deformed to the side where the load is greater by an amount corresponding to its thickness in the front-to-rear direction.

This allows the load applied by the post-rotation claw member 640 to the game board 13 from the rear side to be increased, making it easier to maintain the game board 13 in contact with the hanging rear plate portion 621d of the pre-rotation claw member 620, and making it easier to determine the distance D14 between the front of the game board 13 and the rear of the front frame 14 (the rear of the glass unit 16 fixed to the front frame 14). This makes it easier to determine the thickness of the game area, stabilizing the flow of balls.

The specifications required for the board support device 600 in the eighth embodiment and the board support device 600 in this embodiment are the same, and are to fix the game board 13. When fixing the game board 13, the board support device 600 pushes the game board 13 to the front side with the biasing force of the torsion spring NBb, and fixes it by pressing it against the hanging back panel portion 621d.

According to the configuration of this embodiment, the torsion spring NBb is further compressed by closing the front frame 14, so a spring with a lower elastic modulus can be used for the torsion spring NBb compared to the spring used in the eighth embodiment.

This reduces the load (reaction force) applied to the worker from the torsion spring NBb when fixing the game board 13 to the board support device 600, and reduces the force required to fix the game board 13 to the board support device 600, thereby improving the worker's freedom of choice and workability.

Next, the fifteenth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 205. In the eighth embodiment, in order to prevent fraudulent activity from penetrating the inside of the device by melting the inverted cup portion 178 with a heated piano wire, harnesses HN1 to HN3 are laid above the inverted cup portion 178, and the harnesses HN1 to HN3 are detected as being burned by the heated piano wire, thereby achieving early detection of fraud. However, the fraud detection device 2280 in the fifteenth embodiment is configured to detect the heat when the inverted cup portion 178 is melted by the heated piano wire, and to prevent the harnesses HN1 to HN3 from being burned.

Fig. 205(a) is a partial rear view of the front frame 14 in the fifteenth embodiment, and Fig. 205(b) and Fig. 205(c) are rear views of the fraud detection device 2280. Note that Fig. 205(b) illustrates a state in which the shape memory spring 2288 is maintained in a contracted shape, and Fig. 205(c) illustrates a state in which it has returned to a tensile shape (memorized shape) by application of heat. Also, Fig. 205(b) and Fig. 205(c) show a cross-sectional view of the fraud detection device 2280 at the midpoint between the front and rear of the main body box portion 2281.

The fraud detection device 2280 comprises a main body box portion 2281 configured in a box shape with openings on the back side and bottom side and stacked on top of the inverted cup portion 2178, and a rear cover member 2282 attached from the back side so as to cover the rear opening of the main body box portion 2281, and a space is formed between the main body box portion 2281 and the rear cover member 2282.

The main body box portion 2281 is made of a metal material and includes an extension portion 2283 extending from the lower right corner and abutting against the left surface of the wall portion 2178a of the inverted cup portion 2178, a narrowing portion 2284 extending from the inner wall so as to narrow the opening upward from the lower corner, a protruding portion 2285 protruding upward from the edge of the upper end opening of the narrowing portion 2284, a first conductive portion 2286 housed in a recess recessed from the rear side in the left wall portion of the main body box portion 2281, one end of which protrudes outside the main body box portion 2281 and the other end of which extends in the left-right direction inside the main body box portion 2281, and The second conductive part 2287 is housed in a recess recessed from the rear side of the right side wall of the box part 2281, has one end protruding outside the main box part 2281, and the other end extends in the left-right direction inside the main box part 2281, and is formed with a length that allows it to abut against the upper surface of the first conductive part 2286; a torsion spring SP15 that generates a biasing force that presses the second conductive part 2287 against the first conductive part 2286; and a shape memory spring 2288 that rides on the upper surface of the narrowed part 2284, is supported by the protruding part 2285, and is positioned below the second conductive part 2287.

The fraud detection device 2280 is a device for outputting an error signal when heat is detected. The first conductive part 2286 and the second conductive part 2287 are connected by a method such as soldering to the part protruding outside the main body box part 2281, and the other end of the wiring is connected to the main control device 110 (see FIG. 4). The first conductive part 2286 and the second conductive part 2287 are in contact and conductive (see FIG. 205(b)), and when the contact between the first conductive part 2286 and the second conductive part 2287 is released (see FIG. 205(c)), the continuity is interrupted, and the fact that the continuity has been interrupted is used as an input to control the device to output an error signal.

When an error signal is output from the main control device, a loud alarm is output from the speaker 451 (see Figure 120) and the payout device 133 (see Figure 87) is stopped from paying out balls, making it impossible to continue playing the game.

Details of the fraud detection device 2280 will now be described. As shown in Fig. 205(a) to Fig. 205(c), the main body box portion 2281 of the fraud detection device 2280 covers the left and upper side of the inverted cup portion 2178. Here, in the inverted cup portion 2178 in this embodiment, the formation location of the wall portion 2178a is shifted to the left compared to the eighth embodiment, and a gap capable of accommodating the extension portion 2283 is generated between the long cover member 173.

The extension 2283 fills the gap between the wall 2178a and the long cover member 173, so that even if the wall 2178a is melted by the tip of the heated piano wire, the piano wire can be prevented from penetrating the long cover 173.

According to this configuration, the piano wire enters the inverted cup portion 2178 from below, melts the upper wall portion, and continues on. It is guided to the narrowed portion 2284 and is guided to the shape memory spring 2288 that is placed at the upper opening of the narrowed portion 2284.

The shape memory spring 2288 is made of a shape memory alloy such as a nickel-titanium alloy, and has the property of maintaining its deformed shape at low temperatures and returning to a previously stored shape when heated to a predetermined transformation temperature or higher. In this embodiment, the transformation temperature of the shape memory spring 2288 is set to a temperature (approximately 80°) that is approximately the melting point of the inverted cup portion 2178, and the tensile shape (see FIG. 205(c)) is previously stored.

Therefore, when the shape memory spring 2288 is heated by the heated piano wire to above its transformation temperature, the shape memory spring 2288 returns to its tensile shape, pushing up the second conductive part 2287, disconnecting the first conductive part 2286 from the second conductive part 2287 and outputting an error signal. This allows for early detection of fraudulent activity.

The extension portion 2288a extending from the upper end of the shape memory spring 2288 toward the front side is inserted into a guide elongated hole 2282a that is vertically elongated and drilled in the front-rear direction in the rear cover member 2282, and protrudes toward the front side. After the shape memory spring 2288 is in a tensioned state and returns to a low temperature state, the operator can deform the shape memory spring 2288 by pushing the extension portion 2288a downward, and return it to the contracted state (see FIG. 205(b)). In other words, even after fraudulent activity has been discovered, it can be used repeatedly to facilitate early detection of fraudulent activity.

Next, the sixteenth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 206. In the eighth embodiment, the light guide member 540 has a uniform shape in the recessed portion, but the light guide member 540 is curved to cause a difference in the direction of travel of light emitted to both sides. However, the right panel unit 2500 in the sixteenth embodiment has recessed portions with different shapes in each region. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

206(a) is a partial rear view of the right panel unit 2500 in the sixteenth embodiment, FIG. 206(b) is a partial enlarged perspective view of the light guiding member 2540, which shows a schematic representation of the upward recessed portion 2543b recessed in the light guiding member 2540 in the region CCVIb in FIG. 206(a), and FIG. 206(c) is a schematic representation of the downward recessed portion 2543c recessed in the light guiding member 2540 in the region CCVIc in FIG. 206(d) is a partially enlarged perspective view of the light guiding member 2540, which is a schematic representation of the downward recessed portion 2543d recessed in the light guiding member 2540 in the region CCVId of FIG. 206(a), and FIG. 206(e) is a partially enlarged perspective view of the light guiding member 2540, which is a schematic representation of the upward recessed portion 2543e recessed in the light guiding member 2540 in the region CCVIe of FIG. 206(a). Note that the support plate portion 510 is not shown in FIG. 206(a).

As shown in FIG. 206(a), the light-guiding member 2540 is formed in a plate shape that extends straight in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the LEDs 512a (see FIG. 107) arranged on the substrate member 512 are arranged vertically in a straight line to match the shape of the light-guiding member 2540.

Concave portions are formed on both sides of the light-guiding member 2540 in the arrangement described above in the eighth embodiment, but in this embodiment, the shape of the concave portions 2543 is changed for each region based on the curvature of the inner lens member 530.

That is, with respect to the bottom of the curvature of the inner lens member 530 as a reference, the shape of the concave portion 2543 is changed between region CCVIb arranged above and on the inner lens member 530 side, region CCVIc arranged above and on the outer lens member 550 side, region CCVId arranged below and on the inner lens member 530 side, and region CCVIe arranged below and on the outer lens member 550 side.

As shown in FIG. 206(b), in region CCVIb, an upwardly facing concave portion 2543b is formed by hot pressing a convex portion shaped like a sphere divided into eighths. The upwardly facing concave portion 2543b has flat surfaces on the lower side and front side (the side opposite to the side where LED 512a (see FIG. 107) is arranged) and curved surfaces on the upper side and back side, forming the convex portion used for hot pressing.

Here, the lower plane is parallel to the optical axis direction of LED 512a (see FIG. 107), and the front plane is perpendicular to the optical axis of LED 512a, so that the light entering light-guiding member 2540 from LED 512a is unlikely to be reflected in the left-right direction at this position. Therefore, upward concave portion 2543b refracts light exclusively at the curved portion and emits light toward the outer lens member 550, but the emitted light is likely to be refracted upward due to the influence of the curved shape. Therefore, the light refracted in region CCVIb and emitted to the outer lens member 550 is emitted in an upwardly inclined direction, as shown in FIG. 206(a).

As shown in FIG. 206(c), in the region CCVIc, a downwardly facing concave portion 2543c is formed by hot pressing a convex portion shaped like a sphere divided into eighths. The downwardly facing concave portion 2543c has flat surfaces on the upper side and front side (the side opposite to the side where the LEDs 512a (see FIG. 107) are arranged) and curved surfaces on the lower side and back side, forming the convex portion used for hot pressing.

Here, the upper plane is parallel to the optical axis direction of LED 512a (see FIG. 107), and the front plane is perpendicular to the optical axis of LED 512a, so that the light entering light-guiding member 2540 from LED 512a is unlikely to be reflected in the left-right direction at this position. Therefore, downward concave portion 2543c refracts light exclusively at the curved portion and emits light toward the inner lens member 530, but the emitted light is likely to be refracted downward due to the influence of the curved shape. Therefore, the light refracted in region CCVIc and emitted to the inner lens member 530 is emitted in a downwardly inclined direction, as shown in FIG. 206(a).

As shown in FIG. 206(d), in the region CCVId, a downwardly facing concave portion 2543d is formed by hot pressing a convex portion shaped like a sphere divided into eighths. The downwardly facing concave portion 2543d is formed in such a position that flat surfaces are arranged on the upper side and the front side (the side opposite to the side where the LED 512a (see FIG. 107) is arranged) and curved surfaces are arranged on the lower side and the back side, and the convex portion used for hot pressing is formed.

Here, the upper plane is parallel to the optical axis direction of LED 512a (see FIG. 107), and the front plane is perpendicular to the optical axis of LED 512a, so that the light entering light-guiding member 2540 from LED 512a is unlikely to be reflected in the left-right direction at this position. Therefore, downward concave portion 2543d refracts light exclusively at the curved portion and emits light toward the outer lens member 550, but the emitted light is likely to be refracted downward due to the influence of the curved shape. Therefore, the light refracted in region CCVId and emitted to the outer lens member 550 is emitted in a downwardly inclined direction, as shown in FIG. 206(a).

As shown in FIG. 206(e), in the region CCVIe, an upwardly facing concave portion 2543e is formed by hot pressing a convex portion shaped like a sphere divided into eighths. The upwardly facing concave portion 2543e is formed in such a position that flat surfaces are arranged on the upper side and the front side (the side opposite to the side where the LED 512a (see FIG. 107) is arranged) and curved surfaces are arranged on the lower side and the back side, forming the convex portion used for hot pressing.

Here, the upper plane is parallel to the optical axis direction of LED 512a (see FIG. 107), and the front plane is perpendicular to the optical axis of LED 512a, so that the light entering light-guiding member 2540 from LED 512a is unlikely to be reflected in the left-right direction at this position. Therefore, upward concave portion 2543e refracts light mainly at the curved portion and emits light toward the inner lens member 530, but the emitted light is likely to be refracted upward due to the influence of the curved shape. Therefore, the light refracted in region CCVIe and emitted to the inner lens member 530 is emitted in an upwardly inclined direction, as shown in FIG. 206(a).

The concave portions formed on both sides of the light guide member 2540 in the area facing the bottom of the curve of the inner lens member 530 are formed in the same shape as in the eighth embodiment (a cone shape with an inclination angle of 45° with respect to the bottom surface and a bottom circle diameter of approximately 1 mm). Therefore, the light emitted from this portion to the inner lens member 530 or the outer lens member 550 is only weakly refracted vertically and travels in an almost horizontal direction.

According to this embodiment, the above-mentioned configuration allows light to travel in a direction that converges toward the inner lens member 530 side, and in a direction that spreads toward the outer lens member 550 side, as shown in FIG. 206(a). In other words, while the light-guiding member 2540 is formed in a flat plate shape, it is possible to provide a difference in the direction of travel of the light emitted from both sides of the light-guiding member 2540, thereby improving the lighting effect while reducing the lateral width of the right panel unit 2500.

Next, the 17th embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 207 to 281. In the above-mentioned first embodiment, the bottom surface of the lower tray unit 15 is formed flat, but in the pachinko machine 10010 of the 17th embodiment, a convex portion is formed on the bottom surface of the lower tray unit 6400, thereby improving the portability of the front frame 10014 equipped with the lower tray unit 6400. 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 207 is a front view of the pachinko machine 10010 in the seventeenth embodiment, and Figure 208 is a front perspective view of the pachinko machine 10010. 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, for the pachinko machine 10010 in the state shown in Figure 207. Also, the upper side of the pachinko machine 10010 in the state shown in Figure 207 will be referred to as the upper (upper) side, the lower side as the lower (lower) side, the right side as the right (right) side, and the left side as the left (left) side. Furthermore, the arrows U-D, L-R, and F-B in the figures indicate the up-down direction, left-right direction, and front-back direction of the pachinko machine 10010, respectively.

As shown in Figures 207 and 208, the pachinko machine 10010 mainly comprises an operating device 10300, which is shown in Figure 207 with the oscillating device member 10310 positioned in an upward position, a lower tray unit 6400 that is positioned below the operating device 10300 and covers the lower side of the front frame 10014, a side performance device 6700 that covers the left and right parts of the front frame 10014 and mainly performs light-emitting performances, and an upper performance device 6500 that covers the upper part of the front frame 10014 and mainly performs light-emitting performances and sound performances.

As in each of the above embodiments, the above-mentioned glass unit 16 is disposed in the area surrounded by the horizontal performance device 6700 and the upper performance device 6500, and a game area in which game balls flow down the back side of the glass unit 16 is formed. In order to avoid complicating the drawings, the back side of the glass unit 16 is not shown in FIG. 207, and the glass unit 16 and game board 13 (see FIG. 2) are not shown in FIG. 208, and the inside of the outer frame 11 (see FIG. 3) can be seen from the opening in which the glass unit 16 is disposed.

Figure 209 is a front perspective view of the pachinko machine 10010. Note that Figure 209 illustrates a view in a direction along the longitudinal direction of the lever member of the operating device 10300 (e.g., lever member 10340 (see Figure 80)) (a view in the radial direction of the rotation axis of the lever member of the operating device 10300).

The operating device 10300 includes a left front cover 10321 and a right front cover 10322 that are formed as thin plates with sufficient flexibility to bend. As shown in FIG. 209, the storage recess 17a is formed as a recess with a substantially symmetrical shape that is recessed toward the rear side more toward the left-right center, and is positioned so that the left-right center of the storage recess 17a coincides with the left-right center of the operating device 10300.

The rear end of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are fitted and supported in the storage recess 17a. Therefore, the fitting position moves toward the rear side as it approaches the left-right center. In other words, the fitting position moves toward the main frame (metal main body portion 10014a) of the front frame 10014 as it approaches the left-right center.

Therefore, at the left-right central position where the amount of load transmitted during operation of the operating device 10300 is likely to be large, by shortening the front-to-rear distance from the metal main body 10014a to the mating position, it is possible to suppress vertical displacement of the mating position and suppress displacement of the operating device 10300 in the vertical direction (load direction).

On the other hand, at left and right positions (positions far from the center to the left and right) where the amount of load transmitted during operation of the operating device 10300 is likely to be small, even if the front-to-rear distance from the metal main body 10014a to the mating position is increased, the effect of suppressing vertical displacement of the operating device 10300 is not impeded, and by positioning the mating position in this manner, a space can be formed between the mating position and the metal main body 10014a, so that a wide area can be secured for the placement of the upper tray 17, frame button 22, etc.

Figure 210 is a front perspective view of the pachinko machine 10010. Note that Figure 210 illustrates a state in which the front frame 10014 is opened toward the front side with respect to the outer frame 11, centered on the left end portion pivoted to the hinge 19.

The front frame 10014 has a rod-shaped portion that is pivotally supported by the hinge 19, and the rod-shaped portion is configured to be detachable from the hinge 19. By removing the rod-shaped portion from the hinge 19, the front frame 10014 can be separated from the inner frame 12. The newly described components are each disposed in the front frame 10014, so the following description will focus on the front frame 10014.

Figure 211 is an exploded rear perspective view of the front frame 10014, and Figure 212 is an exploded front perspective view of the front frame 10014. Note that Figures 211 and 212 show the lower tray unit 6400 and the operating device 10300 removed from the front frame 10014.

The front frame 10014 is a frame-shaped metal member that forms the skeleton, and includes a metal main body 10014a that is integral with the front door mounting bracket 58, and the lower tray unit 6400 and the operating device 10300 are fastened to the metal main body 10014a. That is, both the lower tray unit 6400 and the operating device 10300 are configured with a fastening portion (female screw forming portion) that opens to the metal main body 10014a side (back side), and the metal main body 10014a has a through hole drilled at a position corresponding to the fastening portion. The lower tray unit 6400 and the operating device 10300 are fastened to the front frame 10014 by inserting a fastening member (male screw) through the through hole from the back side of the metal main body 10014a and screwing it into the fastening portion and tightening it.

As shown in Figures 211 and 212, the operating device 10300 is held in a manner sandwiched between the upper tray 17 and the lower tray unit 6400. That is, the upper tray 17 holds the operating device 10300 from the upper rear of the operating device 10300, and the lower tray unit 6400 holds the operating device 10300 from the lower front of the operating device 10300. The configuration in which the operating device 10300 is held by the front frame 10014 will be described below.

Figure 213 is an exploded front perspective view of the front frame 10014, and Figure 214 is an exploded front view of the front frame 10014. Note that in Figures 213 and 214, the upper half of the front frame 10014 and the lower tray unit 6400 are omitted. Also, in Figure 213, the operating device 10300 is disassembled from the metal main body portion 10014a and is shown as viewed from the rear side, and for ease of understanding, the assembly direction lines connecting the insertion holes 6801R, 6801L and their fastening points are shown by imaginary lines.

When assembling the operating device 10300 by fitting it into the front frame 10014 from the front side, the lower surface of the bottom member De, which is disposed below the inner case member 10330, comes into contact with the upper surface of the plate-shaped protrusion T10, which protrudes in a plate shape from the front side of the front frame 10014.

A bottom member De is disposed below the operating device 10300 and fastened to the bottom surface of the inner case member 10330 from below. The bottom member De mainly comprises a fitting recess De1 (see FIG. 212) that opens to the front side, and a recessed portion De2 that is open on the opposite side (lower side) of the inner case member 10330 and on the back side.

The recessed portion De2 is formed in a U-shape when viewed from the rear, with the lower side open, and is formed to a size that allows it to fit into the plate-shaped protrusion T10. In other words, the operation device 10300 can be aligned with the front frame 10014 by fitting the plate-shaped protrusion T10 into the recessed portion De2. In addition, since the plate-shaped protrusion T10 is formed in a thick plate shape, the rigidity of the plate-shaped protrusion T10 allows the vertical position of the operation device 10300 to be maintained. Note that fitting here does not mean whether there is a gap, as long as it is possible to align the bottom member De with the plate-shaped protrusion T10.

At the tip of the plate-shaped protrusion T10, a pair of cylindrical protrusions are formed on the left and right sides, protruding toward the front in the shape of a thin cylinder, and a female screw hole is formed at the intermediate position between the pair of cylindrical protrusions so that a fastening screw can be screwed in.

The pair of cylindrical protrusions are formed for the purpose of aligning the plate-shaped protrusion T10 and the bottom member De by being inserted into a recess recessed in the corresponding wall portion (front side wall portion) of the recessed portion De2, and the fastening screw screwed into the female screw hole is inserted into an insertion hole drilled at the corresponding position of the recessed portion De2, and the plate-shaped protrusion T10 and the bottom member De are fastened and fixed by tightening this fastening screw.

As described above, the recessed portion De2 formed in the rear half of the bottom member De rests on the plate-shaped protrusion T10, while the opposite front half (see FIG. 215(a)) is positioned above the flat plate-shaped portion 6426a of the plate-shaped support portion 6426. In other words, the front half of the bottom member De is positioned opposite the flat plate-shaped portion 6426a in the vertical direction with the resin member 6427 in between, and is formed so as to be able to abut against the resin member 6427.

Note that the term "able to come into contact" here does not limit the situation. For example, it may be a state in which the operating device 10300 normally comes into contact with the resin member 6427 due to its own weight, or it may be a state in which the resin member 6427 and the bottom member De are normally spaced apart, but the resin member 6427 and the bottom member De come into contact when a load is applied to the operating device 10300 or a vibration effect is performed, causing the operating device 10300 to move downward.

After fitting the operating device 10300 into the front frame 10014, the fastening screw inserted into the front frame 10014 from the rear side is tightened to fix the operating device 10300 to the front frame 10014.

That is, the inner case member 10330 of the operating device 10300 mainly comprises a plurality of fastening portions 10333 (three in this embodiment) that are formed so that fastening screws can be screwed in, and a metal plate portion 10334 that is a metal plate that covers one of the fastening portions 10333, has an insertion hole through which the fastening screw can be inserted, and can receive a compressive force when the fastening is fixed.

The fastening portion 10333 is formed so as to be able to abut against the edge of the insertion hole H10a, which is drilled in the metal body portion 10014a with a diameter that allows the fastening screw to be inserted. An intermediate plate made of hard resin is disposed on the front side of the metal body portion 10014a, and through holes are drilled in the intermediate plate around the insertion hole H10a, so that the fastening portion 10333 can abut against the metal body portion 10014a through the through holes.

The through hole H10a corresponding to the fastening portion 10333 in which the metal plate portion 10334 is disposed is surrounded by a larger through hole in the intermediate plate than the other through holes H10a. The shape of this through hole is designed to be large enough not to interfere with the metal plate portion 10334 that is provided on the back side of the fastening portion 10333.

As a result, by fastening and fixing the operating device 10300 to the front frame 10014, the metal plate portion 10334 can be brought into close contact with the metal main body portion 10014a. In other words, the metal plate portion 10334 and the metal main body portion 10014a can be electrically connected, so that they can have the same role as a so-called earth wire. This ensures the safety of the player who operates the operating device 10300.

In addition, by disposing the metal plate portion 10334 between them, the metal plate portion 10334 can be given the function of a washer. This allows the operating device 10300 to be firmly fixed to the metal main body portion 10014a.

The shape of the metal plate portion 10334 is not limited to this embodiment, and various forms are exemplified. For example, instead of forming a through hole, it may be configured to have a pair of claws that straddle the screw hole of the fastening portion 10333. In addition, if the claws are formed with a positional shift in the front and rear, they can have the function of a spring washer, and the fastening strength can be increased.

The points where the operating device 10300 is fastened to the front frame 10014 are concentrated on the rear side, except for the insertion holes 6801R and 6801L. By concentrating the points required for fastening on the rear side, the design freedom on the front side can be improved, and the design can be improved.

On the other hand, simply fastening and fixing on the rear side is problematic because when a load is applied to the front side of the operating device 10300 in a sinking (downward) direction, the operating device 10300 is prone to downward displacement. Therefore, in this embodiment, a structure is adopted that concentrates the fastening points on the rear side and suppresses sinking displacement on the front side of the operating device 10300. This will be explained in order below.

First, the function of the fitting recess De1 will be described. The fitting recess De1 formed on the lower front side of the operating device 10300 fits into the fitting portion 6426d (see Figures 211 and 212). As a result, the vertical movement of the front side of the operating device 10300 is restricted by the fitting portion 6426d, and sinking displacement is suppressed.

Next, the function of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 will be described. As shown in Figures 213 and 214, the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 have a plate-like protruding portion on the rear edge of the upper half that is located on the rear side of the swing operation member 10310.

That is, the left front cover 10321 mainly comprises a plate-like protruding portion 10321c that protrudes in a plate shape along the rear side edge of the upper half, and multiple partial protruding portions 10321d that protrude further from the plate-like protruding portion 10321c.

Similarly, the right front cover 10322 has a plate-like protruding portion 10322c that protrudes in a plate shape along the rear side edge of the upper half. Note that the right front cover 10322 does not have a portion corresponding to the partial protruding portion 10321d, and the periphery of the plate-like protruding portion 10322c can be designed as desired.

The plate-like protrusions 10321c, 10322c and partial protrusion 10321d are configured as parts that are inserted and fitted into the storage recess 17a. Here, the configuration of the storage recess 17a in this embodiment will be described.

As shown in Figures 213 and 214, the storage recess 17a mainly comprises a lower edge protruding portion 10017b whose lower edge protrudes toward the front side with a substantially equal protruding width across the left and right sides of the storage recess 17a, a plurality of opposing protruding portions 10017c that are arranged opposite the lower edge protruding portion 10017b in a manner protruding toward the front side at positions slightly longer than the plate thickness of the plate-shaped protruding portions 10321c and 10322c below the lower edge protruding portion 10017b on both the left and right sides of the storage recess 17a and form a groove between the lower edge protruding portion 10017b, a plurality of positioning holes 10017d whose upper edges are drilled in the front-to-rear direction as long holes at the same plane as the lower edge protruding portion 10017b, and an escape hole 10017e drilled in the front-to-rear direction at a position that is aligned horizontally with the opposing protruding portion 10017c on the right side.

When assembling the operating device 10300 into the storage recess 17a, the plate-shaped projections 10321c and 10322c are inserted into the groove between the lower edge projection 10017b and the opposing projection 10017c, and the partial projections 10321d are inserted into the positioning holes 10017d, respectively, so that the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are fitted and supported in the storage recess 17a.

In this case, the plate-like projections 10321c and 10322c are fitted into the groove between the lower edge projection 10017b and the opposing projection 10017c, thereby preventing the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 from being displaced in the up-down direction.

In addition, by inserting (fitting) the multiple partial projections 10321d into the multiple positioning holes 10017d, the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 can be easily aligned with the storage recess 17a, and the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 can be prevented from being displaced in the up, down, left, and right directions.

Furthermore, the storage recess 17a is formed in an arch shape that opens to the front side, and the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are stored inside the arch with their faces abutting each other, so that the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 can be prevented from being displaced in the left-right direction or toward the rear side.

This configuration makes it possible to prevent the position of the operating device 10300 from shifting (early returning it to its original position) when the swing operating member 10310 of the operating device 10300 is in an upward position and the player applies a backward load to the swing operating member 10310.

When a player operates the swing operation member 10310, the player will primarily use his/her left hand to operate it. In a typical gaming posture (facing the pachinko machine 10010), the player will extend his/her left hand diagonally forward and to the right to operate the operation device 10300, which is located in the center of the pachinko machine 10010 from side to side. Therefore, it is rare for the load applied during operation not to have a left-right component.

As a result, a load is applied to the swing operation member 10310 in the left-right direction at the same time as a load is applied to the rearward direction, which may cause the operation device 10300 to shift backward and left-right.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the operating device 10300 is surrounded by the arch-shaped portion of the storage recess 17a, and the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are disposed between them. Therefore, the restoring force of the deformation of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 that may occur when the operating device 10300 is displaced occurs in the left-right and front-back directions in a direction that returns the operating device 10300 to its original position. As a result, even if the operating device 10300 is displaced, it can be quickly returned to its original position.

The above configurations can suppress the displacement of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 relative to the storage recess 17a. In other words, it can suppress the displacement of the operating device 10300 relative to the storage recess 17a.

The escape hole 10017e functions as a through hole through which the fixing assembly part 6802 of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322, which will be described later, is inserted. By forming the escape hole 10017e, the fixing assembly part 6802 can be disposed in a position that protrudes outward from the plate-shaped protruding part 10321c.

Next, the surroundings of the operation device 10300 will be described. First, an outline of the internal structure of the operation device 10300 will be described. Figures 215(a), 215(b), 216(a) and 216(b) are partial cross-sectional views of the operation device 10300 taken along the line CCXVa-CCXVa in Figure 207.

Figure 215(a) shows the state in which the swivel operation member 10310 is arranged in an upward position (initial position in this embodiment), and Figures 215(b), 216(a) and 216(b) show the state in which the swivel operation member 10310 is arranged in a downward position (pressed position in this embodiment).

As shown in Figures 215(a) and 215(b), the operating device 10300 has a lever member 10340, which supports the swing operation member 10310 on a pivot support rod 10363, pivoted on a lever support shaft 10331d1 fixed to the inner case member 10330. Therefore, the swing operation member 10310 that can be operated by the player is displaceable in a manner that combines displacement accompanying the movement of the pivot support rod 10363, which is arranged on an arc trajectory centered on the lever support shaft 10331d1, and displacement in the rotational direction centered on the pivot support rod 10363, and is configured to cause this displacement by operation by the player.

That is, by grasping the oscillating operation member 10310 arranged in the upward position and applying a load toward the rear, the oscillating operation member 10310 can be pushed in such a manner that it undergoes a rotational displacement around the pivot rod 10363 (pushing operation).

In addition, by grasping the oscillating operation member 10310 arranged in an upward position and applying a load toward the front and downward, the oscillating operation member 10310 can be pushed down in a manner of rotational displacement centered on the lever support shaft 10331d1 (push-down operation).

In addition, when the oscillating operation member 10310 is positioned in the downward position, the action of the posture correction device 10312 (which applies a load to the oscillating operation member 10310 in a direction away from the wall member 10322b) causes the oscillating operation member 10310 to be pushed backward relative to the lever member 10340 (a backward rotation posture, a posture rotated backward from the initial position by an angle θ17y relative to the lever member 10340). Therefore, since the angle of change in posture of the oscillating operation member 10310 is small compared to the rotation angle of the lever support shaft 10331d1, it is possible to suppress changes in the vibration direction of the vibration device 10366 due to the rotational displacement of the lever member 10340.

In addition, when the lens member 10317, which is displaceably supported on the oscillating operation member 10310, is pressed (pushed) while the oscillating operation member 10310 is positioned in a downward position, the load applied during the operation causes the oscillating operation member 10310 to rotate about the pivot support rod 10363, and to be displaced in a manner that causes it to tilt forward, thereby changing the vibration direction of the vibration device 10366 to direction Y17c (see FIG. 216(b)).

In this manner, in this embodiment, the oscillating operation member 10310 is configured to be capable of being subjected to loads for operation from multiple directions, and the oscillating operation member 10310 can be configured to be displaced in different ways depending on the type of load.

The lever member 10340 is driven to rotate around the lever support shaft 10331d1 by the drive motor. As a result, even if the oscillating operation member 10310 is pushed down and placed in a downward position, the oscillating operation member 10310 can be returned to an upward position by controlling the rotation of the lever member 10340 by the drive motor.

A vibration device 10366 consisting of a voice coil motor that generates linear vibrations is disposed at the tip of the lever member 10340, and the vibrations of the vibration device 10366 are configured to be transmitted to the lens member 10317 by direct or indirect contact.

The vibration device 10366 is a device that uses electromagnetic force to move a pair of members toward and away from each other in a linear direction, and mainly comprises a bobbin member (member arranged on the lever member 10340 side) which is a cylindrical member with copper wire wound around it, and a pressing member (member arranged on the lens member 10317 side) in which a cylinder with an outer diameter smaller than the inner circumferential surface of the bobbin member and a cylinder with an inner diameter larger than the outer circumferential surface of the bobbin member are arranged coaxially and connected by a disk-shaped plate. The pressing member is made of a magnetic material in which the polarity of the inner cylinder changes in the axial direction.

The vibration device 10366 is configured to generate linear vibrations along the direction Y17a that is along a straight line passing through the center of the pivot rod 10363. In addition, in this embodiment, the direction Y17a is configured to coincide with the direction of displacement of the lens member 10317.

This allows the lens member 10317 to be vibrated (displaced) by making maximum use of the vibration energy of the vibration device 10366, thereby improving the dramatic effect produced by the vibration of the vibration device 10366.

Next, the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 will be described in detail. FIG. 217 is a front perspective view of the operation device 10300, and FIG. 218 is a rear perspective view of the operation device 10300.

As shown in FIG. 217, a left front cover 10321 and a right front cover 10322 are disposed behind the swing operation member 10310 of the operating device 10300. The left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 have curved outer ends (ends opposite the swing operation member 10310), with the center of curvature of the curved surface being disposed on the swing operation member 10310 side. This allows a large space to be secured around the swing operation member 10310, ensuring a range of motion for the swing operation member 10310 and also ensuring space for the player to insert their fingers to grip the swing operation member 10310.

In addition, the curve of the end is formed in a continuous manner to surround the swivel operation member 10310, improving the design, and since the deformation of the curved shape portion can be divided over the entire portion, the allowable range of deformation of the curved portion can be increased.

As shown in Figures 217 and 218, the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are provided with insertion holes 6801R, 6801L drilled in the front-rear direction to allow the insertion of fastening screws fastened to both the left and right ends of the storage recess 17a, and a fixing assembly 6802 for fixing the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 to the inner case member 10330 inseparably with the fastening screws.

The left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are fastened to the storage recess 17a by the insertion holes 6801R, 6801L located at both left and right ends. The left and right ends are the farthest from the load applied to the operating device 10300 (mainly the load in the direction along the plane that passes through the center in the left-right direction and is perpendicular to the left-right direction), and the load is not easily transmitted to these ends, so that the occurrence of loosening of the fastening screws that are inserted through the insertion holes 6801R, 6801L and fastened to the storage recess 17a can be suppressed.

The fixed assembly 6802 is formed at the boundary between the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322, and as shown in FIG. 218, the position where the fixed assembly 6802 is formed is shifted to the right from the left-right center of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 (the point where the plate-shaped protruding parts 10321c, 10322c are located furthest from the rear side). In other words, the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are not formed in a shape that can be disassembled at the left-right center, and the left front cover 10321 is formed beyond the left-right center to the right, while the right front cover 10322 remains in a position to the right of the left-right center. In other words, the left front cover 10321 is formed over a wider area than the right front cover 10322.

In this embodiment, the rear boundary between the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 is offset from the center in the left-right direction, so that alignment with the storage recess 17a can be completed by inserting one of the components (the left front cover 10321 in this embodiment) into the center of the storage recess 17a (the part located furthest to the rear), making assembly easier than when aligning both components.

Also, by shifting the position of the fixed assembly 6802 from the center in the left-right direction, the load transmitted during operation of the operation device 10300 can be reduced. Here, the rear side of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 is a location where the swing operation member 10310, which is operated by the player, can be placed nearby (especially in the upward position (see FIG. 218)), so there is a risk that the fastening screw will loosen due to the load transmitted during operation of the operation device 10300. In contrast, in this embodiment, by shifting the fixed assembly 6802 to the left or right from the center in the left-right direction where the load during operation is maximum, the transmitted load can be reduced compared to the load during operation, and the occurrence of loosening of the fastening screw in the fixed assembly 6802 can be suppressed.

In this way, by shifting the fixed assembly part 6802 left and right from the left-right center and similarly shifting the boundaries of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322, it is possible to improve the efficiency of assembly and also to make it less likely for the fastening screws to become loose.

The left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are not directly fastened to the inner case member 10330 at the fixing assembly 6802. That is, at the fixing assembly 6802, the fastening screw inserted into the right front cover 10322 is fastened to the left front cover 10321.

However, for the inner case member 10330, the fixing assembly 6802 is inserted into a through hole formed in the upper plate portion of the inner case member 10330 (shown by imaginary lines in FIG. 220), and the fixing assembly 6802 merely sandwiches the upper plate portion from both sides (see FIG. 218). With this configuration, the number of fastening points formed on the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 can be reduced compared to when the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are fastened to the inner case member 10330, respectively.

This makes it possible to utilize the flexibility of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322. In other words, if the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 have many fastening points, the rigidity of the fastening screws may make the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 less flexible and more susceptible to damage.

On the other hand, to make the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 more flexible while maintaining the fastening points, the thickness of the plates could be reduced, but this could result in a decrease in durability or lead to fraudulent activity.

In contrast, in this embodiment, by reducing the number of fastening points, it is possible to sufficiently flex the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 without being affected by the rigidity of the fastening screws. This makes it possible to utilize the flexure of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 without excessively thinning the plate thickness of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322.

219 and 221 are exploded front perspective views of the operating device 10300, and 220 and 222 are exploded rear perspective views of the operating device 10300. As shown in 219 and 220, the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are configured to be disassembled to the left and right while being integral with the left cover member 10323 and the right cover member 10324, respectively.

As shown in Figures 221 and 222, the left front cover 10321 is fastened to the left cover member 10323, and the right front cover 10322 is fastened to the right cover member 10324 at one point (adjustment long holes 10323a, 10324a) in the front-rear direction.

Before the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are fastened and fixed to each other, the left front cover 10321 is movable relative to the left cover member 10323, and the right front cover 10322 is movable relative to the right cover member 10324, making it easier to adjust the assembly positions of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322. This will be explained below.

The operating device 10300 includes a left front cover 10321 and a right front cover 10322, which are arranged on the front side of the inner case member 10330 in a manner that the rear side is formed in a shape that follows the curved surfaces of the cover members 10344 and 10345 (see FIG. 215) and hides the left and right edges of the cover members 10344 and 10345, and a left cover member 10323 and a right cover member 10324, which are fastened and fixed to the inner case member 10330 from the left and right directions.

The left cover member 10323 and the right cover member 10324 each have an adjustment slot 10323a, 10324a at the outer upper end that is drilled in the front-rear direction and extends elongatedly in the left-right direction.

The long adjustment holes 10323a and 10324a are holes for fastening the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322, respectively. By making them long in the left-right direction, the left-right positions of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 relative to the swing operation member 10310 can be easily adjusted even if the shapes of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 vary due to molding variations, etc.

The left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are fastened and fixed in the front-rear direction to the adjustment slots 10323a and 10324a, and are fastened and fixed in the left-right direction at the end faces that face each other in the left-right direction.

As shown in FIG. 219, the right front cover 10322 has a fitting recess 10322a recessed to the right from the end face of the right front cover 10322 that abuts against the left front cover 10321, and a wall member 10322b that is attached to the fitting recess 10322a in a manner that prevents it from slipping out in the front-rear direction. When the right front cover 10322 and the left front cover 10321 are assembled (see FIG. 217), the wall member 10322b is held inside the fitting recess 10322a by being prevented from moving leftward by the end face of the left front cover 10321.

With this configuration, when replacing the wall member 10322b, it is possible to replace the wall member 10322b simply by removing the right front cover 10322 (the wall member 10322b is a part that is repeatedly subjected to load from the posture correction device 10312 (see FIG. 215)). Therefore, maintenance efficiency can be improved.

First, the procedure for assembly will be described. The left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are assembled to the left cover member 10323 and the right cover member 10324, respectively (corresponding to moving from Figures 221 and 222 to Figures 219 and 220), and then fastened and fixed. The left cover member 10323 and the right cover member 10324 are then fastened to the inner case member 10330 to align the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322, and then the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are fastened and fixed.

If the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 cannot move relative to the left cover member 10323 and the right cover member 10324, when correcting the misalignment of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322, it becomes necessary to loosen the fastening of the left cover member 10323 and the right cover member 10324 to the inner case member 10330 and shift the position of the left cover member 10323 and the right cover member 10324 to make the correction.

In addition, in anticipation of this, if the left cover member 10323 and the right cover member 10324 are not fully tightened to the inner case member 10330 but are loosely fastened to determine the position of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322, then after the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are fastened (downstream of the assembly procedure), the left cover member 10323 and the right cover member 10324 are fastened (upstream of the assembly procedure) to the inner case member 10330, which creates a backtracking procedure and complicates the work itself, which is not desirable in terms of simplifying the work.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are movable relative to the left cover member 10323 and the right cover member 10324, so that the positions of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 can be adjusted after the left cover member 10323 and the right cover member 10324 are fastened and fixed to the inner case member 10330. This simplifies the assembly work.

The left front cover 10321 and the right front cover member 10322 each have a shielding plate portion 6803L, 6803R whose front edge is arranged opposite the guide portion 10344a of the upper cover member 10344. The shielding plate portions 6803L, 6803R serve to close the gap between the upper cover member 10344 and the inner case member 10330 (see FIG. 220), and are designed to have a small gap between them and the guide portion 10344a as a countermeasure against fraudulent acts such as inserting a piano wire into the gap to enter the inside of the pachinko machine 10010 or pranks such as pouring liquid into the gap (in this embodiment, the clearance is designed to be 0.3 mm).

On the other hand, if the positional relationship between the shielding plate parts 6803L, 6803R and the guide part 10344a becomes misaligned and the gap becomes blocked due to the influence of load (shock) during operation, the guide part 10344a and the shielding plate parts 6803L, 6803R may rub against each other during operation of the operation device 10300, causing resin shavings to be generated. While the resin shavings have little effect when there is only a small amount, if a large amount of them becomes lodged in the detection groove of a light-transmitting switch, such as a photocoupler type, there is a risk that the shavings may block light and induce erroneous detection. This could limit the freedom of choice of switches that can be used.

In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, the fixed assembly 6802, which serves as the fastening point for the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322, is positioned at a position away from the left and right center position (the position where the load during operation and the load during movement are maximum), so that the impact and load transmitted to the fastening point can be reduced, and the fastening screw can be made less likely to loosen.

This makes it possible to prevent the positional relationship between the shielding plate portions 6803L, 6803R and the guide portion 10344a from shifting, prevents the generation of resin shavings, and suppresses erroneous detection. Therefore, in this embodiment, a photocoupler type detection switch FC is disposed on the front side of the shielding plate portions 6803L, 6803R.

The detection switch FC is a switch for detecting the operation of pushing the oscillating operation member 10310 in the backward direction, and is fixed to the connecting part 10344c. A thin metal plate MB is fixed inside the oscillating operation member 10310 so as to face the detection switch FC.

When the swing operation member 10310 is pushed in the backward direction, the metal plate MB enters the detection groove of the detection switch FC and blocks the detection light, so it can be determined that a push-in operation has been performed. In this embodiment, no load is applied to either the detection switch FC or the metal plate MB, so durability can be improved compared to when a load is applied.

The left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 mainly comprise curved plate portions 6804L, 6804R formed as a continuous curved surface on the front side of the shielding plate portions 6803L, 6803R, and lower plate portions 6805L, 6805R formed continuously as a fan-shaped plate portion in a front view on the lower side of the curved plate portions 6804L, 6804R.

The curved plate portions 6804L and 6804R have a curved surface on the rear side that can come into surface contact with the curved portions of the upper front sides of the left cover member 10323 and the right cover member 10324 (i.e., an arc shape with a central angle of approximately 90 degrees centered on the lever support shaft 10331d1 (see FIG. 215)).

The lower plate portions 6805L and 6805R are provided with a protruding interference portion 6805a that protrudes from the rear surface toward the rear side. The protruding interference portion 6805a is disposed slightly inward from the inner edge portion Rm1 of the left cover member 13331 and the right cover member 13332 in the left-right direction, and is formed to protrude toward the rear side from the front surface of the left cover member 13331 and the right cover member 13332 in the front-rear direction.

As a result, when the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322, and the left cover member 10323 and the right cover member 10324 are assembled (see FIG. 220), the protruding interference portion 6805a is restricted from being displaced outward in the left and right directions by the inner edge portion Rm1. Therefore, since it is possible to prevent the left front cover 10321 or the right front cover 10322 from being displaced outward in the left and right directions, it is possible to prevent the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 from being disassembled in a manner that causes them to move away from each other.

The left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are provided with connecting curved portions 6806L, 6806R that connect the outer peripheries of the curved plate portions 6804L, 6804R and the lower plate portions 6805L, 6805R, respectively, and that extend outward when viewed from the front, with the tip of the extension curved toward the front side.

The left front cover 10321 has fastening parts 6802L, 6807L, 6808L arranged vertically at the right end so that fastening screws can be screwed in. The right front cover 10322 has through holes 6802R, 6807R, 6808R arranged vertically at the left end so that fastening screws can be inserted.

The left front cover 10321, the right front cover 10322, and the inner case member 10330 are fixed to each other by a plurality of fastening parts and insertion holes distributed in the vertical direction (the direction along the operation direction of the operating device 10300). This allows the load and impact caused by the operation of the operating device 10300 to be distributed to each fastening part, and makes it possible to prevent the occurrence of loosening of the fastening screws.

Furthermore, because it is possible to prevent misalignment at the gap between the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322, it is possible to prevent a decrease in performance of the design parts that are easily visible to the player (especially the lower plate parts 6805L, 6805R and the connecting curved parts 6806L, 6806R, which are easily visible when viewed from the front; see Figure 207). These fastening parts and insertion holes each have a different role. They will be explained in order below.

The fastening portion 6802L and the insertion hole 6802R are assembled in such a manner that they sandwich the insertion hole H23a drilled in the left-right direction in the portion that protrudes from the top surface of the inner case member 10330, and are fixed by fastening screws to sandwich the inner case member 10330. Note that this is not a so-called "co-fastening" manner, but rather is fastened and fixed in such a manner that the tip of the cylindrical portion extending to the right from the fastening portion 6802L abuts against the left surface of the plate portion where the insertion hole 6802R is formed. In other words, the fastening is such that no compressive load is generated in the portion where the insertion hole H23a is drilled.

In addition, a gap is provided by designing the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion extending to the right from the fastening portion 6802L to be slightly shorter than the inner diameter of the insertion hole H23a. Even if the inner case member 10330 is displaced downward due to the load applied to the operating device 10300 during operation, the fastening portion 6802L and the inner case member 10330 can be operated independently within the above-mentioned gap range, so that the fixed assembly portion 6802 can be prevented from being displaced in the same manner when a small displacement occurs that may occur in the inner case member 10330.

The length of the cylindrical portion extending to the right from the fastening portion 6802L may be slightly shortened so that a compressive load is applied to the portion where the insertion hole H23a is drilled when fastening. In this case, the restoring force of the portion where the insertion hole H23a is drilled increases the fastening force, so that loosening of the fastening screw in the fixed assembly portion 6802 can be avoided.

The fastening portion 6807L is a portion into which a fastening screw is screwed, which is inserted into an insertion hole H23b drilled in the left-right direction in the portion that protrudes toward the front side of the inner case member 10330. By screwing in this fastening screw, the left front cover 10321 is fastened and fixed to the inner case member 10330. Note that in this embodiment, the only place where only the left front cover 10321 and the inner case member 10330 are fastened and fixed is the fastening point by the fastening portion 6807L and the insertion hole H23b.

The insertion hole 6807R is a through hole through which a fastening screw is inserted to be fastened to the fastening portion T23a formed so as to be screwed in the left-right direction in the portion of the inner case member 10330 that protrudes toward the front side. The right front cover 10322 is fastened to the inner case member 10330 by screwing in this fastening screw. Note that in this embodiment, the only places where the right front cover 10322 and the inner case member 10330 are fastened are the fastening points by the fastening portion T23b and the insertion hole 6807R.

The fastening portion 6808L and the through hole 6808R are directly fastened by a fastening screw inserted into the through hole 6808R and screwed into the fastening portion 6808L. Note that in this embodiment, the only places where the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are fastened are the fastening points by the fastening portion 6808L and the through hole 6808R.

In this manner, in this embodiment, fastening portions and insertion holes are formed at multiple locations along the direction in which the opposing portions of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are formed, but each location is configured so that the combination of objects to be fastened is different. This makes it unnecessary to fasten the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 all at once when assembling them to the inner case member 10330, making the assembly work easier. The assembly procedure is described below.

First, by attaching either the left front cover 10321 or the right front cover 10322 to the inner case member 10330 and fastening it at one point, it is possible to prevent either the left front cover 10321 or the right front cover 10322 from coming off the inner case member 10330.

In this case, either the left front cover 10321 or the right front cover 10322 may be attached first. When the left front cover 10321 is attached first, the left front cover 10321 can be fixed to the inner case member 10330 by fastening the fastening screw through the insertion hole H23b and into the fastening portion 6807L. When the right front cover 10322 is attached first, the right front cover 10322 can be fixed to the inner case member 10330 by fastening the fastening screw through the insertion hole 6807R and into the fastening portion T23a.

Next, the other of the left front cover 10321 or the right front cover 10322 is attached to the inner case member 10330 and similarly fastened at one location, thereby forming a state in which the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are each independently fastened to the inner case member 10330.

After this, although there is no specified order, the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 can be fixed integrally to the inner case member 10330 by screwing and fastening the fastening screws into the fixing assembly 6802. Also, by screwing and fastening the fastening screws into the fastening portion 6808L and the insertion hole 6808R, only the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 can be fastened to each other.

In this way, by forming points for fastening the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 to each other, the number of fastening points can be reduced compared to when the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are assembled only by fastening them to the inner case member 10330.

In this embodiment, when fastening the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322, all the fastening screws are configured to be inserted from right to left. Therefore, the fastening work can be made more efficient than when the fastening screws are inserted in both directions.

The screwing direction of the fastening screws fixed to the fastening parts 6802L, 6807L, and 6808L is unified to the left-right direction along the rotation axis of the lever member 10340. Since the operation direction of each operation part of the operation device 10300 is a direction along a plane perpendicular to the direction of the rotation axis of the lever member 10340, the direction along the rotation axis of the lever member 10340 is a direction perpendicular to the operation direction of each operation part of the operation device 10300. In other words, when a load or impact during operation occurs along the operation direction, no component is generated in the screwing direction of the fastening screws. This makes it possible to prevent the fastening screws from loosening due to the load or impact during operation of the operation device 10300.

In this embodiment, the operating device 10300 has multiple operating parts (including parts that operate when operated, such as the swivel operating member 10310, lens member 10317, lever member 10340, etc.), but since all of the operating parts are designed to operate in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the lever member 10340, the screwing direction of the fastening screw is the left-right direction along the rotation axis of the lever member 10340.

On the other hand, if the operating part does not operate on a plane perpendicular to the direction of the rotation axis of the lever member 10340 (for example, if there is an operating part that operates by pushing in diagonal directions to the left and right), the direction found as the balance (average) of the operating directions of each operating part (for example, an intermediate angle direction) may be set as the fastening direction, or the fastening direction may be set for operating parts that receive frequent operating instructions (ignoring operating parts that receive infrequent operating instructions).

223(a) is a front perspective view of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322, and FIG. 223(b) is a rear perspective view of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322. As shown in FIG. 223(a) and FIG. 223(b), the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 contact each other across multiple surfaces arranged opposite each other, except for the portion where a gap is formed between the curved plate portions 6804L, 6804R for positioning the lever member 10340 (see FIG. 220) and the portion where the fitting recess 10322a is formed.

At the contact portion, on the side not visible to the player, a plate-shaped portion extends to the right from the left front cover 10321. That is, for example, the shielding plate portion 6803L has a lower overlapping portion 6803La that extends to the right along its lower surface (see FIG. 223(a)).

The lower overlapping portion 6803La supports the shielding plate portion 6803R, preventing the shielding plate portion 6803R from displacing downward relative to the shielding plate portion 6803L. This makes it possible to prevent a gap from occurring between the shielding plate portions 6803R and 6803L, and to suppress the passage of liquid between the shielding plate portions 6803R and 6803L.

In this embodiment, it is possible to prevent liquid from coming into contact with the inner case member 10330 (see FIG. 218) located below the shielding plate portions 6803R and 6803L, the lever member 10340 whose rear side is housed therein, the drive motor that drives the lever member 10340, the transmission mechanism such as cams and gears that transmit the driving force of the drive motor, and the electrical system (circuit board, etc.) that drives the drive motor.

In addition, while the gap between the shielding plates 6803R, 6803L is formed to the right of the left-right center of the swing operation member 10310, the gap (joining surface) between the left and right members constituting the inner case member 10330 is located on the same plane as the left-right center of the swing operation member 10310. Therefore, even if liquid passes between the shielding plates 6803R, 6803L, the liquid can be prevented from immediately reaching the gap between the left and right members constituting the inner case member 10330.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the drive motor that drives the lever member 10340 is positioned to the left of the center of the inner case member 10330 (corresponding to the bulging portion to the left from the inner case member 10330, see FIG. 218), so that even if the area below between the shielding plates 6803R and 6803L gets wet, the liquid that wets that area can flow downward along the right outer surface of the inner case member 10330, preventing the drive motor from getting wet.

For example, the lower plate portion 6805L has a rear overlap portion 6805Lb extending to the right along the back surface below the mating recess 10322a. The rear overlap portion 6805Lb supports the lower plate portion 6805R from behind, restricting the lower plate portion 6805R from displacing rearward relative to the lower plate portion 6805L. This makes it possible to prevent a gap from occurring between the lower plate portions 6805R and 6805L, and to suppress the passage of liquid between the lower plate portions 6805R and 6805L.

The liquid that passes below the lower plate portions 6805R, 6805L reaches the plate-shaped support portion 6426 (see Figures 232 and 234), and if a large amount of liquid continues to pass through, it may pass between the main body portion 6411 of the covering base member 6410 and the main body box portion 6421 of the lower tray forming member 6420, and flow toward the through hole 6412 or flow along the recessed shape portion 6414. In particular, if liquid flows downward from the through hole 6412, the liquid may flow downward from the underside of the outer frame of the front frame 10014, and may splash on the player or wet the coin box.

In this embodiment, as described below, the through hole 6412 is sandwiched between the lower tray forming member 6420 and the ball discharge device 6430, so that the sandwiching without any gaps makes it easier to prevent the passage of liquid. However, by preventing liquid from passing between the lower plate portions 6805R and 6805L as in this embodiment, it is possible to reduce the possibility of liquid splashing on the player or wetting the coin box, and therefore it is possible to configure a pachinko machine 10010 that allows players to play comfortably.

As shown in Figures 223(a) and 223(b), the shielding plate portions 6803L, 6803R, the curved plate portions 6804L, 6804R, and the lower plate portions 6805L, 6805R have streak portions D23 formed in a streak-like manner by being pushed from the front surface side to the back surface side. Due to the way in which the streak portions D23 are formed, they are visually recognized as recesses on the front surface and as protrusions on the back surface.

The streak portion D23 serves to adjust the rigidity of the shielding plate portions 6803L, 6803R, the curved plate portions 6804L, 6804R, and the lower plate portions 6805L, 6805R. In other words, compared to forming them as simple thin plates, the rigidity in the direction perpendicular to the streak portion D23 is maintained (or reduced), while the rigidity is improved (anisotropy) along the direction in which the streak portion D23 is formed. This will be explained using the curved plate portions 6804L, 6804R as an example.

The curved plate portions 6804L, 6804R are disposed between the lever member 10340 and the storage recess 17a (see FIG. 213) and serve to fill the gap. Here, the operating device 10300 including the lever member 10340 is configured to be slightly displaceable downward due to loads and shocks applied during operation in order to prevent excessive reaction force from being applied to the player during operation, while the storage recess 17a is configured to be immovable in order to keep the position of the upper tray 17 unchanged.

That is, when the operating device 10300 is operated, there is a risk that a gap will occur between the lever member 10340 and the storage recess 17a. In this embodiment, the curved plate portions 6804L, 6804R are extended in the vertical direction (elastically deformed, bent), so that the curved plate portions 6804L, 6804R can accommodate changes in the distance between the lever member 10340 and the storage recess 17a, and the occurrence of a gap can be prevented.

In addition, in this embodiment, the rib portion D23 is formed along the vertical direction (the direction in which the load during operation is mainly directed) in which the curved plate portions 6804L, 6804R deform, thereby increasing the resistance to deformation in the vertical direction (increasing rigidity), thereby making it possible to suppress vibrations and excessive deformation when returning to the original shape. In this way, the design of the rib portion D23 in this embodiment is carried out with the aim of providing a countermeasure against problems that may occur during operation of the operating device 10300.

The rib-like portion D23 of the lower plate portions 6805L, 6805R is formed in a U-shape when viewed from the front, so that when a downward load is applied to the center, both the left and right sides will withstand the upward load (a pulling force will be generated). In other words, even if a downward load is applied during operation of the operating device 10300 and a displacement occurs, the displacement can be quickly returned to its original state.

On the other hand, even if a load is applied in a direction perpendicular to the striated portion D23, the flexibility of the resin allows for an allowable deformation, reducing the load transmitted to the V-shaped design component 6450 located downstream.

The connecting curved portions 6806L and 6806R have end streak portions D24 that are formed in a streak-like manner by being pushed from the front side to the back side. Due to the way in which the streak portions D24 are formed, they are visually recognized as concave portions on the front side and as convex portions on the back side.

The end muscle portion D24 mainly comprises left and right muscle portions D24a formed on the left and right sides, and a central muscle portion D24b formed on the center side, each formed as a measure against loads in different directions.

The left and right muscle sections D24a are muscle sections that are located above the fastening section 6807L (the uppermost of the fastening points on the front side) and are formed in a shape that slopes downward toward the rear side. This downward slope corresponds to the direction of the load, such as the operation of pushing the lens member 10317 of the swing operation member 10310 (along the direction of the load). In other words, the left and right muscle sections D24a improve the rigidity of the connecting curved sections 6806L, 6806R in the direction of the left and right muscle sections D24a, thereby improving resistance to the operating load.

The inclination angle of the left and right muscle sections D24a is gradually increased in the front-to-rear direction for those located on the left and right sides compared to those located in the center of the left and right. In other words, the muscle sections extend in multiple directions. This makes it possible to improve the resistance to loads when operating the lens member 10317, regardless of the position of the swing operation member 10310.

The width of the connecting curved portions 6806L, 6806R where the left and right muscle portions D24a are formed is shorter on the left and right sides than on the left and right central sides. In other words, the width is shorter on the side (left and right) where the inclination with respect to the front-to-rear direction corresponds to a larger force, so the amount of deformation allowed for the connecting curved portions 6806L, 6806R is smaller, and the resistance force can be increased. This makes it possible to improve the resistance force against the load in the direction with a larger inclination with respect to the front-to-rear direction, which is the direction in which the load during operation is likely to be large (the direction in which the hand is swung down).

On the other hand, the central muscle portion D24b is a muscle-like portion that is positioned below the same position as the fastening portion 6807L (the uppermost of the fastening points on the front side), and is formed in a shape that slopes upward as it approaches the rear side. This upward slope corresponds to the direction of the load when the operating device 10300 (the inner case member 10330 of the operating device 10300) falls forward.

In other words, by increasing the rigidity of the connecting curved sections 6806L, 6806R in the direction of the central muscle section D24b using the central muscle section D24b, it is possible to increase the resistance to forward tilting of the operating device 10300 (its inner case member 10330) caused by the load applied when tilting the lever member 10340 about the rotation axis.

The central muscle section D24b is formed of seven muscles, one in the center and three on each side, and the left and right central muscle sections D24b are inclined toward the center on the left and right as they approach the rear side. This makes it possible to improve the resistance to displacement (left-right resistance) when the operating device 10300 (the inner case member 10330) is displaced forward due to the load generated when tilting the lever member 10340 about its rotation axis, even if a left-right displacement also occurs.

The central muscle section D24b is formed more densely than the left and right muscle sections D24a. As a result, the degree of bending in the left-right direction (deformation that expands and contracts along the left-right direction) is greater than the degree of bending in the up-down direction (deformation that expands and contracts along the up-down direction), particularly in the connecting curved sections 6806L and 6806R.

Therefore, for example, when a downward load is applied to the lower plate unit 6400 (see Figures 208 and 212) and the lower edge of the connecting curved portions 6806L, 6806R is pressed down by the V-shaped design member 6450 (when the connecting curved portions 6806L, 6806R are deformed in such a way that the position of the lower edge is displaced downward), the upper and lower middle portions and upper edge portions of the connecting curved portions 6806L, 6806R bend in the left-right direction, thereby dissipating the load (stress) applied to the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 (avoiding stress concentration).

Even when the plate-like projections 10321c, 10322c formed continuously from the connecting curved portions 6806L, 6806R are supported between the lower edge projection 10017b and the opposing projection 10017c so as to be surrounded from the rear side to the left and right front sides (see Figures 213 and 214). Since the plate-like projections 10321c, 10322c are longer in the front-rear direction on the left and right outer sides, gaps are less likely to occur between the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 and the storage recess 17a.

In addition, by varying the flexibility of the connecting curved sections 6806L, 6806R depending on the direction, the ease with which the vibration of the vibration device 10366 of the operating device 10300 or the load generated by operating the operating device 10300 is transmitted to the downstream side (V-shaped design member 6450, see FIG. 232) can be changed depending on the direction of the vibration or load.

In other words, while vertical vibrations and operating loads can be easily transmitted to the operating handle 51 (see FIG. 207) and lower tray 50 via the V-shaped design member 6450, horizontal vibrations and operating loads (such as the load generated when the hand holding the ball collides with the oscillating operating member 10310 when transferring the ball from the lower tray 50 to the upper tray 17) can be made difficult to transmit to the operating handle 51 and lower tray 50. This makes it possible to prevent vibrations and loads from being transmitted to the operating handle 51 and lower tray 50 even when the player unintentionally applies load to the oscillating operating member 10310, causing the player to feel uncomfortable.

In addition, the curved plate portions 6804L, 6804R are continuously formed on the left and right outer sides thereof with the connecting curved portions 6806L, 6806R, and the plate-like protrusions 10321c, 10322c formed on the upper edges thereof are inserted between the lower edge protrusion 10017b and the opposing protrusion 10017c, which are elongated to the left and right (see FIG. 214).

Here, when comparing the shape of the plate-like protrusions 10321c, 10322c with the shapes of the lower edge protrusion 10017b and the opposing protrusion 10017c, if the left and right ends are misaligned in the front-to-rear direction due to molding errors or the like (for example, if the front upper ends of the connecting curved parts 6806L, 6806R protrude beyond the front side of the accommodating recess 17a), it is preferable to deal with the molding errors by deforming the plate-like protrusions 10321c, 10322c to make them less curved (by displacing the left and right ends toward the rear side).

In this respect, in this embodiment, since the streaks D23 are formed along the top and bottom of the curved plate portions 6804L, 6804R, the rigidity of the curved plate portions 6804L, 6804R in the left-right direction is made lower than the rigidity in the up-down direction. Therefore, when the plate-like protrusions 10321c, 10322c are deformed toward the side where the curvature becomes gentler, the deformation of the curved plate portions 6804L, 6804R can assist the deformation of the plate-like protrusions 10321c, 10322c, so the deformation width of the plate-like protrusions 10321c, 10322c can be increased. Therefore, the size of the molding error that can be accommodated can be increased.

In this way, the rib portion D23 does not improve (weakens) the rigidity in the direction perpendicular to the formation direction (left-right direction), thereby providing a measure against problems that may occur when assembling the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322.

For these reasons, the rib portion D23 can address both problems that may occur when assembling the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 (the same as when assembling the operating device 10300, see FIG. 213) and problems that may occur when operating the operating device 10300.

Returning to FIG. 212, in this embodiment, a rear covering portion 10014b is provided on the lower left front side of the metal main body portion 10014a of the front frame 10014. The rear covering portion 10014b is made of a resin material and includes a flat plate-like planar plate portion (a plate-like portion in which the ball guide opening 53 (see FIG. 214) is formed) that fits along the metal main body portion 10014a, and a plate-like upper plate portion that extends toward the front side so as to be bent at the upper end portion that is configured in a manner that slopes downward toward the right. That is, the rear covering portion 10014b has a cross-sectional shape in a plane perpendicular to the straight line along the arrows L-R that is approximately L-shaped.

The rear covering portion 10014b is a portion that defines the upper limit position and the right limit position of the lower tray 50. That is, the lower tray 50 abuts (connects) with the flat plate portion at its rear end, and abuts (connects) with the upper plate portion at its right end. The area (space) formed on the side where the lower tray 50 and the rear covering portion 10014b face each other thus formed is where balls that could not be stored in the upper tray 17 and so-called foul balls are stored. Next, the details of the lower tray unit 6400 that constitutes the lower tray 50 will be described.

Figure 224 is an exploded front perspective view of the lower tray unit 6400, and Figure 225 is an exploded rear perspective view of the lower tray unit 6400. Note that Figure 225 illustrates each part of the lower tray unit 6400 from an angle looking up from below.

224 and 225, the lower dish unit 6400 includes a covering base member 6410 that is fastened to the metal main body portion 10014a of the front frame 10014 (see FIG. 211 or FIG. 212) in a manner that covers the front side of the metal main body portion 10014a, a lower dish forming member 6420 that is fitted to the covering base member 6410 from above to form the lower dish 50, and a plate-shaped device that is attached to the covering base member 6410 from below and fastened to the lower dish forming member 6420. It mainly comprises a ball discharge device 6430 which is fixed to the left end of the covering base member 6410, an intermediate holding member 6440 which is attached to the covering base member 6410 at the left end in a manner that allows the lower plate forming member 6420 to be prevented from coming off from the rear side, and which is fastened to the metal main body portion 10014a on the opposite side (rear side), and a V-shaped design member 6450 which is disposed on the upper front side of the covering base member 6410 and is made of a resin material and formed into a V-shape when viewed from the front.

The covering foundation member 6410 mainly comprises a main body 6411 having a substantially flat lower bottom surface and a substantially box-shaped body with an open back and top, a through hole 6412 formed through the lower bottom of the main body 6411 leaving some framework at the front and back, a protruding portion 6413 protruding downward from the underside of the main body 6411 at the left-right center of the main body 6411 based on the through hole 6412, and a recessed portion 6414 recessed on the back side of the protruding portion 6413 so that the plate thickness of the protruding portion 6413 is substantially the same as the other parts of the main body 6411.

By configuring the recessed portion 6414, it is possible to prevent the plate thickness from becoming excessively large near the protruding portion 6413, thereby improving the yield of resin molding and suppressing stress concentration in the protruding portion 6413. The protruding portion 6413 and the recessed portion 6414 provide a number of advantageous effects in the area where the operating device 10300 is held from below, which will be described in detail later.

The through hole 6412 is approximately the same size as the width of the bottom shape of the lower tray 50 described below, and is much larger than the bottom opening 6432 that is opened by sliding the ball removal lever 52.

In this way, by forming the through hole 6412 large in advance, the ball discharge speed from the lower tray 50 can be adjusted to match the ball discharge speed corresponding to the playability realized by the pachinko machine 10010 without replacing the covering base member 6410.

That is, the speed at which the balls are discharged from the lower tray 50 depends on the opening area of the bottom opening 6432. For example, if the size of the through hole 6412 is the same as the size of the bottom opening 6432, the ball discharge speed cannot be increased any more. In contrast, in this embodiment, the through hole 6412 is formed large in advance, so that the size of the bottom opening 6432 can be changed within a range that does not exceed the through hole 6412, or the arrangement of the bottom opening 6432 can be changed (the design of the lower tray forming member 6420 and the ball discharge device 6430 can be changed), and the ball discharge speed (discharge mode) from the lower tray 50 can be changed without replacing the covering base member 6410. In other words, the ball discharge speed (discharge mode) can be changed without changing the appearance of the lower tray unit 6400 as viewed by the player (without changing the design).

The need to change the ball discharge speed is not limited to cases where the playability of the pachinko machine 10010 is changed. For example, in an amusement facility, the pachinko machine 10010 may be installed in a manner that requires the paid-out balls to be transferred to a box, and in a manner that does not require the paid-out balls to be transferred to a box (so-called "personal" cases).

When it is necessary to transfer the dispensed balls to the box, there is a risk that the balls will overflow from the box if they are discharged at high speed, so it is desirable to design the balls to be discharged at a speed slower than a specified speed.

In this embodiment, the bottom opening 6432 is formed from a circular opening with a diameter of approximately 35 mm, and the upper limit of the number of balls that can be discharged simultaneously from the opening is limited to approximately seven balls based on the comparison between the opening area and the spherical shape (spherical shape with a diameter of approximately 11 mm).

In contrast, if there is no need to transfer the dispensed balls to the box, there is no need to worry about the balls overflowing from the box, so the desired upper limit of the ball discharge speed changes significantly in the upward direction. In this type of installation, the dispensed balls flow into the automatic counting machine installed in each pachinko machine 10010, so an example of the upper limit of the discharge speed is the operating speed of the ball flow device built into the automatic counting machine.

In this way, by making the through-holes 6412 larger, there is an advantage in that the ball discharge speed can be changed without changing the design when viewed from the front, but there is a risk of the strength of the main body 6411 decreasing. In particular, the bottom surface of the main body 6411 is a location to which the load (mainly downward load) when the player operates the operation device 10300 may be transmitted, so there is a risk that the size and arrangement of the through-holes 6412 may be limited to a level that can withstand the load during operation.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the lower plate forming member 6420 and the ball discharge device 6430 are assembled to the covering base member 6410 in a manner that compensates for the reduction in strength caused by the through hole 6412. The lower plate forming member 6420 and the ball discharge device 6430 are fastened to each other in a manner that sandwiches the covering base member 6410 from above and below, with the fastening direction being the line shown by the imaginary lines in Figures 224 and 225. This fastening presses the edge portion of the through hole 6412 against the lower plate forming member 6420 and the ball discharge device 6430. As a result, the surrounding portion of the through hole 6412 (for example, the long frame portion located on the left and right behind the through hole 6412) can be reinforced by the strength of the lower plate forming member 6420 and the ball discharge device 6430.

The design manner in which the edge portion of the through hole 6412 is pressed against the lower plate forming member 6420 and the ball discharge device 6430 is not limited in any way. For example, the design may be such that the edge portion of the through hole 6412 abuts against the lower plate forming member 6420 and the ball discharge device 6430 before the lower plate forming member 6420 and the ball discharge device 6430 are fastened (when they are placed in the fastening preparation position) (see Figure 233), or a design may be used in which a gap is generated between them before fastening, but the gap can be filled by tightening the fastening screw so that pressure can be applied.

The area to be pressed down does not need to be the entire circumference of the edge of the through hole 6412, but may be a part of the edge. In this case, it is preferable to adopt a design that presses down, since large loads are likely to be generated especially near the operating device 10300 (the right side near the protruding portion 6413) and in the rear side portion (the long plate portion located behind the through hole 6412) that may be subjected to impacts every time the device is opened and closed.

In this way, by sandwiching the edge portion of the through hole 6412 between the lower plate forming member 6420 and the ball discharge device 6430, the strength of the edge portion of the through hole 6412 can be sufficiently ensured, so that the bottom opening 6432 can be placed in any position without worrying about a decrease in strength due to the formation of the bottom opening 6432. In other words, the degree of freedom in the placement of the bottom opening 6432 can be improved.

The lower plate forming member 6420 mainly includes a main body box portion 6421 in which the lower plate 50 is formed in a roughly box-like shape with an open top, an outlet 6422 that opens in the vertical direction on the bottom surface of the main body box portion 6421, an L-shaped plate portion 6423 that protrudes in an L-shape when viewed from below from the back side of the bottom surface of the main body box portion 6421, a plurality of fastening portions 6424 that protrude downward in a cylindrical shape inside (front side) of the area surrounded by the L-shaped plate portion 6423 and into which fastening screws that fasten the ball discharge device 6430 are screwed, a pair of guide ribs 6425 that extend in a rib-like manner in the left-right direction from the edge of the outlet 6422 as a base end, a plate-shaped support portion 6426 that extends rightward from the right end of the main body box portion 6421, and a flexible resin member 6427 that is placed on the upper surface of the plate-shaped support portion 6426.

The discharge port 6422 is formed at a position that is the front end and right end of the lower tray 50. The bottom upper surface of the lower tray 50 is configured as an inclined surface that slopes downward toward the discharge port 6422, and balls that flow into the lower tray 50 from the pachinko machine 10010 flow down toward the discharge port 6422. Since the discharge port 6422 is disposed on the front side close to the player, balls can be smoothly removed from the lower tray 50 even when there are only a few balls stored in the lower tray 50.

The outlet 6422 is formed near the plate-shaped support 6426, which is prone to load from the operating device 10300. As it is thought that the provision of a through hole may reduce its strength, a countermeasure is taken by combining it with the ball outlet device 6430, the details of which will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 225, the L-shaped plate portion 6423 has a different protruding length on the left and right, which corresponds to the inclination of the lower plate 50. That is, while the upper surface of the lower bottom of the main body portion 6411 is formed in a substantially flat shape, the lower surface of the lower bottom of the lower plate 50 is formed with a downward inclination toward the right. Therefore, in order to abut against the upper surface of the lower bottom of the main body portion 6411 (the upper surface of the edge of the through hole 6412), the protruding length of the L-shaped plate portion 6423 needs to be shorter toward the right, and this corresponds to that. Due to this correspondence, in the assembled state (see FIG. 207), the protruding end (lower end) of the L-shaped plate portion 6423 abuts against the edge of the through hole 6412 (abuts by line contact or surface contact).

The fastening parts 6424 are formed at two locations on the front end where loads from players are likely to occur, and at one location on the rear end where loads are likely to occur when the front frame 10014 is opened and closed. By providing fastening points preferentially at locations where loads are likely to occur, it is possible to limit the fastening points while preventing the lower tray forming member 6420 from shifting in position when loads occur.

In addition, since the fastening portion 6424 is disposed near the L-shaped plate portion 6423, even though the fastening is performed inside the through hole 6412 (i.e., without forming a separate through hole for positioning the fastening screw to be passed through the main body portion 6411), it is possible to easily maintain the abutment between the L-shaped plate portion 6423 and the edge of the through hole 6412 of the covering base member 6410 (it is possible to easily maintain the relative position). Therefore, it is possible to improve the positional stability of the lower plate forming member 6420 while eliminating the need to form through holes other than the through hole 6412.

The guide rib 6425 serves both to guide the movement of the ball removal lever 52 and to reinforce the bottom surface of the lower tray 50. In particular, in this embodiment, the bottom surface of the lower tray 50 is formed from a long plate shape on the left and right, and it is considered that reinforcement along the left and right direction is necessary. However, the ball removal lever 52 slides along the left and right direction that coincides with the long direction, so that it is possible to effectively guide the movement of the ball removal lever 52 and reinforce the bottom surface of the lower tray 50.

As mentioned above, the guide ribs 6425 are formed in a pair, so the load can be distributed. Even if one is damaged, it can still be used as long as the other remains, so the service life of the lower tray unit 6400 can be extended.

The material of the resin member 6427 can be designed as desired. For example, it may be made of urethane, silicone, or other flexible material with a suitable resilience (shape restoration force).

The ball ejection device 6430 mainly comprises a plate-shaped main body plate portion 6431 on which the above-mentioned ball removal lever 52 is arranged, a circular bottom opening 6432 formed vertically through the main body plate portion 6431, a plurality of fastening holes 6433 arranged at positions overlapping vertically with the fastening portions 6424 of the lower tray forming member 6420 and tightened by screwing fastening screws into the fastening portions 6424, and a fitting frame portion 6434 formed in a rectangular frame shape surrounding the fastening holes 6433, the outer shape of which is slightly smaller than the inner shape of the through hole 6412 of the covering base member 6410.

The ball removal lever 52 comprises a grip portion 52a that projects forward so that the player can operate it by sliding left and right, a blocking plate portion 52b that blocks the ejection port 6422 when assembled (see Figure 207), and a pair of rib-shaped portions that protrude upward from the top surface of the blocking plate portion 52b and extend in the left and right direction, and a guided rib 52c that is guided by the guide rib 6425; all of these are molded integrally from a hard resin material.

The bottom opening 6432 is arranged vertically opposite the discharge opening 6422 of the lower tray forming member 6420, with the closing plate portion 52b of the ball removal lever 52 disposed between them. As described above, when not in operation, the ball removal lever 52 is disposed between the discharge opening 6422 and the bottom opening 6432, so the degree to which strength is reduced due to the formation of the opening can be reduced by the rigidity of the closing plate portion 52b.

This prevents the exhaust port 6422 and the bottom port 6432 from becoming fragile, so that even if a configuration is adopted in which the exhaust port 6422 and the bottom port 6432 are positioned near the bottom of the operating device 10300 (positioned close to the operating device 10300) as in this embodiment, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the durability of the lower tray unit 6400.

The details of the fastening method between the lower plate forming member 6420 and the ball discharge device 6430 will be described. The main body plate portion 6431 has a flange portion 6431a that protrudes outward from the fitting frame portion 6434 in three directions (flat side and both left and right sides) except the front side. In the assembled state (see Figure 207), the fitting frame portion 6434 is fitted into the through hole 6412 of the covering base member 6410 with a gap, and when the ball discharge device 6430 is fitted into the through hole 6412 as it is, the flange portion 6431a abuts against the underside of the edge portion of the through hole 6412.

On the other hand, the inner surface of the L-shaped plate portion 6423 of the lower plate forming member 6420 is formed in a shape that allows it to abut in the front-rear and left-right directions from the outside of the fitting frame portion 6434, and the lower end portion of the L-shaped plate portion 6423 abuts against the edge portion of the through hole 6412 in the up-down direction, as described above.

In this way, the ball discharge device 6430 can be positioned on the covering base member 6410, and the lower plate forming member 6420 can be positioned on the ball discharge device 6430. After aligning the positions of each component, each component can be fixed by passing a fastening screw through the fastening hole 6433 and tightening it. This makes assembly work easier.

The intermediate retaining member 6440 mainly comprises a plurality of through holes 6441 protruding from the front side and through which fastening screws are inserted to be fastened to the covering base member 6410, a plurality of fastening portions 6442 protruding from the rear side and through which screws are fastened to be inserted into through holes formed in the metal main body portion 10014a (see FIG. 211), and an interference portion 6443 formed in a plate shape and which interferes with the upper left end portion of the covering base member 6410 in the front-to-rear direction.

Figure 226 is an exploded front perspective view of the lower tray unit 6400, and Figure 227 is an exploded rear perspective view of the lower tray unit 6400. Figures 226 and 227 show the V-shaped design member 6450 disassembled from Figures 224 and 225.

The V-shaped design member 6450 has a groove shape with an open back side and a narrower opening width toward the left-right center, and is V-shaped and positioned downward toward the left-right center. It mainly comprises a V-shaped main body 6451, a plurality of insertion holes 6452 formed as through holes into which fastening screws can be inserted at the lower edge of the main body 6451, a positioning portion 6453 formed near the center of the lower edge of the main body 6451, a plurality of overhanging fastening portions 6454 formed near the left and right ends of the main body 6451 to overhang the back side and into which fastening screws can be screwed, a plurality of right reinforcing ribs 6455 formed in a plate shape extending in the width direction of the groove of the main body 6451 on the right side of the main body 6451 and aligned in the longitudinal direction of the main body 6451, and a plurality of left reinforcing ribs 6456 formed in a plate shape extending in the width direction of the groove of the main body 6451 on the left side of the main body 6451 and aligned in the longitudinal direction of the main body 6451.

The V-shaped design member 6450 is formed with higher rigidity than the left front cover 10321 and right front cover 10322 described above. This makes it possible to limit the locations where a fraudster is likely to form a through hole in order to insert a fraudulent member into the pachinko machine 10010. In other words, since it is less difficult to form a through hole in the left front cover 10321 or right front cover 10322 than to form a through hole in the V-shaped design member 6450, it is possible to encourage a fraudulent through hole to be formed in the left front cover 10321 or right front cover 10322.

This makes it possible to narrow the areas that need to be checked periodically to detect fraud. That is, according to this embodiment, since the through holes are likely to be formed in the left front cover 10321 or the right front cover 10322, it is possible to eliminate the need to check the V-shaped design component 6450. This reduces the checking burden compared to the case where the V-shaped design component 6450 and the covers 10321 and 10322 need to be checked equally.

The main body 6451 is formed with a thin wall and is capable of flexing in a direction narrowing the groove width (flexing by being crushed vertically). The V-shaped design member 6450 fits into the lower edges of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 of the operating device 10300, so that vertical displacement that may occur during operation of the operating device 10300 is transmitted via the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322. When this vertical displacement occurs, the V-shaped design member 6450 flexes in a direction narrowing the groove width of the main body 6451, so that at least a portion of the vertical displacement of the operating device 10300 can be absorbed by the flexure of the V-shaped design member 6450.

That is, at least a portion of the load transmitted from the operating device 10300 can be operated by deforming the V-shaped design member 6450, and then transmitted downstream (for example, to the covering base member 6410). Therefore, the load transmitted to the main body 6411 of the covering base member 6410 arranged below the V-shaped design member 6450 can be suppressed, and the amount of displacement and the degree of vibration of the member below the V-shaped design member 6450 can be suppressed by operation.

The positioning portion 6453 mainly comprises a fastening portion 6453L formed on the left side based on the center of the left and right so that a fastening screw can be screwed in, and a plate-shaped protruding portion 6453R that protrudes in a plate shape toward the rear side on the opposite side of the fastening portion 6453L.

The through hole 6452 is a portion that is fixed to the covering base member 6410 by screwing a fastening screw into a recess formed on the front side with the fastening portion of the covering base member 6410 inserted from the front side. In other words, the V-shaped design member 6450 is assembled in a manner that approaches the covering base member 6410 from the back side (an example of the movement trajectory of the V-shaped design member 6450 is shown by imaginary lines in Figures 226 and 227).

In addition, at least some of the multiple insertion holes 6452 (in this embodiment, the lower right insertion hole 6452) are not visible when viewed from the insertion direction of the fastening screw in the lower plate forming member 6420 in the assembled state (see FIG. 230(b)). In other words, when the lower plate forming member 6420 is assembled to the covering base member 6410, the fastening screws inserted into at least some of the insertion holes 6452 cannot be loosened, and it becomes necessary to disassemble the lower plate forming member 6420 as a preliminary step to disassembling the V-shaped design member 6450 from the covering base member 6410, so the labor required to disassemble the V-shaped design member 6450 can be increased.

In addition, the lower plate forming member 6420 has an insertion portion 6426c1 that is drilled in the front-rear direction in the front vertical portion 6426c described below, through which a fastening screw is inserted and that is fixed to the lower right fastening portion 6453L by screwing it into the lower left fastening portion 6453L. In addition, the operating device 10300 is disposed in such a manner that the insertion portion 6426c1 is shielded in rear view (see FIG. 232).

Therefore, as a prerequisite for disassembling the lower plate forming member 6420, it is necessary to remove the operating device 10300 and move it from the position that blocks the insertion portion 6426c1. In other words, in order to disassemble the V-shaped design member 6450, the labor required to remove the operating device 10300 and disassemble the lower plate forming member 6420 can be increased. This makes it possible to prevent fraudulent acts such as unauthorized removal of the V-shaped design member 6450 and entry into the interior through the resulting gap.

In the assembled state, the plate-shaped protrusion 6453R abuts against the upper surface of the front vertically elongated portion 6426c of the plate-shaped support portion 6426 (see FIG. 230(b)). In other words, the downward displacement of the plate-shaped protrusion 6453R is suppressed by the plate-shaped support portion 6426, and conversely, the upward displacement of the plate-shaped support portion 6426 is suppressed by the plate-shaped protrusion 6453R.

As a result, even if the operating device 10300 (see FIG. 208) receives a load from the player in a lifting direction, the front part of the plate-shaped support part 6426 displaces upward as the operating device 10300 displaces upward, because the engaging recess De1 (see FIG. 219) of the operating device 10300 is engaged with the engaging part 6426d.

This displacement is suppressed by the plate-shaped protrusion 6453R, so the upward displacement of the operating device 10300 can be suppressed.

The left and right protruding fastening parts 6454 are parts into which fastening screws are inserted into a resin intermediate member (not shown) fixed to the metal main body part 10014a of the front frame 10014, and the fastening position is on the rear side (the side closer to the metal main body part 10014a) than the fastening position of the fastening part 6453L.

The right-side reinforcing rib 6455 and the left-side reinforcing rib 6456 function as ribs that reinforce the main body 6451 in the groove width direction, and also function as buffer means (displacement transmission suppression means) that suppress the transmission of displacement downstream by their own deformation due to their thin-walled shape that is also flexible and deformable. As shown in Figure 227, the left-side reinforcing rib 6456 is arranged more densely than the right-side reinforcing rib 6455. Each will be explained in order below.

Figure 228(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the right-side reinforcing rib 6455, and Figure 228(b) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the left-side reinforcing rib 6456. Note that Figures 228(a) and 228(b) show cross sections in a plane that divides the reinforcing ribs 6455, 6456 in the thickness direction. In addition, the reinforcing ribs 6455, 6456 are formed to have the same thickness, but are designed to change dimensions in the groove width direction and groove depth direction corresponding to the groove width of the main body portion 6451. However, since the basic configuration is the same, a representative example will be described.

As shown in FIG. 228(a), the right reinforcing rib 6455 is a plate-like portion extending from the bottom of the groove of the main body 6451 toward the rear side, and mainly comprises a connecting portion 6455a that is connected to the upper plate portion of the main body 6451, an upper opposing portion 6455b that is arranged parallel to and opposite the upper plate portion of the main body 6451 to form a gap, and a lower opposing portion 6455c that is arranged opposite the lower plate portion of the main body 6451 in an inclined manner such that the separation width increases toward the rear side.

The upper opposing portion 6455b is a portion where the lower edge of the right front cover 10322 is fitted between the upper plate portion of the main body portion 6451 and the upper opposing portion 6455b, and where the load from the right front cover 10322 is transmitted. Since the main body portion 6451 and the upper opposing portion 6455b are arranged approximately parallel, it is possible to avoid contact with the right front cover 10322 at a single point, and it is possible to distribute the load between the front and rear positions. This makes it possible to increase the load-bearing capacity of the right reinforcing rib 6455.

In this embodiment, the gap between the upper opposing portion 6455b and the upper plate portion of the main body portion 6451 is formed to be equal to the thickness of the lower edge portion of the right front cover 10322. This prevents the lower edge portion of the right front cover 10322 from moving away from the upper opposing portion 6455b or the upper plate portion of the main body portion 6451 after fitting, and prevents them from colliding with and rubbing against each other, thereby suppressing the generation of powder (dust).

The lower opposing portion 6455c is spaced from the lower plate of the main body 6451 by a greater distance as it approaches the side closer to the operating device 10300 (the rear side, the side where the right front cover 10322 tends to be displaced more), which increases the allowable downward displacement of the right reinforcement rib 6455 itself and prevents the right reinforcement rib 6455 from colliding (contacting) with the lower plate of the main body 6451 when displacement occurs.

The right reinforcing rib 6455 therefore acts as a buffer member, reducing the proportion of displacement and load transmitted through the right front cover 10322 that is transmitted to the lower plate of the main body 6451.

In this embodiment, the operating handle 51 is positioned downstream (lower right side) of the right-side reinforcement rib 6455, which starts from the right front cover 10322. The right-side reinforcement rib 6455 acts as a buffer member, reducing the proportion of load, displacement, and vibration that accompanies the operation and drive of the operating device 10300 that is transmitted to the operating handle 51. This ensures playability that allows the player to freely operate the operating handle 51 without feeling uncomfortable.

As shown in FIG. 228(b), the left reinforcing rib 6456 is a plate-like portion extending from the bottom of the groove of the main body 6451 toward the rear side, and mainly comprises a connecting portion 6456a that connects to the upper plate portion of the main body 6451, an upper opposing portion 6456b that is arranged parallel to and facing the upper plate portion of the main body 6451 to form a gap, a protruding portion 6456c that protrudes toward the rear side beyond the rear edge of the upper plate portion of the main body 6451, and a lower opposing portion 6456d that is arranged parallel to and facing the lower plate portion of the main body 6451 to form a gap.

The upper opposing portion 6456b is a portion where the lower edge of the left front cover 10321 is fitted between the upper plate portion of the main body portion 6451 and the upper opposing portion 6456b, and where the load from the left front cover 10321 is transmitted. Since the main body portion 6451 and the upper opposing portion 6456b are arranged approximately parallel, it is possible to avoid contact with the left front cover 10321 at a single point, and it is possible to distribute the load between the front and rear positions. This makes it possible to increase the load-bearing capacity of the left reinforcing rib 6456.

In this embodiment, the gap between the upper opposing portion 6456b and the upper plate portion of the main body portion 6451 is formed to be equal to the thickness of the lower edge portion of the left front cover 10321. This prevents the lower edge portion of the left front cover 10321 from moving away from the upper opposing portion 6456b or the upper plate portion of the main body portion 6451 after fitting, and prevents them from colliding with and rubbing against each other, thereby suppressing the generation of powder (dust).

The overhang 6456c has an upper edge that slopes downward away from the upper surface of the main body 6451 as it approaches the rear side. As a result, the overhang 6456c is not a part that constantly abuts against the lower edge of the left front cover 10321, but is formed as a part that abuts only when the downward displacement of the left front cover 10321 becomes large to a certain extent. In other words, the overhang 6456c can function as a part (fail-safe) that suppresses the displacement of the left front cover 10321 when the amount of displacement becomes abnormally large.

The upper surface of the protruding portion 6456c may be formed flush with the upper surface of the upper opposing portion 6456b. In this case, the length of the front-to-rear position in which the load transmitted through the left front cover 10321 can be distributed can be increased, thereby further increasing the load-bearing capacity of the left reinforcing rib 6456.

The lower facing portion 6456d is a portion that abuts against the upper surface of the rear covering portion 10014b (see FIG. 212) of the front frame 10014 when the rear covering portion 10014b is inserted between the lower plate portion of the main body portion 6451 and the lower facing portion 6456d. Since the lower facing portions 6456d of the multiple left side reinforcing ribs 6456 abut against the rear covering portion 10014b, the transmitted load can be dispersed and the amount of downward displacement of the rear covering portion 10014b can be reduced.

This makes it easier to maintain the position of the rear covering portion 10014b, preventing the space above the lower tray 50 (the space where the balls are stored and into which players may reach) from being narrowed.

That is, the rear covering portion 10014b is connected to the left front cover 10321 via the V-shaped design member 6450, but the load transmitted from the operating device 10300 side via the left front cover 10321 can be prevented from displacing the rear covering portion 10014b. This makes it possible to avoid, for example, a situation in which the surface constituting the lower tray 50 is displaced and collides with the game ball, generating abnormal noise.

As described above, the left reinforcing ribs 6456 are arranged closer together than the spacing of the right reinforcing ribs 6455. This allows the reinforcing ribs to withstand a larger load. In this embodiment, the weight of the player's hand touching the balls stored in the upper tray 17 arranged on the left side is likely to be exerted on the reinforcing ribs, which can easily cause uneven loads on the left and right. However, by arranging the left reinforcing ribs 6456 closer together, the reinforcing ribs can withstand uneven loads.

As described above, in this embodiment, the right reinforcing rib 6455 and the left reinforcing rib 6456 are shaped differently to accommodate different types of loads. That is, the right reinforcing rib 6455 forms a sufficient gap between the lower plate portion of the main body portion 6451 and the lower opposing portion 6455c to block the transmission of load, thereby preventing instantaneous loads and shocks through the operating device 10300 from being transmitted to the operating handle 51, while the left reinforcing rib 6456 distributes and supports the load, thereby preventing the rear covering portion 10014b from being displaced even if weight is applied for a long period of time through the upper plate 17. In this way, in this embodiment, the shapes of the reinforcing ribs 6455 and 6456 are designed to accommodate types of loads that are likely to be problematic.

Figure 229(a) is a top view of the lower tray unit 6400, Figure 229(b) is a front view of the lower tray unit 6400, Figure 230(a) is a bottom view of the lower tray unit 6400, Figure 230(b) is a rear view of the lower tray unit 6400, Figure 231(a) is a right side view of the lower tray unit 6400 as viewed in the direction of arrow L, and Figure 231(b) is a left side view of the lower tray unit 6400 as viewed in the direction of arrow R.

As shown in Figures 229(a) and 230(b), the plate-shaped support portion 6426 of the lower dish forming member 6420 is disposed so as to straddle the recessed portion 6414 of the covering base member 6410 from side to side, and the plate-shaped support portion 6426 is placed in surface contact with the upper bottom surface of the main body portion 6411, but is disposed away from the recessed portion 6414. Details of the protruding portion 6413 and the recessed portion 6414 are described below.

The protruding portion 6413 and the recessed portion 6414 are parts that make up the front and back of a portion that bulges (extends) downward from the underside, similar to the deformation that occurs when part of the main body portion 6411 of the covering base member 6410 is pressed from above, and the shape of one of the front and back is similar to the shape of the other. In other words, the outer shape of the protruding portion 6413 when viewed from below and the inner shape of the recessed portion 6414 when viewed from above are formed as shapes that are scaled down by an amount that allows the plate thickness of the main body portion 6411 to be secured. Therefore, the shape of the other can be easily imagined from the shape of one.

As shown in FIG. 230(a), the left-right width of the protruding portion 6413 gradually increases as it approaches the front side. As shown in FIG. 229(a), the plate-shaped support portion 6426 of the lower plate forming member 6420 is positioned closer to the front than the center of the front-rear direction of the recessed portion 6414, so that the plate-shaped support portion 6426 can be supported from below at the point where the left-right width of the protruding portion 6413 and the recessed portion 6414 is large. This allows the main body portion 6411 to be partially and sufficiently deflected when the plate-shaped support portion 6426 is displaced in a manner that sinks downward, as will be described in detail below.

When in a playable state, the operating device 10300 is placed on the plate-shaped support portion 6426, and as the player operates the operating device 10300, the plate-shaped support portion 6426 can be displaced up and down. In relation to this displacement, the plate-shaped support portion 6426 and the main body portion 6411 are formed from a resin material, and there is a risk of shavings being generated due to load, collision, or friction between the plate-shaped support portion 6426 and the main body portion 6411 of the covering base member 6410.

If shavings are generated around the operation device 10300, for example, the shavings may get into gaps and cause clearance to be lost, resulting in malfunction, or the shavings may get into the detection area of the detection sensor and induce false detection, so it is desirable to suppress the generation of shavings.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the contact area between the plate-shaped support portion 6426 and the main body portion 6411 is reduced, making it possible to suppress the generation of shavings or reduce the amount of shavings generated.

As described above, in this embodiment, the plate-shaped support portion 6426 and the main body portion 6411 are not directly fastened to each other. This is based on the purpose of preventing the displacement of the plate-shaped support portion 6426 from being directly transmitted to the main body portion 6411.

In other words, when a load is applied to the operating device 10300 in the downward direction and the plate-shaped support portion 6426 is displaced downward, the displacement is received by the protruding portion 6413 and the recessed portion 6414, making it possible to eliminate the need for displacement of other parts such as the main body portion 6411.

On the other hand, when a load is applied to the operating device 10300 in the lifting direction and the plate-shaped support portion 6426 is displaced upward, the displacement is received by the plate-shaped protrusion portion 6453R (see FIG. 232) and converted into a deformation of the V-shaped design member 6450, making it possible to eliminate the need for displacement of other parts such as the main body portion 6411.

In this way, in this embodiment, the plate-shaped support portion 6426 and the main body portion 6411 are not directly fastened to each other, and the load applied to the operating device 10300 is only indirectly transmitted to the main body portion 6411, thereby preventing the main body portion 6411 from being deformed or damaged.

231(a) and 231(b), the lower surface of the protruding portion 6413 is formed as a flat surface along the front-to-rear direction, while the lower surface of the main body portion 6411 of the covering base member 6410 is formed as an inclined flat surface that slopes upward toward the front side. This configuration works well, for example, when the front frame 10014 is stored by itself.

When storing the front frame 10014 by itself, it is generally thought that it is often placed on a concrete or wooden floor with the underside of the front frame 10014 abutting the floor. In this case, it is considered preferable for the entire underside to abut against the floor from the standpoint of stability and avoiding concentrated load, but in this case, there is a possibility that dirt from the floor will adhere to the entire underside. The underside of the main body 6411 is in a position that is difficult for the player to see, but since it is a product, it is preferable to avoid dirt adhering to it.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the underside of the protruding portion 6413 is formed as a flat surface along the front-to-rear direction, and the underside of the main body portion 6411 is formed as an inclined surface that slopes upward toward the front side. Therefore, when the protruding portion 6413 abuts against the floor surface, a gap is created between the floor surface and the underside of the main body portion 6411, so that the area that abuts against the floor surface and becomes dirty can be limited to the protruding portion 6413. Therefore, when the game center sets up the front frame 10014 in a playable state, it is only necessary to wipe off the dirt from the protruding portion 6413, and there is no need to wipe the entire underside of the main body portion 6411.

The protruding portion 6413 also functions as a finger hook for hooking fingers when carrying the front frame 10014. Conventionally, the lower plate portion was located in the center of the front frame from left to right, so it was easy to hook a hand on the lower plate portion to lift the front frame and assemble it to the rear frame (outer frame 11, inner frame 12). However, in the front frame 10014 of this embodiment, the lower plate 50 is located on the left side in the left-right direction (the opening/closing axis side), so it is configured in such a way that it is difficult to hook a hand on the lower plate 50 to lift the front frame 10014 and assemble it.

On the other hand, if you hook your hand on the operating handle 51 to lift the front frame 10014, the weight of the front frame 10014 will be applied to the base side of the operating handle 41, which may damage the operating handle 51, so this is not recommended.

In this embodiment, therefore, a protruding portion 6413 that also functions as a finger hook is placed in the center position on the left and right so that it is recommended to hook the hand on the bottom surface of the lower tray unit 6400 to lift the front frame 10014. The worker can easily assemble the front frame 10014 to the rear frame by hooking the hand on the protruding portion 6413 to lift the front frame 10014 and pivoting it to the rear frame.

By including the task of wiping off dirt just before and after the finger placement in the work procedure, the worker can be made aware of the areas that need wiping off dirt in relation to the carrying action. This makes it possible to prevent workers from forgetting to wipe off dirt.

The gap between the floor surface and the main body 6411 is just the right amount to accommodate the expected amount of deformation of the protruding portion 6413. In more detail, the shape of the underside of the main body 6411 means that the gap between the floor surface becomes larger as it approaches the front side. This is because the protruding portion 6413 is wider as it approaches the front side, and this corresponds to the larger amount of deformation (deflection) that can occur due to a load.

In other words, when the front frame 10014 is placed on the floor, even if the protruding portion 6413 is bent and deformed by the weight of the front frame 10014, it is possible to easily ensure a gap between the underside of the main body portion 6411 and the floor. On the other hand, when the protruding portion 6413 is bent and deformed to its limit and there is no gap between the underside of the main body portion 6411 and the floor, it is possible to easily make the entire underside of the main body portion 6411 come into contact with the floor, so that the weight of the front frame 10014 can be supported by the entire underside of the main body portion 6411.

Therefore, even if the front frame 10014 placed on the floor surface is heavier than expected or an excessive load is applied to the front frame 10014 placed on the floor surface, it is possible to prevent the load from concentrating on one part of the main body 6411.

The fact that the amount of deformation is greater on the front side of the protruding portion 6413 also works well while the game is being played. For example, when replacing a coin box, a game store employee slides the coin box back and forth on the underside of the main body portion 6411 and the underside of the protruding portion 6413, which can cause the coin box to collide with the underside of the front frame 10014. If the impact and load from this collision accumulate in the components as fatigue, the components will be destroyed (e.g., cracked) when the tolerance is exceeded, and it may become difficult to continue playing the game.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the protruding portion 6413 is configured to be able to deform more as it approaches the front side, which is more likely to collide with the treasure chest. This makes it easier to dissipate the impact and load caused by the collision with the treasure chest through deformation (flexural deformation), and prevents damage to the protruding portion 6413. This makes it easier to maintain a comfortable gaming environment for players.

In addition, on the left and right sides of the protruding portion 6413, the bottom surface of the main body 6411 is formed with an incline so that it rises toward the front side (see FIG. 231(a)). This reduces the possibility of the 1000-ryo box colliding with the main body 6411 on the left and right sides of the protruding portion 6413 when replacing the 1000-ryo box. This reduces the possibility of the bottom surface of the main body 6411 being damaged, making it easier to maintain a comfortable gaming environment for the player.

Figure 232 is a rear view of the lower tray unit 6400. Note that Figure 232 illustrates the assembled state of the left front cover 10321 and the right side cover 10322, and the outer shape of the other operating devices 10300 is illustrated diagrammatically with imaginary lines.

As shown in FIG. 232, the lower edges of the left front cover 10321 and the right side cover 10322 are supported by the reinforcing ribs 6455, 6456 (upper opposing portions 6455b, 6456b (see FIG. 228(a) and FIG. 228(b))) of the V-shaped design member 6450.

The main body 6451 of the V-shaped design component 6450 is formed in a V-shape when viewed from the rear, and the reinforcing ribs 6455, 6456 are plate-shaped extending in the groove width direction of the main body 6451, so that the reaction force from the reinforcing ribs 6455, 6456 is directed in a direction (upward diagonal direction) that has a directional component that returns the left front cover 10321 and the right cover 10322 to the center on the left and right. For example, the restoring force from the flexural deformation of the reinforcing ribs 6455, 6456 is directed in an upward diagonal direction.

This makes it possible to accommodate not only vertical displacement of the operating device 10300, but also horizontal displacement. For example, even if the direction of movement of the operating part of the operating device 10300 (e.g., the swing operating member 10310) does not have a horizontal component, as in this embodiment, the downward load applied by the player may have a horizontal component, and when such a load is applied, the entire operating device 10300 may be displaced downward and may also be slightly displaced (vibrated) in the horizontal direction.

In response to this, the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 can flex and deform based on their curved shapes to accommodate left-right displacement of the operating device 10300 (absorbing left-right displacement and using a restoring force to return the operating device 10300 to its original position), and furthermore, the reaction force from the reinforcing ribs 6455, 6456 faces upward and toward the center of the left and right, allowing the operating device 10300 to quickly return to the position before displacement. This makes it easier to maintain the design of the front frame 10014 when viewed from the front (see FIG. 207).

Figure 233(a) is a cross-sectional view of the lower tray unit 6400 taken along line CCXXXIIIa-CCXXXIIIa in Figure 229(a), Figure 233(b) is a cross-sectional view of the lower tray unit 6400 taken along line CCXXXIIIb-CCXXXIIIb in Figure 229(a), and Figure 233(c) is a cross-sectional view of the lower tray unit 6400 taken along line CCXXXIIIc-CCXXXIIIc in Figure 229(a). Note that Figures 233(a) to 233(c) show an enlarged view of the area near the edge of the through hole 6412 in the cross section.

As shown in Figures 233(a) to 233(c), when the lower tray unit 6400 is in an assembled state, the edge portion of the through hole 6412 is pressed against the lower tray forming member 6420 (the protruding end (lower end) of the L-shaped plate portion 6423 on the rear side) and the ball discharge device 6430 (the flange portion 6431a). This allows the surrounding area of the through hole 6412 to be reinforced by the strength of the lower tray forming member 6420 and the ball discharge device 6430.

The inner surface of the L-shaped plate portion 6423 (see FIG. 225) of the lower plate forming member 6420 is formed in a shape that allows it to abut in the front-rear and left-right directions from the outside of the fitting frame portion 6434 (see FIG. 224), and the lower end of the L-shaped plate portion 6423 abuts against the edge portion of the through hole 6412 in the up-down direction, as described above (see FIG. 233(c)). This allows the edge portion of the through hole 6412 to be reinforced, improving the design freedom of the through hole 6412.

As described above, when the ball removal lever 52 is not in operation, it is positioned between the discharge port 6422 and the bottom port 6432, so the degree to which the strength is reduced due to the formation of the opening can be reduced by the rigidity of the closure plate portion 52b (see FIG. 233(b)).

This prevents the exhaust port 6422 and the bottom port 6432 from becoming fragile, so that even if a configuration is adopted in which the exhaust port 6422 and the bottom port 6432 are positioned near the bottom of the operating device 10300 (positioned close to the operating device 10300) as in this embodiment, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the durability of the lower tray unit 6400.

As shown in Figures 233(a) to 233(c), the shape of the recessed portion 6414 is formed in such a way that the width becomes wider and the recess depth increases toward the front side. In other words, the recessed portion 6414 is formed so that it becomes easier to bend toward the front side.

This allows the recessed portion 6414 to have sufficient flexibility near the front side where the load generated when the player operates the operating device 10300 is likely to be large, thereby preventing the covering base member 6410 supporting the operating device 10300 from being damaged (e.g., cracked) due to the load generated when the operating device 10300 is operated. This will be explained in more detail below.

As described above, the operation device 10300 is a device that can be operated in multiple operation modes. The operation timing and operation mode are notified by a display device or the like, and the operation device has the role of having the player operate the operation device 10300 in accordance with the notification, thereby drawing the player into the game. Here, the frequency of notification for each operation mode is not constant.

For example, as an example of control, the swing operation member 10310 is controlled to stop at the initial position from the start of the game until a specific reach effect is executed (see FIG. 215(a)). This state accounts for the majority of the positions of the swing operation member 10310 during business hours.

In this state, the player presses (push) the lens member 10317 in response to notifications (such as "Press the button!") that prompt them to perform an operation in the display presentation, or to switch stages. Therefore, most of the load that occurs with the operation is generated when pressing the lens member 10317, and is a load along the direction Y17a (see FIG. 215(a)). Because notifications occur frequently, the frequency with which this load occurs increases.

In contrast, when a specific reach performance is executed, the operating device 10300 is controlled to drive and displace the swivel operating member 10310 up and down, and a notification is issued to prompt the user to operate the device when the swivel operating member 10310 is positioned in a downward position (see FIG. 215(b)).

In this case, the operation direction is a direction Y17b (see FIG. 215(b)) that is further tilted forward and backward by an angle θ17y compared to the state in which the swing operation member 10310 is positioned in the upward position, and a load is generated along the direction Y17b. Since the occurrence of the notification is limited to the execution of a specific reach performance, the occurrence frequency is low.

That is, the frequency of loads occurring along the direction Y17a is controlled to be higher than the frequency of loads occurring along the direction Y17b. In contrast, in this embodiment, the shape of the recessed portion 6414 is wider and deeper toward the front side, so that the load response performance is higher toward the front side.

In other words, compared to when the shape is the same in the front-to-rear direction, it can be configured to respond appropriately to differences in the frequency of load occurrence, making it easier to avoid excessive deformation due to the applied load, or insufficient deformation that makes it susceptible to breakage.

As described above, in this embodiment, the side closest to the player and the side where load is generated more frequently during operation are both the front side, so the recessed shape 6414 is made wider and deeper toward the front side, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, when the initial position of the swing operation member 10310 is set to a downward position, the frequency of load generated during operation is reversed. In this case, by making the recessed shape wider and deeper toward the rear side, it can be configured to respond to differences in the frequency of load generation in appropriate locations compared to when the shape is the same in the front and rear directions, and it can be made easier to avoid excessive deformation due to the applied load or insufficient deformation that makes it prone to breakage.

As shown in FIG. 233(b), which corresponds to the central cross section of the resin member 6427, the hanging plate-like portion 6426b abuts against the main body portion 6411 at the top and bottom at a position on the left and right outer side of both ends of the left and right width of the recessed portion 6414.

This reduces the proportion of load from the operating device 10300 that is transmitted to the recessed portion 6414 compared to when the hanging plate portion 6426b abuts against the upper edge of the recessed portion 6414. This prevents the recessed portion 6414 from being damaged by the load applied when operating the operating device 10300.

In addition, to accommodate loads, not only can the recessed portion 6414 deflect, but also the plate portion from the upper edge of the recessed portion 6414 to the contact position of the hanging plate portion 6426b and the main body portion 6411 can be utilized, thereby increasing the load tolerance.

Figure 234 is a cross-sectional view of the lower tray unit 6400 taken along the line CCXXXIV-CCXXXIV in Figure 229(a). As shown in Figure 234, the plate-shaped support portion 6426 of the lower tray forming member 6420 mainly comprises a planar plate-shaped portion 6426a on which the resin member 6427 is placed, a hanging plate-shaped portion 6426b that hangs down from the left, right and rear edges of the planar plate-shaped portion 6426a in a plate-like manner, a front vertical portion 6426c that is connected to the front edge of the planar plate-shaped portion 6426a and is formed taller than the planar plate-shaped portion 6426a and is open at the bottom, and an engagement portion 6426d that extends from the front vertical portion 6426c to the rear side and engages with the operating device 10300. In the explanation of Figure 234, Figures 224 to 229 will be referred to as appropriate.

The flat plate portion 6426a is formed to be wider than the left-right width of the recessed portion 6414, and is configured to cover the front half of the recessed portion 6414. A hanging plate portion 6426b is formed between the flat plate portion 6426a and the main body portion 6411 of the covering base member 6410 (between the top and bottom). In other words, the flat plate portion 6426a does not abut the main body portion 6411, and the extended end portion of the hanging plate portion 6426b, which is formed in a U-shape when viewed from below (see FIG. 225), abuts the main body portion 6411, thereby determining the position of the flat plate portion 6426a relative to the covering base member 6410.

In this way, the planar plate portion 6426a and the hanging plate portion 6426b are not block-shaped but are box-shaped with an open bottom, so that the planar plate portion 6426a and the hanging plate portion 6426b are easily deformed. Therefore, not only do the protruding portion 6413 and the recessed portion 6414 of the main body portion 6411 flex and deform in response to a load through the operation device 10300 (see FIG. 211), but the planar plate portion 6426a and the hanging plate portion 6426b can also flex and deform, which further prevents damage to the plate-shaped support portion 6426 and the covering base member 6410 (the main body portion 6411, the protruding portion 6413, and the recessed portion 6414) arranged below the operation device 10300.

While the hanging plate portion 6426b extends to the upper surface of the bottom of the main body portion 6411, it does not extend into the recessed portion 6414. In other words, a space is created between the hanging plate portion 6426b and the recessed portion 6414 (see below the rear end of the flat plate portion 6426a in FIG. 234). This makes it possible to maintain a state in which there is no framework inside the recessed portion 6414, so that the deformation of the protruding portion 6413 is not hindered.

The space between the hanging plate-shaped portion 6426b and the recessed portion 6414 also serves as a drain. For example, even if liquid seeps in through the gap between the operating device 10300 and the lower tray unit 6400, the liquid that runs down the rear side of the plate-shaped support portion 6426 is configured to be able to seep in to the front of the recessed portion 6414, so the flow of liquid seeping in to the rear can be weakened. This makes it easier for the front frame 10014 to stop the liquid from seeping in.

The front vertical section 6426c is the part that receives the load via the operating device 10300 by the fitting section 6426d that extends to the rear side, and the lower part on the front side is supported by the V-shaped design member 6450. This allows the load applied by the player to the operating device 10300 to be borne not only by the main body section 6411 but also by the V-shaped design member 6450, distributing the load, thereby reducing the load applied to each component.

In addition, a space is created between the front vertically elongated portion 6426c and the recessed portion 6414. This allows the recessed portion 6414 to maintain a state in which there is no framework inside, so that the deformation of the protruding portion 6413 is not hindered.

The space between the front vertical portion 6426c and the recessed portion 6414 also serves as a drain. For example, even if liquid seeps in through the gap between the operating device 10300 and the lower tray unit 6400, the liquid that runs down the rear side of the plate-shaped support portion 6426 is configured to be able to seep in to the front of the recessed portion 6414, so the flow of liquid seeping in to the rear can be weakened. This makes it easier for the front frame 10014 to stop the liquid from seeping in.

The fitting portion 6426d is formed to be elongated in the horizontal direction so that it can fit into the fitting recess De1 (see FIG. 212), and is a portion that receives a load from the operating device 10300. The fitting portion 6426d has a pair of plate-shaped reinforcing ribs 6426d1 that are connected to the lower surface and the front vertically elongated portion 6426c formed on the extended base end side.

The reinforcing rib 6426d1 can suppress vertical displacement (deformation) of the engagement portion 6426d, so that even if a load is applied that displaces the operating device 10300 downward, the rigidity of the engagement portion 6426d can withstand the load, preventing excessive displacement of the operating device 10300.

The operating member 10300 is placed on the upper side of the resin member 6427. Therefore, the load caused by the operation and vibration of the operating member 10300 by the player is transmitted to the plate-shaped support portion 6426 via the resin member, and then transmitted to the covering base member 6410 arranged downstream, while the plate-shaped support portion 6426 is supported by the bottom surface of the main body portion 6411 (see Figure 233).

In this embodiment, the bottom surface of the main body 6411 is formed as an inclined surface that slopes upward toward the front side (see FIG. 234), so that the front-to-rear component of the load transmitted from the operating member 10300 to the main body 6411 can be directed toward the front side (the load can be released toward the front side).

In other words, it is possible to avoid problems that may occur when the load generated by the operating device 10300 is transmitted to the back side (the outer frame 11 and inner frame 12 side). For example, it is possible to prevent the game board 13 (see FIG. 2) from shaking, which would affect the way the ball flows down when it is shot, and to prevent problems such as the board boxes 100-104 and electronic boards cracking due to the load being transmitted to them.

Next, the upper performance device 6500 will be described with reference to Figs. 235 to 264. Fig. 235 is an exploded front perspective view of the front frame 10014, and Fig. 236 is an exploded rear perspective view of the front frame 10014. Note that Figs. 235 and 236 omit the illustration of the lower tray unit 6400 and the operating device 10300 described above, and show the upper performance device 6500 disassembled forward from the metal main body portion 10014a.

As shown in FIG. 235, the upper performance device 6500 is a device that covers the front side of the sound device 6610 that is arranged in a pair on the left and right, and is equipped with an illumination board 6570 inside which light-emitting means such as LEDs are arranged, and various components that act as intermediaries to deliver the light emitted from the LEDs to the player.

As shown in FIG. 236, a plate-shaped metal spring member (plate spring) 6584d is disposed on the rear side of the upper performance device 6500, which generates a biasing force in the direction away from the metal main body part 10014a. This increases the fastening force of the fastening screw that fastens the upper performance device 6500 to the metal main body part 10014a (stable fastening and fixing).

Figure 237 is an exploded front perspective view of the upper performance device 6500, and Figure 238 is an exploded rear perspective view of the upper performance device 6500. Note that Figures 237 and 238 show the upper cover member 6510 of the upper performance device 6500 disassembled upward.

The upper performance device 6500 mainly comprises a plate-shaped upper cover member 6510, front units 6520-6550 that occupy the front portion below the upper cover member 6510, and rear units 6560-6580 that are disposed behind the front units 6520-6550.

The upper cover member 6510 covers the upper surface of the upper performance device 6500 and is fastened to the metal main body 10014a. It mainly comprises a main body plate 6511 configured as a semi-elliptical plate-shaped portion formed by dividing a left-right long ellipse into front and rear parts, a plurality of insertion holes 6512 drilled vertically near the front edge of the main body plate 6511 and configured to allow the insertion of fastening screws, and a plurality of fastening parts 6513 extending downward from the rear side portion of the main body plate 6511, with female screw holes formed from the rear of the extension tip, and configured to allow the fastening screws inserted into the metal main body 10014a to be fastened into the female screw holes.

The upper cover member 6510 has a rear side portion from which the fastening portion 6513 extends, fastened to the metal main body portion 10014a, and other components of the upper performance device 6500 are supported by fastening screws inserted into the insertion holes 6512. In other words, the mechanical rigidity of the upper cover member 6510 can be used to suppress downward displacement of the front end portion of the upper performance device 6500.

The fastening portion 6513 has a plate-shaped plate portion 6513a on its front side that is connected to the main body plate portion 6511. This makes it possible to prevent the main body plate portion 6511 from being deformed or displaced in a manner that causes it to fall forward.

The fastening portion 6513 is inserted into the acoustic device 6610, and the plate portion 6513 is disposed opposite the front surface of the plate in which the insertion hole of the acoustic device 6610 is formed. With this configuration (see the corresponding FIG. 125(a) described above, the fastening portion 419 corresponds to the fastening portion 6513, and the plate portion 6513a corresponds to the expanded rib 419a), the upper cover member 6510 can prevent the acoustic device 6610 from coming off the metal main body portion 10014a.

The upper cover member 6510 is recessed from the upper surface toward the lower surface, and has an uneven portion 6514 formed as a decoration on the entire surface, which protrudes downward from the lower surface. This uneven portion 6514 can increase the force of resistance to loads perpendicular to the surface (make it easier to maintain the shape) compared to when the upper cover member 6510 of the same thickness is made of a plate-like member with a smooth surface.

Figure 239 is an exploded front perspective view of the upper performance device 6500, and Figure 240 is an exploded rear perspective view of the upper performance device 6500. Note that in Figures 239 and 240, the upper cover member 6510 of the upper performance device 6500 is omitted, and the front units 6520-6550 are shown disassembled in front of the rear units 6560-6580. Note that in this embodiment, the upper performance device 6500 is configured to be disassembled by moving the front units 6520-6550 in a forward diagonally downward direction (the direction in which the extension plate portion 6552 is formed, the direction in which the surface follows) relative to the rear units 6560-6580, but details will be described later.

In this embodiment, the front units 6520 to 6550 have the role of receiving light emitted from light-emitting means such as LEDs and refracting or transmitting the light, while the rear units 6560 to 6580 have the role of acting as light-emitting means such as LEDs and of supporting the illumination board on which the light-emitting means such as LEDs are arranged. First, the rear units 6560 to 6580 will be described in detail.

Figure 241(a) is a front view of the rear units 6560-6580, Figure 241(b) is a front view of the illumination board 6570, Figure 242 is an exploded front perspective view of the rear units 6560-6580, and Figure 243 is an exploded rear perspective view of the rear units 6560-6580.

As shown in Figures 241 to 243, the rear units 6560 to 6580 mainly comprise a partition member 6560 formed in such a manner that the internal space is partitioned into multiple sections when viewed from the front, an illumination board 6570 on which multiple LEDs that irradiate light onto the partition member 6560 are arranged, and a pair of rear support members 6580 that are stacked on the rear side of the partition member 6560 and are arranged with a slight gap between them in the internal area of the exterior and the illumination board 6570, providing surface support at the exterior portion.

Note that surface support with a slight gap means that the orientation of the illumination board 6570 can be maintained and it is supported so that it can move back and forth by the gap between the partition member 6560 and the rear support member 6580.

The partitioning member 6560 is disposed adjacent to and facing the front side of the illumination board 6570, and is configured to partition the light irradiated from each of the illumination units 6574-6576 of the illumination board 6570 from the vicinity of the illumination board 6570. By partitioning in this way, the light irradiated from each of the illumination units 6574-6576 can be viewed for each partition, and even if the light emission pattern of the light irradiated from each of the illumination units 6574-6576 differs significantly, the sense of discomfort felt by the player can be reduced.

The partition member 6560 includes an opposing plate portion 6561 arranged opposite the illumination board 6570, a central light hole 6562 drilled in the center of the opposing plate portion 6561, left and right light holes 6563 drilled in the lower left and right parts of the opposing plate portion 6561, a plurality of fastening portions 6564 to which fastening screws inserted into the rear support member 6580 are fastened, and a pair of large diameter cylindrical portions 6565 extending to the rear surface of the opposing plate portion 6561. It mainly comprises a central tube portion 6566 extending toward the front side of the opposing plate portion 6561 in a rectangular tube shape surrounding the central light hole 6562, left and right tube portions 6567 extending toward the front side of the opposing plate portion 6561 in a long tube shape surrounding the left and right light holes 6563, and a plate-shaped connecting portion 6568 formed from a plate portion that is T-shaped when viewed from the front and connects the opposing plate portion 6561, the central tube portion 6566, and the left and right tube portions 6567 on the front side of the opposing plate portion 6561.

The opposing plate portion 6561 has flange portions 6561a to 6561c that protrude from its upper edge toward the back side in a long shape on both sides. The first flange portion 6561a is formed above the central light hole 6562. The second flange portion 6561b is formed in a pair on the left and right, and extends from a position with a slit from the left and right ends of the first flange portion 6561a to the vicinity of the fastening portion 6564. The third flange portion 6561c is formed in a pair on the left and right, and extends from a position opposite the end of the second flange portion 6561b across the fastening portion 6564 to the vicinity of the left and right ends of the plate-shaped connecting portion 6568.

Each of the flanges 6561a to 6561c functions as a shielding plate that prevents light from entering or exiting between the partition member 6560 and the illumination board 6570, and the slits are configured at locations where light emitted from the LEDs arranged on the illumination board 6570 is unlikely to leak out. In other words, these locations are locations where even if light enters from the outside, that light is unlikely to mix with the light emitted from the LEDs.

The gap between the first flange portion 6561a and the second flange portion 6561b is formed in the area between the central light hole 6562 and the left and right light holes 6563, and is intentionally placed in an area where no LEDs are placed on the illumination board 6570. Therefore, since there are no LEDs to cause light leakage, it is possible to prevent light from leaking through the gap.

The gap between the second flange portion 6561b and the third flange portion 6561c is formed where the fastening portion 6564 is disposed, and is deliberately formed at the location where the light-blocking substitute portion is disposed. In other words, even if light travels to the gap, the light attempting to pass through the gap is blocked by the fastening portion 6564, so the occurrence of light leaking from the gap can be suppressed.

Here, the flange portions 6561a-6561c can be configured as a continuous continuous part, but in that case, the rigidity of the flange portions 6561a-6561c cannot be sufficiently ensured, and the downward load applied to the partition member 6560 (assuming the downward load applied to the member disposed in front of the partition member 6560, gravity, and the load applied by the player) must be countered only by the force generated by the fastening screw that fastens and fixes the fastening portion 6564. In this embodiment, the more fastening portions 6564 there are, the more labor required to tighten the fastening screws will increase, and the surface area of the illumination board 6570 will decrease, limiting the places where LEDs can be placed, thereby reducing the design freedom of the illumination board 6570.

In response to this, by dividing the flanges 6561a to 6561c into lengths that ensure sufficient rigidity, the rigidity of the flanges 6561a to 6561c can withstand the downward load applied to the partition member 6560. This makes it possible to limit the number of fastening parts 6564, reducing the number of man-hours required and improving the design freedom of the illumination board 6570.

In addition, in this embodiment, the longitudinal length is designed according to the degree of rigidity required for the flange portions 6561a to 6561c. In this embodiment, the shape of the upper performance device 6500 is formed as a semi-ellipse whose front-to-rear width increases toward the left-to-right center when viewed from above (see FIG. 237). Generally, the load applied by the player (e.g., the load of hanging) is applied at the front end of the upper performance device 6500, so that the load applied by the player is maximum at the left-to-right center of the upper performance device 6500 and gradually decreases as it approaches the left and right ends.

In response to this, the flange portions 6561a to 6561c are intentionally made to have different lengths. In more detail, the left-right length of the second flange portion 6561b located on the left and right of the first flange portion 6561a formed in the center where the load is greatest is made longer than the left-right length of the first flange portion 6561a, which is formed in the center where the load is greatest, and the third flange portion 6561c located on the left and right of the first flange portion 6561a is made longer than the left-right length of the second flange portion 6561b. In other words, the left-right length is shortest at the left-right center and gradually gets longer as it approaches the left and right ends. This makes it possible to generate a counterforce that is neither too much nor too little in response to the load applied to the upper performance device 6500.

This makes it possible to suppress deformation and displacement of the partition member 6560, and therefore to stably maintain the relative relationship (positional relationship) between the partition member 6560 and the illumination board 6570. Note that maintaining the relative relationship (positional relationship) is not limited to the case where deformation or displacement in the direction away from the illumination board 6570 reduces the force holding the illumination board 6570, causing the illumination board 6570 to be displaced, but also includes the case where deformation or displacement in the direction approaching the illumination board 6570 causes a compressive load to be applied to the illumination board 6570, causing the illumination board 6570 to be destroyed or deformed.

The central light hole 6562 and the left and right light holes 6563 are multiple through holes drilled to correspond to the pattern of the LEDs arranged on the illumination board 6570. The central light hole 6562 is configured as a set of through holes slightly larger than the outer shape of a single LED, while the left and right light holes 6563 are configured as a set of through holes large enough to surround multiple LEDs.

The fastening portion 6564 is fastened to the front plate portion 6581 of the rear support member 6580, and the large diameter cylindrical portion 6565 is formed to protrude toward the rear side beyond the fastening portion 6564. As a result, the large diameter cylindrical portion 6565 is inserted into the positioning hole 6581b of the front plate portion 6581, and the partition member 6560 and the rear support member 6580 are aligned.

The large diameter cylindrical portion 6565 has a front side tube portion that extends toward the front side in a cylindrical shape of the same diameter, and has an insertion hole 6565a drilled at the bottom of the tip thereof so that a fastening screw can be inserted. A fastening screw that passes through the inside of the large diameter cylindrical portion 6565 from the rear side is inserted into this insertion hole 6565a, and the fastening screw is fastened and fixed to the partition unit 6540 described below. With this configuration, the process of inserting the fastening screw into the insertion hole 6565a and screwing it into the partition unit 6540, which will be described later, can be performed in the assembled state of the rear units 6560 to 6580 (see Figures 239 and 240).

The central tube portion 6566 and the left and right tube portions 6567 are extended until they reach the rear end portions of the front units 6520 to 6550. Therefore, most (or all) of the light passing through the central tube portion 6566 and the left and right tube portions 6567 enters the front units 6520 to 6550.

The plate-like joint 6568 is a part to which the load is transmitted via the upper cover member 6510 (see FIG. 237) when a load (e.g., a hanging load) is applied to the upper performance device 6500, and its upper surface is positioned slightly higher than the upper end of the central tube portion 6566. This means that the plate-like joint 6568 bears the load before the central tube portion 6566, thereby preventing the central tube portion 6566 from being subjected to a load and making it easier to avoid the central tube portion 6566 being deformed or displaced.

The plate-shaped joint 6568 extends downward until the plate-shaped portion reaches the left and right tubular portions 6567. As a result, when a load is transmitted to the plate-shaped joint 6568 via the top cover member 6510 (see FIG. 237), the load can be resisted by the resistance force generated by the plate-shaped portion that reaches the left and right tubular portions 6567. In this case, since it is formed of a plate-shaped portion, a resisting force can be generated by the flexural deformation of the plate-shaped portion itself, so that the displacement or deformation of the left and right tubular portions 6567 can be suppressed.

The illumination board 6570 is a so-called printed circuit board, and mainly includes a plate-shaped board portion 6571, a fastening insertion portion 6572 that is drilled or cut into the board portion 6571 and through which the fastening portion 6564 of the partition member 6560 is inserted, a large diameter insertion portion 6573 that is drilled into the board portion 6571 and through which the large diameter cylindrical portion 6565 of the partition member 6560 is inserted, a first lighting portion 6574 formed from a plurality of LEDs (shown as a uniform rectangle in FIG. 241(b)) arranged in the left-right center of the board portion 6571, a second lighting portion 6575 formed from a plurality of LEDs arranged symmetrically with respect to the first lighting portion 6574 and arranged near the top-bottom center of the board portion 6571, a third lighting portion 6576 arranged symmetrically along the lower end of the board portion 6571, and a connector 6577 that connects electrical wiring (not shown).

241(a) and 241(b), each of the lighting units 6574-6576 is formed of a plurality of LEDs capable of emitting light toward the front side along the front-rear direction, and is arranged according to its relative positional relationship with the partition member 6560. That is, the first lighting unit 6574 is arranged at a position corresponding to the central light hole 6562, the second lighting unit 6575 is arranged at a position surrounded by the left and right light holes 6563, and the third lighting unit 6576 is arranged at a position below the lower edge of the partition member 6560. As a result, each of the lighting units 6574-6576 illuminates a separate area defined by the partition member 6560. Note that the first lighting unit 6574 and the second lighting unit 6575 illuminate the area inside the partition member 6560, whereas the third lighting unit 6576 illuminates the area outside the partition member 6560.

The third illumination unit 6576 is shown as being partially blocked by the partition member 6560 when viewed from the front. As described below, the light emitted from the third illumination unit 6576 travels diagonally downward by the light receiving member 6558, so that the light emitted from the third illumination unit 6576 is prevented from being blocked by the partition member 6560. This allows the third illumination unit 6576 and the partition member 6560 to be arranged so as to at least partially overlap in the front-to-rear direction.

The thickness of the substrate portion 6571 is designed so that the fastening force does not act on the fastening portion 6564 of the partition member 6560 and the rear support member 6580 at the fastening insertion portion 6572. In other words, the illumination substrate 6570 is supported between the partition member 6560 and the rear support member 6580 without being fastened.

The fastening insertion portion 6572 is formed in a vertically long oval shape (or a shape of half an oval) when viewed from the front. This improves assembly efficiency, but details will be described later.

The rear support member 6580 is a member that covers the acoustic device 6610 from the front side, and is a pair of members that are approximately symmetrical to each other, and includes a front plate portion 6581 that is arranged opposite the illumination board 6570, a flange portion 6582 that extends from the upper edge of the front plate portion 6581 to the front side, an upper plate portion 6583 that has the same plane as the upper surface of the flange portion 6582 and extends in a plate-like manner to the rear side, and is connected to the left and right edges (edges on the opposite side of the side where the pair of members face each other) and the lower edge of the front plate portion 6581 and opens to the rear side. It mainly comprises a rear box portion 6584 formed in a box shape, a lower box portion 6585 which is a part of the pair of rear box portions 6584 and is formed in a box shape with a smooth upper surface on the side closer to the mating rear box portion 6584 and opens downward, an opposing plate portion 6586 which is a plate-shaped portion connected to the lower box portion 6585 and the front plate portion 6581 and is disposed opposite the mating member (rear support member 6580), and a cutout portion 6587 which is a cutout that penetrates vertically between the opposing plate portion 6586 and the lower box portion 6585.

The front plate portion 6581 is provided with a plurality of fastening support portions 6581a each consisting of an oval rib capable of supporting the fastening portion 6564 of the partition member 6560 and a through hole through which a fastening screw is inserted to be fastened to the fastening portion 6564; a plurality of positioning holes 6581b each formed of a vertically elongated oval shape with a left-right width slightly longer than the diameter of the large diameter cylindrical portion 6565 of the partition member 6560, which are arranged in a position overlapping the large diameter cylindrical portion 6565 in the front and rear; and a plurality of positioning holes 6581b each formed of a vertically elongated oval shape with a left-right width slightly longer than the diameter of the large diameter cylindrical portion 6565 of the partition member 6560, which are arranged in a position overlapping the large diameter cylindrical portion 6565 in the front and rear; It mainly comprises a number of screw insertion portions 6581c through which fastening screws for fastening the front units 6520 to 6550 can be inserted, a number of positioning long holes 6581d that are drilled in the same long hole shape along the lower edge that forms the boundary with the rear box portion 6584 as the screw insertion portions 6581c and are used to position the front units 6520 to 6550, and a wiring hole 6581e that is drilled at a location corresponding to the connector 6577 of the illumination board 6570 and allows electrical wiring to pass back and forth.

The rib of the fastening support part 6581a has an inner width in the left-right direction that constitutes the minor axis that is slightly longer than the outer diameter of the fastening part 6564 of the partition member 6560, while the outer width in the left-right direction is longer than the left-right width of the fastening insertion part 6572 of the illumination board 6570. Therefore, in the assembled state (see FIG. 235), the fastening part 6564 is inserted inside the oval rib of the fastening support part 6581a, and the illumination board 6570 is surface-supported by the tip of the oval rib (see FIG. 244(a)).

The screw insertion portion 6581c and the positioning long hole 6581d are holes used to assemble the rear support member 6580 and the front units 6520 to 6550, and are opened along the movement direction of the front units 6520 to 6550. That is, the screw insertion portion 6581c and the positioning long hole 6581d are formed in such a way that they are inclined downward as they approach the front side (see Figures 244(a) and 246(b)).

The front units 6520-6550 are assembled to the rear units 6560-6580 along the inclined direction in which the screw insertion portion 6581c and the positioning long hole 6581d are formed, and the fastening screws are screwed in along the downward inclination (see FIG. 247).

This makes it easier to avoid interference between the front units 6520-6550 and the illumination board 6570 compared to when the openings are in the front-to-rear direction, and the screw insertion portion 6581c and the positioning slot 6581d can be positioned closer to the illumination board 6570, so that when the front plate portion 6581 is formed to the same size, a wider area can be secured for the illumination board 6570, and when the illumination board 6570 is formed to the same size, the area in which the screw insertion portion 6581c and the positioning slot 6581d are formed can be narrowed (formed compact).

The flange portion 6582 is a portion that comes into contact with the upper surfaces of the flange portions 6561a to 6561c of the partition member 6560. When a downward load (load in the hanging direction) is applied to the partition member 6560, the flange portion 6582 functions as a portion that prevents the partition member 6560 from falling forward.

The upper plate portion 6583 is disposed at a position corresponding to the fastening portion 6513 (see FIG. 238) and has a plurality of mating recesses 6583a recessed so as to be matable with the fastening portion 6513. The mating recesses 6583a are open at the top and rear and are formed in a rectangular shape when viewed from the left to right (a shape corresponding to the shape of the plate portion 6513a on the front side of the fastening portion 6513).

The rear box portion 6584 mainly includes a protruding portion 6584a that protrudes further forward than the front plate portion 6581, a sound transmission portion 6584b made of punching metal that covers an opening formed in the protruding portion 6584a, a light receiving portion 6584c made of a light-transmitting material that is disposed at the right end of the protruding portion 6584a of the right-side member, a pair of plate-shaped metal spring members 6584d that are disposed at the most central position of the upper end (position closer to the front plate portion 6581) and are formed so as to be able to generate a biasing force in a direction that repels the metal main body portion 10014a in the assembled state (see FIG. 207), and a pair of fastening portions 6584e to which fastening screws that are inserted into the insertion holes 6512 (see FIG. 237) of the upper cover member 6510 are fastened.

The upper edge of the protruding portion 6584a is formed to have a shape that follows the shape of the lower edge of the illumination board 6570 (see FIG. 241), and its upper surface forms a guide surface that guides the front units 6520 to 6550.

The sound transmission section 6584b is a section through which sound waves generated from the acoustic device 6610 (see FIG. 235) pass. This sound transmission section 6584b is disposed in a position facing the diaphragm 6611 (see FIG. 235) of the acoustic device 6610.

The light receiving unit 6584c receives light emitted from the lighting unit 10014c (see FIG. 235), which is formed from a single LED arranged in the upper right corner of the front frame 10014, and shows it to the player as a light-emitting effect. In this embodiment, the lighting unit 10014c is controlled to emit light in a manner different from that of the electric board 6570. That is, the light-emitting effect of the electric board 6570 is executed when a variable effect with a high probability of occurrence, a normal variable effect, a reach effect, a demo effect, etc. occurs, while the light-emitting effect of the lighting unit 10014c is executed when an effect with an extremely low probability of occurrence occurs that is extremely advantageous to the player. This can therefore improve the player's attention to the lighting unit 10014c.

The lower box portion 6585 is the portion into which the front units 6520 to 6550 enter from below, and is provided with a fastening portion 6585a into which a fastening screw is fastened, which is inserted into the metal main body portion 10014a from the rear side.

The cutout 6587 forms one side of a through hole through which sound emitted from the exhaust pressure transmission hole 6612, which is drilled vertically on the underside of the central left-right portion (the portion furthest from the diaphragm 6611) of the acoustic device 6610, passes. That is, the sound emitted from the exhaust pressure transmission hole 6612 passes through a through hole whose periphery is formed by the support plate portion 10014d that supports the rear side of the acoustic device 6610 and the cutout 6587.

The sound that passes through the exhaust pressure transmission hole 6612 is output as sound toward the rear side as the diaphragm 6611 vibrates, as opposed to sound that is output as sound toward the front side as the diaphragm 6611 vibrates, and is sound that passes through the internal cavity of the acoustic device 6610 (corresponding to the duct of a bass reflex speaker) and is output to the outside from the exhaust pressure transmission hole 6612. By providing multiple paths for emitting sound in this way, sounds with different tones can be generated simultaneously.

Figure 244(a) is a partial cross-sectional view of the partition member 6560, the illumination board 6570, the rear support member 6580 and the audio device 6610 taken along the line CCXLIVa-CCXLIVa in Figure 241; Figure 244(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the partition member 6560, the illumination board 6570, the rear support member 6580 and the audio device 6610 taken along the line CCXLIVb-CCXLIVb in Figure 241; Figure 245(a) is a partial cross-sectional view of the partition member 6560, the illumination board 6570, the rear support member 6580 and the audio device 6610 taken along the line CCXLIVa-CCXLVa in Figure 241; FIG. 245(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the partition member 6560, the illumination board 6570, the rear support member 6580, and the sound device 6610 taken along the line CCXLVIa-CCXLVIa in FIG. 241, FIG. 246(a) is a partial cross-sectional view of the partition member 6560, the illumination board 6570, the rear support member 6580, and the sound device 6610 taken along the line CCXLVIb-CCXLVIb in FIG. 241, and FIG. 246(b) is a partial cross-sectional view of the partition member 6560, the illumination board 6570, the rear support member 6580, and the sound device 6610 taken along the line CCXLVIb-CCXLVIb in FIG. 241.

In addition, in Figures 244(a) to 246(b), the periphery of the flange portion 6582 is shown in an enlarged view. As can be seen from this enlarged view, a slight gap is formed between the upper end of the illumination board 6570 and the lower edge of the flange portion 6582. As a result, even if the rear support member 6580 vibrates due to the transmission of vibrations from the acoustic device 6610, the vibration of the illumination board 6570 due to the vibration of the rear support member 6580 (the amplitude of vibration) can be suppressed.

As shown in Fig. 244(a) and Fig. 245(a), the fastening screw inserted into the fastening support portion 6581a of the rear support member 6580 is screwed into the fastening portion 6564 of the partition member 6560, sandwiching the illumination board 6570, thereby fastening the partition member 6560 and the rear support member 6580, but the fastening force is not transmitted to the illumination board 6570. In other words, the illumination board 6570 is not fixed to the partition member 6560 and the rear support member 6580 at the fastening point, as the fastening insertion portion 6572 is simply aligned with the fastening portion 6564.

In addition, while the rib of the fastening support portion 6581a abuts against the back surface of the illumination board 6570, the partition member 6560 is separated from the illumination board 6570 at the front-rear positions. In other words, in this embodiment, the illumination board 6570 is not sandwiched at the front-rear positions, so the illumination board 6570 can be displaced in the front-rear direction (e.g., tilted).

The lower edge of the illumination board 6570 is not supported by either the rear support member 6580 or the partition member 6560. This is also the case in Figures 244(b) to 246(b) described below.

As shown in FIG. 244(b), the large diameter cylindrical portion 6565 is inserted into the large diameter insertion portion 6573 of the illumination board 6570 and the positioning hole 6581b of the rear support member 6580. Here, the large diameter insertion portion 6573 and the positioning hole 6581b are formed in an elliptical shape that allows a gap to be formed below the large diameter cylindrical portion 6565. Similarly, the rib of the fastening support portion 6581a is formed in an elliptical shape that allows a gap to be formed below the fastening portion 6564 (see FIG. 244(a)). It will be explained how this formation facilitates the assembly of the partition member 6560 to the rear support member 6580.

For example, if the rib of the fastening support portion 6581a is formed with an inner shape that is slightly larger than the outer shape of the fastening portion 6564 as in the past, it becomes necessary to assemble the partition member 6560 with its vertical and horizontal positions aligned with the rear support member 6580.

However, in this embodiment, the illumination board 6570 is placed in an unfixed state between the partition member 6560 and the rear support member 6580, so when assembling the partition member 6560, it is also necessary to align the illumination board 6570 with the rear support member 6580, which may make the work difficult.

In this embodiment, the fastening insertion portion 6572, the large diameter insertion portion 6573, the rib of the fastening support portion 6581a, and the positioning hole 6581b are formed in a vertically long oval shape (or a shape that is half an oval shape) as described above, so assembly is possible even if the top and bottom are not aligned accurately.

As an example of the assembly sequence, first, the illumination board 6570 is attached to the partition member 6560 so that the large diameter cylindrical portion 6565 of the partition member 6560 is inserted into the large diameter insertion portion 6573 of the illumination board 6570. At this time, the position of the illumination board 6570 relative to the partition member 6560 does not need to be determined in the longitudinal direction of the large diameter insertion portion 6573, and may be in any position.

In this embodiment, the flanges 6561a to 6561c are formed in positions that allow them to come into contact with the illumination board 6570, so that when the illumination board 6570 is attached to the partition member 6560, misalignment of the illumination board 6570 with respect to the partition member 6560 is significantly reduced.

Next, the fastening portion 6564 of the partition member 6560 is inserted into the inside of the rib of the fastening support portion 6581a of the rear support member 6580. At this time, the arrangement of the fastening portion 6564 with respect to the fastening support portion 6581a does not need to be determined in the longitudinal direction of the rib of the fastening support portion 6581a, and may be in any position. In other words, it is sufficient to perform rough positioning (for example, positioning to the extent that the connector 6577 (see FIG. 243) passes through the wiring hole 6581e (see FIG. 242), positioning with a sufficiently large allowable width in the vertical direction), so that the efficiency of the work of inserting the fastening portion 6564 into the inside of the rib of the fastening support portion 6581a can be improved.

Next, the partition member 6560 is moved relative to the rear support member 6580 in the longitudinal direction (up and down direction) of the rib of the fastening support portion 6581a, the fastening portion 6564 is aligned with the through hole of the fastening support portion 6581a, and the fastening screw is screwed in (see FIG. 244(a)).

In this state, even if the position of the illumination board 5670 is misaligned, it will be aligned with the partition member 6560 and the rear support member 6580 by descending under its own weight to a position where the large diameter insertion portion 6573 is supported by the large diameter cylindrical portion 6565 (see FIG. 244(b)).

Thus, according to this embodiment, the illumination board 6570 is arranged between the partition member 6560 and the rear support member without being fixed, which is an assembly method that generally makes it difficult to align the illumination board 6570. However, by forming the fastening insertion portion 6572, the large diameter insertion portion 6573, the rib of the fastening support portion 6581a, and the positioning hole 6581b in a vertically long oval shape (or a shape that is half an oval shape), it is possible to improve assembly efficiency. In addition, even if the illumination board 5670 is misaligned, it is configured to be corrected to its original position by its own weight, so that it is possible to prevent the effect of the light-emitting performance during play from decreasing over a long period of time due to the misalignment of the illumination board 5670.

The enlarged holes 6562a will be described with reference to FIG. 245(b). The central light hole 6562 mainly comprises enlarged holes 6562a arranged in an inverted T shape in the left-right center (four holes arranged, see FIG. 241), and direct entry holes 6562b arranged in a roughly gourd (roughly jar) shape (eight holes arranged, see FIG. 241) on the outside of the enlarged holes 6562a. The direct entry holes 6562b will be described later with reference to FIG. 263.

The enlarged hole 6562a is a long rectangular through hole that allows light emitted from the first lighting unit 6574 to pass through, with the portion that forms the outer edge raised toward the front side and the inner wall inclined in such a way that the opposing distance increases as it approaches the front side (the side away from the light source).

This allows the width of the light emitted from the first lighting unit 6574 to be regulated. In other words, the way the light is presented to the player can be changed by changing the design of the enlarged hole 6562a (the inclination angle of the inner wall, the raised height, etc.).

In this embodiment, the tip of the portion that is raised toward the front side of the enlarged hole 6562a is raised to a position where it abuts against the blocking portion 6521c of the transparent cylindrical member 6521 (see FIG. 263). This allows the light that passes through the enlarged hole 6562a to enter the inside of the transparent cylindrical member 6521 without leaking out.

In FIG. 246(a), the screw insertion portion 6581c is illustrated, and in FIG. 246(b), the positioning slot 6581d is illustrated. As described above, the screw insertion portion 6581c and the positioning slot 6581d are formed in such a manner that they are inclined downward toward the front side, and the front units 6520 to 6550 are assembled and fastened to the rear units 6560 to 6580 along this inclination direction.

The front units 6520 to 6550 are assembled along the screw insertion portions 6581c and the positioning slots 6581d, which allows for greater freedom in arranging the components compared to when they are assembled in the front-to-rear direction.

For example, as shown in FIG. 246(a), the illumination board 6570 can be positioned so that it covers the area in front of the screw insertion portion 6581c, so the size of the illumination board 6570 can be secured. On the other hand, the area below the rear of the front units 6520 to 6550 can also be widely used, so the size of the rear box portion 6584 and the audio device 6610 to be housed can be secured.

In particular, in this embodiment, the screw insertion portion 6581c and the positioning slot 6581d are formed in such a way that they slope downward toward the front side on the left and right outer sides where the speaker diaphragm 6611 is located, so that the diaphragm 6611 can be formed large (see Figures 235 and 246).

As shown in Figures 246(a) and 246(b), the upper edge of the screw insertion portion 6581c and the lower edge of the positioning slot 6581d are inclined downward toward the front side, while the upper edge is formed along the front-to-rear direction (is not inclined). This is because the extraction direction of the resin mold used to manufacture the rear support member 6580 is the front-to-rear direction.

In other words, in order to simply construct the resin mold (constructed from two resin molds that are separated in the front-to-rear direction), it is necessary to give the screw insertion portion 6581c and the positioning long hole 6581d a shape that allows them to be formed in the same drawing direction as the fastening support portion 6581a and the fitting recessed portion 6583a formed in the rear support member 6580. In this embodiment, since this drawing direction is set to the front-to-rear direction, the same as the forming direction of the fastening support portion 6581a and the fitting recessed portion 6583a, the screw insertion portion 6581c and the positioning long hole 6581d are formed in an irregular shape (a shape that changes depending on the forming direction (depth direction) of the hole).

In particular, the screw insertion portion 6581c is a through hole through which the fastening screw that is screwed into the rear fastening portion 6555 (see FIG. 240) is inserted, and is the portion that bears the load generated by fastening and fixing. The shape of the screw insertion portion 6581c is such that the thickness of the upper edge of the portion where the load associated with fastening is applied becomes thinner toward the center of the hole, so that an imbalance in the load between the upper edge and the rest is likely to occur, and the fastening screw may become loose depending on the usage conditions and the number of years of use.

To prevent the fastening screws from loosening, fastening screws with a large head diameter may be used, but this results in higher costs due to differences in the quality required for fastening screws used in other fastening locations. In other words, using fastening screws with a large head diameter only in the problematic fastening location will result in higher costs because the fastening screws cannot be made into a common part, while using fastening screws with a large head diameter in all fastening locations will require a large amount of material for the fastening screws, resulting in higher costs in terms of material costs.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the front wall 6620 of the acoustic device 6610, which is disposed opposite the head of the fastening screw inserted into the screw insertion portion 6581c, is provided with a retaining plate portion 6621 that is part of a portion formed in a recessed shape (recessed) in the front wall 6620 and is formed as a plate upper portion parallel to the plate portion in which the screw insertion portion 6581c is formed.

The retaining plate portion 6621 ensures an area between the rear support member 6580 and the head of the fastening screw. In addition, the retaining plate portion 6621 is positioned in the direction in which the head of the fastening screw will be displaced if the fastening screw becomes loose, so it is possible to restrict further advancement of the fastening screw and prevent the fastening screw from falling out.

The anti-slip plate portion 6621 is formed with dimensions that leave a small gap between it and the head of the fastening screw when the fastening screw is not loose. This makes it possible to prevent vibrations from the acoustic device 6610 from being transmitted through the head of the fastening screw.

On the other hand, if the fastening screw becomes loose, the progress of the fastening screw is restricted by contact, and the gap between the retaining plate 6621 and the head of the fastening screw is filled. At this time, if sound is output from the audio device 6610, the vibration of the audio device 6610 can be transmitted to the front units 6520 to 6550 via the head of the fastening screw.

The front wall 6620 also has a number of contact avoidance recesses 6622 recessed at the rear position of the through hole of the fastening support part 6581a (see FIG. 242) in the assembled state (see FIG. 207). The contact avoidance recesses 6622 are recessed to an extent that contact with the head of the fastening screw inserted into the fastening support part 6581a and screwed into the fastening part 6564 (see FIG. 243) can be avoided (a dimension that leaves a slight gap between the head).

This prevents vibrations from the acoustic device 6610 from being transmitted to the partition member 6560 via the fastening screw. In addition, the axial direction of the through hole of the fastening support portion 6581a is the same front-to-rear direction as the resin mold removal direction, so the thickness of the plate portion to which the fastening force of the fastening screw is applied is constant in the hole direction, and sufficient fastening force can be generated. Therefore, the fastening screw inserted into the fastening support portion 6581a is unlikely to loosen, but if the fastening screw does loosen, the contact avoidance recess 6622 can provide the same function as the above-mentioned retaining plate portion 6621.

In other words, if the fastening screw becomes loose, the progress of the fastening screw is restricted by contact, and the gap between the contact avoidance recess 6622 and the head of the fastening screw is filled. At this time, if sound is output from the audio device 6610, the vibration of the audio device 6610 can be transmitted to the front units 6520 to 6550 via the head of the fastening screw.

As described above, by configuring the device to be able to grasp the transmission of vibrations that occur when the head of the fastening screw comes into contact with the retaining plate portion 6621 or the contact avoidance recess 6622 due to the occurrence of loosening of the fastening screw, it is possible to notice the occurrence of loosening of the fastening screw and to easily avoid a situation in which the fastening screw is left loose.

For example, it could be configured so that abnormal noise occurs when vibrations are transmitted, or it could be configured to detect vibrations.

As described in Figures 244(a) to 246(b), in this embodiment, the illumination board 6570 is arranged close to the rear support member 6580, but is arranged without being fixed to the rear support member 6580. This allows the acoustic device 6610 and the illumination board 6570 to be arranged close to each other with the rear support member 6580 in between, while preventing the vibration of the rear support member 6580 caused by the vibration of the acoustic device 6610 from being transmitted to the illumination board 6570, causing the illumination board 6570 to crack.

The partition member 6560 is connected to the rear support member 6580 at a position other than the performance portion of the illumination board 6570 (i.e., the lighting units 6574-6576). In order to ensure that the proportion of the performance portion on the surface of the illumination board 6570 is large, the area of the connection portion between the partition member 6560 and the rear support member 6580 tends to be narrow.

As a result, there is a tendency for the partition member 6560 to be insufficiently fixed, and without measures in place, the vibrations of the audio device 6610 may be transmitted to the partition member 6560 via the rear support member 6580, which may result in poor presentation effects, loosening of fastening points, or damage to the partition member 6560 itself.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the partition member 6560 is fixed from a different direction to suppress vibration of the partition member 6560. This will be explained with reference to FIG. 247.

Figure 247 is a schematic side view of the upper performance device 6500. In Figure 247, the fastening points, fastening directions, and fastening orientations of each component of the upper performance device 6500 are diagrammatically illustrated. That is, in Figure 247, the fastening screws are indicated by a T-shape, the horizontal line of the T-shape indicates the head of the fastening screw, and the vertical line extending from the center of the horizontal line indicates the threaded portion of the fastening screw.

As shown in FIG. 247, the upper performance device 6500 is configured such that the front and bottom surfaces of the rear units 6560-6580 are surrounded by the front units 6520-6550, and the front units 6520-6550 are supported by the upper cover member 6510. However, the upper cover member 6510 is only fastened to the rear support member 6580 and the front units 6520-6550, and is not fastened or fixed to the partition member 6560.

This avoids the need to reinforce the rigidity of the top cover member 6510. In this embodiment, since the top cover member 6510 is formed from a thin plate shape (see FIG. 238), when vibrations of the acoustic device 6610 are transmitted via the rear support member 6580, the top cover member 6510 is prone to displacement (deformation) in the thickness direction (vertical direction).

As a result of this displacement (deformation), the front-to-rear width of the top cover member 6510 is shortened. For example, when the top cover member 6510 is deformed so as to curve with the center of the front-to-rear direction as a reference, the front-to-rear distance between the insertion holes 6512 formed at intervals in the front and rear is shortened. This generates a load that displaces the partition unit 6540 toward the rear side, and a compressive load in the front-to-rear direction can be applied to the partition member 6560.

In other words, the rear support member 6580 and the partition unit 6540 can clamp the partition member 6560 and apply a load, so that even if the partition member 6560 vibrates due to vibrations of the acoustic device 6610, the vibrations can be suppressed.

Here, even if the front-to-rear width of the top cover member 6510 is shortened, if the lower side of the partition unit 6540 is displaced toward the front side (displaced away from the partition member 6560), the load applied from the partition unit 6540 to the partition member 6560 is likely to be insufficient, and there is a risk that the effect of suppressing vibration of the partition member 6560 will be insufficient.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the forward and rearward displacement of the lower end of the partition unit 6540 is restricted by the guided unit 6550, so that the lower side of the partition unit 6540 can be prevented from displacing toward the front side. This ensures that the load applied from the partition unit 6540 to the partition member 6560 is sufficient.

At this time, the fastening screws are fastened and fixed at the end of the guided unit 6550 in a direction along the plate surface of the extension plate portion 6552 (see FIG. 254(a)), so that the direction of transmission of vibrations of the acoustic device 6610 via the rear support member 6580 can be set to a direction along the plate surface of the extension plate portion 6552.

This makes it possible to suppress bending deformation of the guided unit 6550 and to suppress movement of the front and rear fastening points in the front-rear direction. Therefore, even if vibration is transmitted to the guided unit 6550, the function of suppressing displacement of the lower end of the partition unit 6540 in the front-rear direction can be sufficiently ensured.

By devising the fastening points as shown in FIG. 247, the illumination board 6570 can be placed in close proximity to the acoustic device 6610, which is prone to vibration, in an unfixed state, thereby preventing damage to the illumination board 6570, while at the same time suppressing vibration of the partition member 6560, which prevents the illumination board 6570 from moving away from the acoustic device 6610 (or the rear support member 6580) beyond the allowable distance.

In other words, it is possible to improve the durability of the illumination board 6570 placed close to the audio device 6610 while improving the shape retention performance of the upper performance device 6500.

In addition, one of the purposes of setting the fastening direction of the fastening screw in this embodiment is to accommodate the amount of displacement of the top cover member 6510. That is, the top cover member 6510 is fixed at the rear side by the fastening portion 6513 and is configured to extend in the front and rear like a thin plate, so it is prone to bending and displacing in a manner in which the amount of displacement on the front side is greater than that on the rear side.

For example, when a downward load is applied to the front end of the top cover member 6510, the shape of the top cover member 6510 may cause it to bend with the rear end as the starting point, with the center of the radius of curvature located below the top cover member 6510. In this case, a tensile load in the front-to-rear direction is applied to the top cover member 6510 itself, while a compressive load is applied to the other members located below it.

The direction of this compressive load is along the surface of the top cover member 6510, so on the rear side, which is the base end, it is along the front-to-rear direction, but as the amount of displacement increases (towards the front side), it begins to follow a direction that slopes downward towards the front side relative to the front-to-rear direction.

In this embodiment, the fastening direction of the fastening screw inserted into the insertion hole 6547b of the insertion plate portion 6547 is inclined downward toward the front side in the front-to-rear direction, so that the fastening direction of the fastening screw can be made closer to the direction of the compressive load generated by the displacement of the upper cover member 6510.

This not only allows sufficient resistance to compressive loads to be generated at the fastening position, but also reduces the component of compressive load applied in the direction that shears the fastening screw (the direction perpendicular to the fastening direction), preventing breakage of the fastening screw.

Fastening screws whose fastening direction is formed in a downward inclination toward the front side are used to fasten the board guide unit 6550, and the board guide unit 6550 is disposed adjacent to the underside and backside of the illumination board 6570 (see the screw insertion portion 6581c in FIG. 246(a)). In this embodiment, the illumination board 6570 is disposed unfixed and is configured to be easily displaced, and the board guide unit 6550 can limit the allowable displacement of the illumination board 6570. In other words, even if the illumination board 6570 is displaced, if the displacement amount becomes excessive, it can be abutted against the board guide unit 6550, thereby restricting excessive displacement of the illumination board 6570.

In addition, since the board guide unit 6550 is arranged close to the rear side of the illumination board 6570 (the side where the acoustic device 6610 is arranged), it is possible to particularly suppress displacement of the illumination board 6570 toward the rear side. This makes it possible to suppress the illumination board 6570 from approaching the acoustic device 6610, which is a vibration generating source.

In this embodiment, the fastening parts (fastening support parts 6581a, insertion holes 6565a, etc.) whose fastening direction is along the front-rear direction are concentrated on the left-right center side (see Figure 242), while the fastening parts (screw insertion parts 6581c, insertion plate parts 6547, etc.) whose fastening direction is along the downward sloping direction towards the front side are concentrated on the left-right outer sides (see Figures 242 and 256), and they are not arranged close to each other.

This makes it possible to suppress the effect that deformation (displacement) that occurs in one fastening part has on the other fastening part. In other words, even if a fastening part along the front-to-rear direction loosens and displaces in the front-to-rear direction, the affected area can be limited to the fastening part along the front-to-rear direction, so it is possible to avoid a load being applied to the fastening part along the downward sloping direction in a direction that is inclined (along the front-to-rear direction) to the fastening direction. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of loosening of the screw.

In addition, by fixing the central left and right sides, which are longer in the front-to-rear direction, with fastening parts whose fastening direction is along the front-to-rear direction, the resistance of the upper performance device 6500 to loads in the downward direction can be improved.

On the other hand, it is thought that fastening parts whose fastening direction slopes downward toward the front side are more likely to have a lower resistance to loads in the downward direction than fastening parts whose fastening direction runs along the front-to-rear direction. In this embodiment, however, by arranging fastening parts whose fastening direction slopes downward toward the front side on the left and right outer sides that are short and formed along the front-to-rear direction, it is possible to minimize the impact of the reduced resistance to loads in the downward direction while securing the placement area for the illumination board 6570 and the audio device 6610.

Figure 248 is a cross-sectional view of the rear units 6560 to 6580 taken along the line CCXLVIII-CCXLVIII in Figure 241(a). Note that certain portions are shown enlarged.

As shown in FIG. 248, the large diameter insertion portion 6573 of the illumination board 6570 abuts against the large diameter cylindrical portion 6565 of the partition member 6560 in the left-right direction. In addition, the front and rear surfaces abut against the left and right side portions of the partition member 6560 and the left and right side portions of the rear support member 6580, respectively, but the abutment positions are formed so that they do not coincide front to back.

By configuring it in this way, it is possible to improve the durability of the illumination board 6570 and adjust the likelihood of displacement. The following explains each step in turn. First, we will explain how to improve the durability of the illumination board 6570.

Here, when the front and rear surfaces of the illuminated board 6570 abut against the partition member 6560 and the rear support member 6580 at positions that match, if for some reason (such as an error during resin molding or improper fastening) the distance between the abutting portions of the partition member 6560 and the rear support member 6580 becomes shorter than the plate thickness of the illuminated board 6570, a compressive force is applied to the illuminated board 6570, and if the applied load is large, there is a risk that the illuminated board 6570 will crack.

Even if no compressive force is applied to the illumination board 6570 during assembly, the vibration of the acoustic device 6610 during movement may cause the rear support member 6580 to vibrate, which may apply a load (e.g., a load in the compressive direction), and this load may cause the illumination board 6570 to crack.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the positions at which the front and rear surfaces of the illuminated board 6570 abut against the partition member 6560 and the rear support member 6580 do not match (there are some abutment points at offset positions), so even if a load is applied to the illuminated board 6570 in the manner described above, the load is not a load that compresses the illuminated board 6570, but a load that bends the illuminated board 6570. Therefore, the illuminated board 6570 can deal with this by flexing and deforming, reducing the possibility of the illuminated board 6570 cracking.

Next, we will explain how to adjust the tendency of the illumination board 6570 to shift. The illumination board 6570 is inserted through the fastening portion 6564 (see FIG. 243) and the large diameter cylindrical portion 6565 of the partition member 6560 to prevent misalignment, and in this embodiment, these are arranged close together near the center on the left and right (see FIG. 243).

In addition, the illumination board 6570 abuts (contacts) the large diameter cylindrical portion 6565 in the left-right direction, ensuring contact resistance between the illumination board 6570 and the large diameter cylindrical portion 6565. The large diameter cylindrical portion 65656 is formed with a larger diameter than the fastening portion 6564, so naturally the contact area is larger and sufficient frictional resistance can be ensured.

Therefore, it is possible to easily suppress the occurrence of displacement of the illumination board 6570 near the center of the left and right sides of the illumination board 6570. Therefore, even if the vibration of the acoustic device 6610 causes the surrounding components to vibrate, it is possible to easily maintain the direction of the light emitted from the first lighting unit 6574 of the illumination board 6570.

In contrast, the left and right sides (particularly the lower side) of the illuminated board 6570 do not have the large diameter cylindrical portion 6565 or the fastening portion 6564, and no compressive load is generated from the front or back, making it easier for displacement to occur compared to the central left and right parts of the illuminated board 6570.

Therefore, when the vibration of the acoustic device 6610 causes the surrounding components to vibrate, it is possible to easily change the direction of the light emitted from the second lighting unit 6575 and the third lighting unit 6576 of the illumination board 6570.

In this embodiment, the acoustic devices 6610 are arranged in pairs on the left and right, so that the vibration mode of the illumination board 6570 changes based on the vibration mode of each acoustic device 6610. That is, the illumination board 6570 can be vibrated in at least three different vibration modes: when sound is output only from the right acoustic device 6610, causing the right side of the illumination board 6570 to vibrate preferentially; when sound is output only from the left acoustic device 6610, causing the left side of the illumination board 6570 to vibrate preferentially; and when sound is output from both the left and right acoustic devices 6610, causing both the left and right sides of the illumination board 6570 to vibrate.

Next, the front units 6520 to 6550 will be described. Figure 249 is an exploded front perspective view of the front units 6520 to 6550, and Figure 250 is an exploded rear perspective view of the front units 6520 to 6550. Note that in Figures 249 and 250, the reference numerals for the detailed configurations are omitted for ease of understanding.

Figures 249 and 250 show the disassembled state of the light transmission unit 6520 that transmits the light incident from the first lighting section 6574 of the illumination board 6570 to the front side, the outer frame member 6530 that is formed to surround the light transmission unit 6520 and forms an outer frame, the partition unit 6540 that abuts the partition member 6560 at the front and rear and similarly partitions the light, and the guided unit 6550 that is guided to the upper surface of the protruding section 6584a of the rear support member 6580.

When lighting is produced through the front units 6520 to 6550, the light transmission unit 6520 receives light from the first lighting unit 6574, the partition unit 6540 receives light from the second lighting unit 6575, and the guided unit 6550 receives light from the third lighting unit 6576. Next, the partition unit 6540 and the guided unit 6550 will be described in detail.

Figure 251(a) is a front view of the partition unit 6540 and the guided unit 6550, Figure 251(b) is a rear view of the partition unit 6540 and the guided unit 6550, Figure 252(a) is a front view of the partition unit 6540, Figure 252(b) is a rear view of the partition unit 6540, Figure 253(a) is a front view of the board guide unit 6550, and Figure 253(b) is a rear view of the board guide unit 6550.

Figure 254(a) is a cross-sectional view of the partition unit 6540 and the guided unit 6550 taken along the line CCLIVa-CCLIVa in Figure 251(b), Figure 254(b) is a cross-sectional view of the partition unit 6540 and the guided unit 6550 taken along the line CCLIVb-CCLIVb in Figure 251(b), and Figure 254(c) is a cross-sectional view of the partition unit 6540 and the guided unit 6550 taken along the line CCLIVc-CCLIVc in Figure 251(b).

Figure 255 is an exploded front perspective view of the partition unit 6540 and the guided unit 6550, and Figure 256 is an exploded rear perspective view of the partition unit 6540 and the guided unit 6550.

The partition unit 6540 is made of a milky white light-transmitting resin material and is formed in a generally inverted triangle shape when viewed from the front. The milky white member 6541 is formed in the center of the milky white member 6541 in the front-rear direction and has a through hole 6542 through which the rear part of the optical transmission unit 6520 can be inserted. The through hole 6542 is a portion that protrudes inward from the through hole 6542 and a pair of fastening parts 6543 through which the optical transmission unit 6520 is fastened and fixed. A plurality of insertion holes 6544 through which fastening screws that fasten the outer frame member 6530 can be inserted are provided. A fastening screw that extends cylindrically to the rear side and passes through the insertion hole 6565a of the partition member 6560 is provided. The plate guide unit 6550 is mainly composed of a pair of post-guiding fastening parts 6545 to which the screws are fastened, a pair of box-shaped light receiving parts 6546 formed in a box shape that opens to the rear side along the left and right lower edges of the milky white member 6541, a plate-shaped part extending downward from the lower edge of the box-shaped light receiving part 6546, and a plurality of insertion plate parts 6547 formed with insertion holes 6547b through which fastening screws for fastening and fixing the partition unit 6540 to the plate guide unit 6550 can be inserted, and a transparent covering member 6548 formed from a colorless, transparent, light-transmitting resin material in a shape that covers the front side of the box-shaped light receiving part 6546 and is fitted and supported by the milky white member 6541.

The front edge of the partition unit 6540 is formed in a curved shape that bulges out toward the front side when viewed from above, similar to the top cover member 6510, and is formed in a roughly inverted triangle shape when viewed from the front, and in a roughly arc shape with its center located on the rear side when viewed from the side (see FIG. 254(a)).

The milky white member 6541 has a pair of fastening parts 6541a on the upper surface to which fastening screws are inserted into the insertion holes 6512 (see FIG. 237) of the top cover member 6510. The fastening parts 6541a and the top cover member 6510 are fastened and fixed.

The front side of the through hole 6542 is formed with a downward inclination toward the rear side in accordance with the inclination of the abutment plate portion 6525 (see FIG. 258(b)) of the optical transmission unit 6520 described below. This allows the front end of the through hole 6542 to abut on the abutment plate portion 6525 (see FIG. 258(b)) at a surface, preventing the position of the optical transmission unit 6520 from changing.

The fastening portion 6543 is formed with the fastening hole facing the front side. That is, the fastening screw is screwed in from the front side. The post-guide fastening portion 6545 is formed with the fastening hole facing the rear side. That is, the fastening screw is screwed in from the rear side.

The box-shaped light receiving part 6546 is a part that is arranged opposite the second lighting part 6575 (see FIG. 241(b)) of the electric lighting board 6570, and a jagged decoration with a short width from side to side is formed on the back surface of the front bottom part of the box-shaped light receiving part 6546 and the top surface of the lower plate part. This jagged shape is formed by a concave-convex shape in which protrusions with a triangular cross section are closely aligned.

This shape allows the light incident from the rear side to be scattered (diffused), so that the box-shaped light receiving unit 6546 and the transparent covering member 6548 covering its front side can emit light evenly when viewed from the front.

The jagged shape is described as a process applied to the surface onto which light is irradiated, and the shape is not limited in any way. For example, it may be a process in which dots are densely formed, or a process in which wavy stripes are formed.

The insertion plate portion 6547 mainly comprises a U-shaped wall portion 6547a that is U-shaped and open at the top when viewed from the rear, an insertion hole 6547b drilled in the front-rear direction, and a protruding rib 6547c that is semi-elliptical and protrudes toward the front side, surrounding the lower side of the insertion hole 6547b.

The U-shaped wall portion 6547a is aligned with the front fastening portion 6554 of the guided unit 6550, so that the partition unit 6540 can be easily assembled to the guided unit 6550.

The through plate portion 6547 is a portion in which a through hole is formed through which a fastening screw is screwed into the screw-in portion 6554a (see FIG. 256) and which bears the load generated by fastening. The shape of the through hole formed in the through plate portion 6547 is such that the thickness of the upper edge of the portion where the load associated with fastening is applied becomes thinner toward the center of the hole in relation to the direction in which the resin mold is removed (the front-to-back direction in this embodiment) (see FIG. 254(b)).

In this case, an imbalance in the load is likely to occur between the upper edge and the rest of the board, so if small misalignments occur repeatedly between the partition unit 6540 and the plate guide unit 6550, there is a risk that the fastening screws will become loose.

To prevent the fastening screws from loosening, fastening screws with a large head diameter may be used, but this results in higher costs due to differences in the quality required for fastening screws used in other fastening locations. In other words, using fastening screws with a large head diameter only in the problematic fastening location will result in higher costs because the fastening screws cannot be made into a common part, while using fastening screws with a large head diameter in all fastening locations will require a large amount of material for the fastening screws, resulting in higher costs in terms of material costs.

In contrast, this embodiment is configured to prevent misalignment of the board guide unit 6550 relative to the partition unit 6540 at multiple locations. That is, first, the screw-in portion 6554a of the board guide unit 6550 is supported from below by the protruding rib 6547c of the partition unit 6540, thereby preventing downward displacement of the board guide unit 6550 (see Figures 247 and 254(b)).

Secondly, the upper end of the front side of the board guide unit 6550 is configured to engage in the front-rear direction with the lower end of the rear side of the transparent covering member 6548, which is engaged with the milky white member 6541 by the engaging protrusion 6548b (see FIG. 254(b)). This makes it possible to prevent the board guide unit 6550 from being displaced toward the front side relative to the partition unit 6540.

Thirdly, the lower end of the insertion plate portion 6547 is configured to abut on the upper surface of the main body resin member 6551 of the plate guide unit 6550 (see FIG. 254(b)). This makes it possible to prevent the plate guide unit 6550 from being displaced upward relative to the partition unit 6540.

These abutment structures, mainly the first to third abutment structures, can suppress displacement of the plate guide unit 6550 relative to the partition unit 6540, thereby suppressing loosening of the fastening screw screwed into the screw-in portion 6554a.

The transparent covering member 6548 is formed in a roughly V-shape when viewed from the front, and includes a lower edge plate-shaped portion 6548a that extends in a plate shape toward the rear side at the lower edge connection portion of the V, and multiple locking protrusions 6548b that protrude in a plate shape from the upper edge toward the rear side. The left and right central portions of the box-shaped light receiving portion 6546 are cut out from the rear side to the front side, and the lower edge plate-shaped portion 6548a enters to fill this gap.

The upper surface of the lower edge plate portion 6548a is formed with a jagged decoration, similar to that of the box-shaped light receiving portion 6546. As a result, even if the box-shaped light receiving portion 6546 is designed to have a cutout in the center, the cutout portion can be complemented by the decorative shape of the lower edge plate portion 6548a, so that the transparent covering member 6548 can emit light uniformly across the left and right directions.

The jagged shape is described as a process applied to the surface onto which light is irradiated, and the shape is not limited in any way. For example, it may be a process in which dots are densely formed, or a process in which wavy stripes are formed.

In this embodiment, as described below, the lower bottom surface of the guided unit 6550 is formed as an inclined surface that slopes upward toward the rear side (see FIG. 254(c)), and in order to form the lower edge plate portion 6548a at a surface position with the lower bottom surface of the guided unit 6550, the lower edge plate portion 6548a is formed as an inclined surface that slopes upward toward the rear side, just like the lower bottom surface of the guided unit 6550.

If this inclined surface is to be formed in the box-shaped light receiving portion 6546, the punching direction of the mold for forming the box-shaped light receiving portion 6546 becomes complicated. That is, while the punching direction is the front-to-back direction near the through hole 6542, near the lower edge of the box-shaped light receiving portion 6546, the punching direction becomes an upward inclination toward the back side. This not only increases the difficulty of mold design, but also may complicate the manufacturing process.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the inclined surface is not formed from the milky white member 6541, but instead is formed from a transparent covering member 6548 (see FIG. 254(c)). Furthermore, in the assembled state, a white partition member 6560 is disposed opposite the back side of the lower edge plate portion 6548a of the transparent covering member 6548 that constitutes the inclined surface, so that the player can see the entire transparent covering member 6548 in a uniform color (white).

This allows the punching direction of the molding die for the milky white member 6541 to be unified in the front-to-rear direction, and the shape of the transparent covering member 6548 that covers the front side of the milky white member 6541 to be inclined toward the side that interferes in the front-to-rear punching direction (the lower edge plate portion 6548a of the transparent covering member 6548 is inclined in the direction that goes into the inside of the partition unit 6540 when viewed from the front), while allowing the player to view the light emitted by the transparent covering member 6548 in a uniform light emission pattern.

In other words, the partition unit 6540 is tapered toward the rear side (the gap between the top and bottom narrows), and the rear portion of the adjacent milky white member 6541 and the upper surface of the lower edge plate portion 6548a of the transparent covering member 6548 can be continuously given the same decorative shape (cut) (see the enlarged view in Figure 240), so that a uniform light emission effect can be achieved.

In this case, it becomes difficult to set the punching direction of the molding die for the transparent covering member 6548 to the front-to-rear direction, but the transparent covering member 6548 does not have any parts that are formed along the front-to-rear direction in the first place. Therefore, by setting the direction along the lower edge plate-shaped portion 6548a (the upward inclination direction) as the punching direction of the molding die, the transparent covering member 6548 can be manufactured using a manufacturing process that is no different from a manufacturing process in which resin is molded using a die whose punching direction is the front-to-rear direction (one direction).

As a result, the milky white member 6541 and the transparent covering member 6548 can be easily manufactured, and the area visible through the transparent covering member 6548 can be illuminated uniformly.

The locking protrusion 6548b is a portion that locks onto the upper edge of the bulge toward the front side at a position corresponding to the box-shaped light receiving portion 6546 of the milky white member 6541. That is, when the transparent covering member 6548 is assembled to the milky white member 6541, the locking protrusion 6548b locks onto the milky white member 6541.

The guided unit 6550 is made of a colored, opaque resin material and has a generally V-shape when viewed from the front. The guided unit 6550 is guided along the upper surface of the protruding portion 6584a of the rear support member 6580. The main resin member 6551 is formed in a generally V-shape when viewed from the front. The main resin member 6551 is made of an opaque resin material and is guided along the upper surface of the protruding portion 6584a of the rear support member 6580. The main resin member 6551 is made of an extended plate portion 6552 extending in a plate shape to the rear side along the lower edge of the left and right central portion of the main resin member 6551. The extended plate portion 6552 is formed in a plate shape to the rear side. A pair of left and right exhaust pressure through holes 6553 are drilled at the rear end of the extended plate portion 6552. A plurality of front side fastening portions 6554 are arranged along the left and right upper edges of the main resin member 6551, are arranged opposite the insertion plate portion 6547 of the partition unit 6540, and are fastened with fastening screws. The main resin member It mainly comprises a number of rear fastening parts 6555 arranged along the left and right lower edges of 6551 and fastened with fastening screws passing through screw insertion parts 6581c (see FIG. 241(a)) of rear support member 6580, a number of insertion rib parts 6556 protruding in a rib shape between the rear fastening parts 6555 and inserted into positioning long holes 6581d (see FIG. 241(a)) of rear support member 6580, a number of through holes 6557 drilled in the front-rear direction in the left and right arms, and a pair of light receiving members 6558 formed from a colorless, transparent, light-transmitting resin material and fitted and fixed into the number of through holes 6557.

The guided unit 6550 is guided along the upper surface of the protruding portion 6584a of the rear support member 6580 in the direction in which the die is removed. In other words, each component is formed in a direction that is inclined upward toward the rear side, or in a direction perpendicular to that inclination.

The exhaust pressure hole 6553 is formed in a position opposite the exhaust pressure transmission hole 6612 (see FIG. 235) of the sound device 6610. In other words, the sound output through the exhaust pressure transmission hole 6612 passes through the exhaust pressure hole 6553 before reaching the player.

In the area facing the exhaust pressure transmission hole 6612 (see FIG. 235), the exhaust pressure through hole 6553 is not formed as a single large hole, but is formed as multiple small holes (dividing the area into smaller areas). This makes it possible to prevent fraudulent acts such as inserting thin wires such as piano wires.

The exhaust pressure hole 6553 is also formed so that the hole width narrows as it approaches the end of the hole and as it moves toward the back side. This allows the thin wire to be clogged in the hole, and increases the resistance to the movement of the thin wire when it is advanced further into the exhaust pressure hole 6553 or when it is hooked onto a specific component to apply a load. This extends the time required for fraudulent activity, thereby helping to discourage fraudulent activity.

The front fastening portion 6554 includes a screw-in portion 6554a into which a fastening screw is fastened, and a pair of positioning walls 6554b formed on the left and right of the screw-in portion 6554a. The positioning walls 6554b are arranged opposite each other at a distance slightly longer than the width of the U-shaped wall portion 6547a. Therefore, by inserting the U-shaped wall portion 6547a into the positioning wall portion 6554b, the partition unit 6540 and the guided unit 6550 can be aligned.

The light receiving member 6558 mainly comprises a guided portion 6558a that is guided along the upper surface of the lower edge of the main body resin member 6551 (along a direction inclined relative to the front-to-rear direction) and has an L-shaped cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, a number of rear box-shaped portions 6558b that are formed in a box shape with a bulge on the front side of the guided portion 6558a and an open rear side so that they can be inserted into the through hole 6557, and an upper edge extension portion 6558c that is extended in a plate shape toward the rear side along the upper edge of the center end portion (the end portion on the side where the pair of light receiving members 6558 face each other) of the guided portion 6558a.

The light receiving member 6558 is a member that receives light irradiated from the third lighting section 6576 (see FIG. 241(b)) of the illumination board 6570. The inner surface of the rear box-shaped portion 6558b is formed with the decorative jagged shape described above. This allows the light to be refracted many times inside the rear box-shaped portion 6558b, so that even if there are only a small number of LEDs corresponding to the through holes 6557 (1-2 in FIG. 241(b)), the light can be visually recognized as a uniform light over the entire rear box-shaped portion 6558b. This makes it difficult for players to notice that there are only a small number of LEDs (the sense of a point light source can be reduced).

As described above, the light receiving member 6558 is attached in an inclined position relative to the front-to-rear direction (attached in an inclined position so that the light travels in the direction in which the board guide unit 6550 is assembled (the light receiving surface intersects with the direction in which the board guide unit 6550 is assembled)), so that the light emitted in the front-to-rear direction from the LEDs arranged in the third lighting section 6576 of the illumination board 6570 on the back side of the light receiving member 6558 can be refracted as it passes through the light receiving member 6558 and travels in a direction inclined diagonally downward toward the front side of the light receiving member 6558.

The jagged shape is described as a process applied to the surface onto which light is irradiated, and the shape is not limited in any way. For example, it may be a process in which dots are densely formed, or a process in which wavy stripes are formed.

The rear box-shaped portion 6558b is formed so that the items arranged on the left and right outer sides have a shorter bulge length toward the front side compared to the items arranged on the left and right inner sides. This allows the front side of the rear box-shaped portion 6558b to be formed along the curved shape of the front side edge of the partition unit 6540 and the guided unit 6550 connected below it.

The upper edge extension 6558c is a portion for facilitating assembly of the guided unit 6550 and the partition member 6560. The main body resin member 6551 of the guided unit 6550, which is disposed opposite the partition member 6560, is formed from a flat shape, particularly in the extended plate portion 6552 in the central portion, and since there is no partition, it is difficult to align it with the partition member 6560. In contrast, in this embodiment, the upper edge extension 6558c serves as a partition that divides the area above the extended plate portion 6552, so the partition member 6560 can be easily aligned.

Returning to FIG. 249, the explanation so far has been about the part that receives the light irradiated from the second illumination unit 6575 and the third illumination unit 6576 arranged on the left and right. From here on, the optical transmission unit 6520, which is the part that receives the light irradiated from the first illumination unit 6574, will be explained.

Figure 257(a) is a front view of the optical transmission unit 6520 and the outer frame member 6530, Figure 257(b) is a rear view of the optical transmission unit 6520 and the outer frame member 6530, Figure 258(a) is an exploded front perspective view of the optical transmission unit 6520 and the outer frame member 6530, and Figure 258(b) is an exploded rear perspective view of the optical transmission unit 6520 and the outer frame member 6530.

The outer frame member 6530 is a member formed from a colored (orange in this embodiment) light-opaque resin material, and mainly comprises a main body 6531 formed in a roughly inverted triangular shape when viewed from the front, an opening 6532 drilled in the front-rear direction in a roughly gourd-like (roughly jar-like) shape in the center of the main body 6531, a protruding rib 6533 that protrudes in a rib-like shape on the back side and follows the shape of the lower edge of the main body 6531, and a plurality of fastening portions 6534 that are arranged in positions corresponding to the insertion holes 6544 (see FIG. 254) of the partition unit 6540 and are formed so that fastening screws inserted into the insertion holes 6544 can be screwed in.

Since the main body 6531 of the outer frame member 6530 is opaque to light, the areas inside the outer shape that transmit light are limited to the openings 6532. The shape of the openings 6532 corresponds to the arrangement pattern of the first lighting unit 6574. In other words, the edge of the openings 6532 is formed from a shape similar (enlarged shape) to the shape that surrounds the LED of the first lighting unit 6574 when viewed from the front (see FIG. 241(a)).

The light emitted from the first lighting unit 6574 passes through the transparent cylindrical member 6521, but since the shape of the transparent cylindrical member 6521 is formed to differ depending on the front and rear positions, a player viewing from in front of the opening 6532 can see a pattern of light that differs from the arrangement pattern of the first lighting unit 6574.

For example, the upper plate portion of the transparent tubular member 6521 is formed so that its width increases (so that both left and right edges are inclined in the width direction) as it approaches the opening 6532, so that the light visible from in front of the opening 6532 around the position where it overlaps with the upper plate portion of the transparent tubular member 6521 at the front and rear is visible in a pattern that is wider than the arrangement pattern of the first illumination unit 6574.

In this way, according to this embodiment, it is possible to narrow the range of placement of the first lighting unit 6574 that emits light behind it while widening the range of light visible to the player. Therefore, it is possible to produce an effect in which the light is visible over a wide range while keeping the size of the first lighting unit 6574 (and the illumination board 6570) small. Details of the shape of the transparent cylindrical member 6521 will be described later.

The protruding rib 6533 is cut out at a position corresponding to the locking protrusion 6548b (see FIG. 255) of the transparent covering member 6548, and is disposed at a location where the formation of the locking protrusion 6548b is omitted. In this embodiment, the protruding rib 6533 and the locking protrusion 6548b are formed on the same curve when viewed from the front (formed on a curve of the same shape as the lower edge of the outer frame member 6530 so as to complement each other).

Figure 259 is an exploded front oblique view of the optical transmission unit 6520, and Figure 260 is an exploded rear oblique view of the optical transmission unit 6520. The optical transmission unit 6520 mainly includes a transparent cylindrical member 6521 formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape extending from a colorless, transparent, light-transmitting resin in the front-rear direction, a flange portion 6522 extending outward in a flange-like shape along the outer circumference along a plane located at a midpoint of the transparent cylindrical member 6521, a cup-shaped member 6523 formed in a cup shape from a colorless, light-transmitting resin that covers the transparent cylindrical member 6521, a shielding member 6524 formed in a cylindrical shape from a colored (white in this embodiment) light-opaque resin material so that the opposite side of the side where the cup-shaped member 6523 is covered can be inserted, a contact plate portion 6525 formed as a flat surface portion that can come into face-to-face contact with the flange portion 6522 at the front end of the shielding member 6524, and an outer frame extension portion 6526 that extends to the front side along the left and right edges and lower edge of the contact plate portion 6525.

The bottomed cylindrical member 6521 is a member that extends in a cylindrical shape from front to back, and has a curved shape with the left and right wall portions constricted inward. It mainly comprises a rear outer shape portion 6521a formed from an outer shape that overlaps the LEDs arranged in the first lighting unit 6574 from front to back, a plurality of light receiving protrusions 6521b that protrude from the rear outer shape portion 6521a to the rear side at a position where they are arranged opposite the LEDs, a blocking portion 6521c that blocks the area surrounded by the rear outer shape portion 6521a in a plate-like shape, a plurality of light passing holes 6521d that are drilled in the blocking portion 6521c at a position where they are arranged opposite the LEDs, a main body cylindrical portion 6521e in which at least the left and right width of the upper wall and the distance between the left and right wall portions become longer toward the front side, and a frame-shaped extension portion 6521f that extends to the front side of the flange portion 6522 along the shape of the main body cylindrical portion 6521e.

The light-receiving protrusion 6521b is the part that is inserted into the central light hole 6562 of the partition member 6560. In other words, by shortening the distance between the partition member 6560 and the illumination board 6570 (see FIG. 263), light can be made to enter the light-receiving protrusion 6521b from the LED of the first illumination unit 6574 without leaving a gap as large as the thickness of the opposing plate portion 6561 of the partition member 6560. This makes it easier to generate total reflection.

In this way, the light irradiated from the LED of the first illumination unit 6574 enters at close range and travels toward the front side through total reflection, whereas the light irradiated from the LED of the second illumination unit 6575 and the third illumination unit 6576 described above travels through the air only in the area inside the recess of the box-shaped light receiving unit 6546 and the rear box-shaped unit 6558b, which are recessed in the direction away from the LED, and causes the front side wall of the box-shaped light receiving unit 6546 and the rear box-shaped unit 6558b to emit light. Therefore, compared to the light irradiated from the first illumination unit 6574, the light irradiated from the second illumination unit 6575 and the third illumination unit 6576 can be visually recognized by the player as a uniform light with a low light intensity.

In addition, the partition unit 6540 in which the box-shaped light receiving portion 6546 is formed is made of a light-transmitting milky white resin material, and the light receiving member 6558 in which the rear box-shaped portion 6558b is formed is made of a colorless, transparent, light-transmitting resin material, so that the appearance of the light irradiated from the second irradiation portion 6575 and the third irradiation portion 6576 can be changed in stages.

The frame-shaped extension 6521f is generally formed from a similar shape to the rear outer shape 6521a, but due to the relationship via the main body tube 6521e, the outer shape of the frame-shaped extension 6521f is made larger than the outer shape of the rear outer shape 6521a.

Therefore, compared to the size of the area in which the LEDs are arranged in the first lighting unit 6574, the light can be visually recognized by the player as illuminating a large area.

The shape of the extension tip of the frame-shaped extension portion 6521f is such that each point is positioned approximately the same distance away from the bottom rear surface (back surface) of the cup-shaped member 6523. In other words, the shape of the extension tip of the frame-shaped extension portion 6521f is designed depending on the shape of the cup-shaped member 6523. This allows the frame-shaped extension portion 6521f to shine in a uniform light emission mode.

The flange portion 6522 has a pair of left and right insertion holes 6522a drilled into it with a size that allows the circular screw-in portion of the fastening portion 6543 (see FIG. 251(a)) of the partition unit 6540 to be inserted therethrough.

The cup-shaped member 6523 has a flat back surface and is formed into a bottomed tubular shape capable of supporting the fastening portion 6543 at a position overlapping the insertion hole 6522a in the front-to-rear direction, and is mainly composed of a pair of end fastening portions 6523a to which the fastening portion 6543 is fastened and fixed by a fastening screw inserted into the bottom, a decorative shape portion 6523b in which a light diffusing shape (a decorative shape consisting of a triangular cross-sectional protrusion) is formed on the back bottom of the cup shape, and a flat surface portion 6523c formed into a flat surface in the area surrounding the decorative shape portion 6523b.

The decorative shape portion 6523b diffuses the light that is irradiated from the back of the cup-shaped member 6523. This allows a player looking at the cup-shaped member 6523 from the front to see it as if it is emitting light from its surface, improving the visibility of the cup-shaped member 6523 when viewed from the front.

The flat surface portion 6523c is formed in an area facing the frame-shaped extension portion 6521f (see FIG. 263), so that light that passes through the inside of the thickness of the frame-shaped extension portion 6521f can pass to the front side without being diffusely reflected. This allows the player to visually recognize the light that passes through the frame-shaped extension portion 6521f as a clear light.

The shielding member 6524 has a rear end formed from a shape equivalent to the central tube portion 6566 of the partition member 6560, and is provided with a pair of left and right guide recesses 6524a recessed to a size capable of guiding the fastening portion 6543 (see FIG. 251(a)) of the partition unit 6540.

The abutment plate portion 6525 has a pair of left and right insertion holes 6525a drilled with a size that allows the circular screw-in portion of the fastening portion 6543 (see FIG. 251(a)) of the partition unit 6540 to be inserted therethrough.

The outer frame extension portion 6526 is formed with an inner shape that is slightly larger than the flange portion 6522 so that it can accommodate the flange portion 6522, and its extension length is greater than or equal to the sum of the thickness of the flange portion 6522 and the thickness of the edge of the rear plate portion of the cup-shaped member 6523.

That is, in the assembled state of the optical transmission unit 6520, the flange portion 6522 and the plate-shaped portion of the cup-shaped member 6523 are housed inside the outer frame extension portion 6526 (see FIG. 258(a)), so that the assembled state of the optical transmission unit 6520 can be stably maintained. Furthermore, the circular screw-in portion of the fastening portion 6543 (see FIG. 251(a)) of the partition unit 6540 is inserted through the insertion hole 6525a, the insertion hole 6522a, and the terminal fastening portion 6523a in that order, and fastened and fixed, so that the assembled state of the optical transmission unit 6520 can be more firmly maintained.

According to the optical transmission unit 6520, the light incident from the rear end surface of the light receiving protrusion 6521b is totally reflected within the thickness of the main body tube portion 6521e, travels forward, and is emitted from the front end of the frame-shaped extension portion 6521f, and can be irradiated to the cup-shaped member 6523. Since the cup-shaped member 6523 is set to have a short distance from the frame-shaped extension portion 6521f, the light can be seen by a player viewing the light from the front side of the cup-shaped member 6523 in a light emission mode that shines in a line shape (an outline line shape along the corner of the cup-shaped member 6523). This makes it possible to highlight the difference between the light emission mode of the cup-shaped member 6523 and the uniform light emission mode seen in the transparent covering member 6548 described above, so that a sharp light emission performance can be performed. This will be described in detail below.

Figure 261 shows six views of the transparent cylindrical member 6521, and Figure 262 shows six views of the optical transmission unit 6520 in an assembled state. Note that since the optical transmission unit 6520 is configured symmetrically, the left side view is omitted.

Figure 261(a) is a front view of the transparent cylindrical member 6521, Figure 261(b) is a top view of the transparent cylindrical member 6521, Figure 261(c) is a bottom view of the transparent cylindrical member 6521, Figure 261(d) is a right side view of the transparent cylindrical member 6521 as viewed in the direction of arrow L, and Figure 261(e) is a rear view of the transparent cylindrical member 6521.

Figure 262(a) is a front view of the optical transmission unit 6520, Figure 262(b) is a top view of the optical transmission unit 6520, Figure 262(c) is a bottom view of the optical transmission unit 6520, Figure 262(d) is a right side view of the optical transmission unit 6520 as viewed in the direction of arrow L, and Figure 262(e) is a rear view of the optical transmission unit 6520. Note that in Figure 262(e), the pattern of the decorative shape portion 6523b is omitted for ease of understanding.

As shown in Figures 261(b) and 261(d), the transparent cylindrical member 6521 has a shape in which the left and right sides and the bottom bottom are inclined so that the left and right width and the top and bottom width gradually increase toward the front side. However, since the direction in which the resin mold is removed is set in the front-to-back direction, the part that interferes with the resin mold in the removal direction cannot be formed as an inclined surface.

For example, even if the outer surface of the main body tube portion 6521e is formed as an inclined surface, it will not interfere when moving the plastic mold on the rear side in the removal direction (rearward). However, if the inner surface of the external portion 6521a formed on the rear side is similarly inclined, it will interfere when moving the plastic mold on the rear side. Therefore, the inner surface of the external portion 6521a is formed as a surface (non-inclined surface) that follows the front-to-rear direction (see FIG. 263).

Similarly, even if the inner surface of the main body tube portion 6521e is formed as an inclined surface, it does not interfere when moving the front side plastic mold in the removal direction (forward). However, if the outer surface of the frame-shaped extension portion 6521f formed on the front side is similarly inclined, it will interfere when moving the plastic mold, so the outer surface of the frame-shaped extension portion 6521f is formed as a surface (non-inclined surface) that runs along the front-to-rear direction (see FIG. 263).

In this embodiment, the boundary between the resin mold on the front side, which is punched forward, and the resin mold on the back side, which is punched backward, is formed by the blocking portion 6521c and the flange portion 6522, and the aforementioned inclined surface is formed on one side, the front or rear of which is the boundary, and the aforementioned non-inclined surface is formed on the other side. The blocking portion 6521c and the flange portion 6522 are formed on the side where the length of the non-inclined surface in the front-to-rear direction is shorter than the length of the inclined surface in the front-to-rear direction.

This allows the transparent tubular member 6521 to have a gradually increasing shape as described above, while suppressing changes in plate thickness due to changes in front-to-back position, and therefore suppresses changes in the propagation pattern of light passing through the inside of the transparent tubular member 6521 from the front-to-back position. Therefore, when light is incident on the inside of the wall and total reflection occurs at the boundary where the light first reaches, it is possible to make it easier for total reflection to be repeated until it reaches the front end of the transparent tubular member 6521, and light leakage can be suppressed, allowing a player looking at the transparent tubular member 6521 from the front side to see sufficient light.

The guide recess 6524a is formed so that its vertical width becomes smaller (tapered) toward the front side. This makes it easier to insert the fastening portion 6543 (see FIG. 255) into the guide recess 6524a when assembling the optical transmission unit 6520 and the partition unit 6540 (see FIG. 249 and FIG. 250), making the assembly less difficult, compared to when the vertical width is the same in the front-to-rear direction.

Figure 263 is a partial cross-sectional view of the rear units 6560-6580, the acoustic device 6610, and the optical transmission unit 6520 taken along line CCLXIII-CCLXIII in Figure 241. For ease of explanation, Figure 263 shows the optical transmission unit 6520 and the acoustic device 6610 in the assembly position relative to the rear units 6560-6580.

As shown in FIG. 263, the light receiving protrusion 6521b of the transparent cylindrical member 6521 is formed with dimensions that leave a slight gap when it is inserted into the direct insertion hole 6562b of the partition member 6560, and its tip is inserted up to the surface position of the opposing plate portion 6561. This makes it possible to set the distance between the first illumination portion 6574 and the light receiving protrusion 6521b without being affected by the plate thickness of the opposing plate portion 6561.

The light receiving protrusion 6521b is formed in a plate shape with the longitudinal direction being the direction along the shape of the rear outer surface portion 6521a (see FIG. 260). The dimension in the lateral direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction is set to be approximately equal to the width dimension of the LED of the first illumination section 6574 arranged opposite it.

As a result, in the short direction of the light receiving protrusion 6521b, only light traveling substantially straight from the first lighting section 6574 to the front side (light with a very small angle to the optical axis) can be allowed to enter, and other light can be prevented from entering.

Light that is incident in this manner tends to travel toward the front side inside the thickness of the transparent tubular member 6521, and even if it is reflected at the boundary, total reflection tends to occur because the angle between the transparent tubular member 6521 and the direction of the light is small, so it is possible to prevent the light from weakening before reaching the front end of the transparent tubular member 6521.

The longitudinal dimension of the light receiving protrusion 6521b is set to approximately twice the lateral dimension. Therefore, in terms of the direction of expansion of the surface of the transparent tubular member 6521, compared to the case where the direction of thickness of the surface is described, light emitted from the first illumination unit 6574 and having a large angle from the optical axis can also be incident on the light receiving protrusion 6521b.

On the other hand, the rear external portion 6521a, which is connected to the longitudinal direction of the light receiving protrusion 6521b, is not in contact with the opposing plate portion 6561, but is positioned with a slight gap between them. This allows the light emitted from the first illumination portion 6574 that is incident from the end face of the rear external portion 6521a (light with a large angle between the optical axis and the light traveling direction) to be reflected and prevented from being seen by the player.

In other words, the player can only see the light that passes through the light-receiving protrusion 6521b and travels directly through the thickness of the main body tube 6521e, while other light (weak light) is cut off. In other words, by setting the longitudinal direction of the light-receiving protrusion 6521b, it is possible to set the limit value of the angle based on the optical axis of the light that enters the main body tube 6521e.

The light emitted from the LED of the first lighting section 6574, which is not positioned opposite the light receiving protrusion 6521b, passes through the inside of the enlarged hole 6562a, passes through the light passing hole 6521d (see FIG. 260) of the transparent cylindrical member 6521, and is irradiated to the cup-shaped member 6523 (see FIG. 260). This light does not pass through the thickness of the member, but travels through the air, so the player can see it as a uniform light.

In addition, the raised tip of the enlarged hole 6562a abuts the blocking portion 6521c at the front and rear. This prevents light from leaking through the gap between the raised tip and the blocking portion 6521c.

Next, referring to FIG. 264, the appearance of light that has passed through the thickness of the transparent cylindrical member 6521 of the optical transmission unit 6520 will be described. FIG. 264(a) is a schematic front view showing the arrangement of the first illumination section 6574, and FIG. 264(b) is a schematic front view showing the arrangement of light that is visible through the optical transmission unit 6520. Note that in the explanation of FIG. 264, FIG. 261 and FIG. 263 will be referred to as appropriate.

First, as described above, the shape of the transparent tubular member 6521 is formed so that the width gradually increases toward the front side, so that the light (light irradiated from the eight edge light-emitting parts 6574a on the left and right outer sides) that passes through the thickness of the transparent tubular member 6521 (by total reflection) appears as an enlarged shape (roughly gourd-shaped) formed by the arrangement of the edge light-emitting parts 6574a.

In addition, as described above, the light in the thickness direction of the transparent tubular member 6521 proceeds to the front end without being weakened, so that the position corresponding to the arrangement of the edge light emitting portion 6574a emits strong light (emits light like a point light source) even when the optical transmission unit 6520 is viewed from the front.

Here, the distance between the light sources is longer for the strong light emission arrangement distance L17b when viewed from the front of the optical transmission unit 6520 than for the actual arrangement distance L17a of the edge light emitters 6574a, so that if left as is, the light can only be seen as a dot, and the light presentation effect is likely to be insufficient. This problem is caused by the strong light emission arrangement distance L17b being longer than the actual arrangement distance L17a of the edge light emitters 6574a, and is difficult to solve by increasing the number of LEDs actually arranged or narrowing the spacing between the LEDs.

In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, the light from the edge light-emitting portion 6574a is caused to travel radially in the direction along the side surface of the transparent cylindrical member 6521 (the longitudinal direction of the light-receiving protrusion portion 6521b), so that the light emitted from adjacent LEDs overlaps, reinforcing the intensity of the light visible between the light sources.

As a result, even in places where the LEDs of the first illumination section 6574 are not arranged (between the LEDs), a line of light can be seen when viewed from the front of the optical transmission unit 6520 (see the imaginary lines in FIG. 264(b)). This makes it possible to improve the condition in which the light is seen as a point.

In particular, the two LEDs on the left and right sides of the lower end of the first illumination section 6574 are located at the boundary between the side surface 6521e1 and the bottom surface 6521e2 of the main body tube section 6521e (see FIG. 262(e)). Therefore, light traveling above the optical axis overlaps with the light from the LED above it, and light traveling below the optical axis passes through the bottom surface 6521e2 and overlaps at the center of the lower left and right sides of the frame-shaped extension section 6521f.

As a result, even though an LED is not located in the center of the lower left and right sides of the first illumination section 6574 as shown in FIG. 264(a), a line of light can be seen in the center of the lower left and right sides when passing through the optical transmission unit 6520 as shown in FIG. 264(b).

In this way, according to this embodiment, while reducing the placement space for the first illumination unit 6574, the shape formed by the light visible through the optical transmission unit 6520 can be enlarged, and in addition, the degree to which the light is perceived as a point can be weakened, allowing a clear line-shaped light to be perceived.

When the optical transmission unit 6520 is viewed from the front, its interior is made difficult to see due to the decorative shape applied to the bottom of the cup-shaped member 6523, so it is difficult to grasp the position where the light traveling inside the thickness of the transparent cylindrical member 6521 intersects. Therefore, even if the position where the light intersects is uncertain, it is possible to prevent the effect of the light emission presentation from being reduced.

In addition, if the position where the lights overlap is near the tip of the frame-shaped extension portion 6521f, it can be visually perceived as if a new point light source has been placed between the LEDs of the edge light-emitting portion 6574a. In other words, it can be perceived as if there are more LED light sources than the actual number of LEDs, so even with a small number of LEDs, the lighting effect can be improved to the same level as when a large number of LEDs are used.

Light emitted from the surface light emitting unit 6574b (four LEDs on the left and right central sides of the first illumination unit 6574) arranged inside the transparent tubular member 6521 in front view passes through the inside of the transparent tubular member 6521. Here, the light emitted from the surface light emitting unit 6574b does not travel within the thickness of the transparent tubular member 6521, and in addition, travels radially along the shape of the enlarged hole 6562a arranged opposite it (see FIG. 245(b)).

Therefore, the light emitted from the surface light-emitting unit 6574b is seen as a surface light spreading as an area A17 centered on the LED of the surface light-emitting unit 6574b when viewed from the front. The light is also diffused when it is irradiated onto the jagged decorative shape portion 6523b (see FIG. 260) on the back side of the cup-shaped member 6523, and is seen as a surface light when viewed from the front.

In other words, it is possible to brightly illuminate not only the area where the light radiated radially from the surface light-emitting portion 6574b reaches (see imaginary lines in FIG. 264(b)), but also the area outside of that where the decorative shape portion 6523b on the back side of the cup-shaped member 6523 is formed (for example, the area between area A17 and the frame-shaped extension portion 6521f in a front view).

In this way, according to this embodiment, the light irradiated from the first illumination unit 6574 can be visually perceived as edge-like light and planar light, each of which has a different impression. In addition, by configuring the light to be diffusely reflected at the boundary between the edge-like light and planar light, it is possible to prevent the boundary from becoming dark. Therefore, the impression of the light perceived can be changed stepwise and continuously.

Here, various aspects are exemplified as changes in the impression of the visually perceived light. For example, it may be a change in the impression of the light emission phenomenon, such as brightness or darkness or blinking, or it may be a change in the color of the light.

The jagged shape is described as a process applied to the surface onto which light is irradiated, and the shape is not limited in any way. For example, it may be a process in which dots are densely formed, or a process in which wavy stripes are formed.

The partition units 6540 visible on the left and right sides of the cup-shaped member 6523 when viewed from the front are curved in shape to bulge toward the front when viewed from the front and side, as described above. Therefore, the light visible on the left and right sides of the cup-shaped member 6523 travels in a direction away from the cup-shaped member 6523 to the left and right and up and down (a direction in which the light diffuses based on a point on the back side).

Furthermore, as described above, the light receiving members 6558 arranged on the left and right below the partition unit 6540 have their front edges positioned toward the rear as they move outward toward the left and right, and due to the mounting position, light passing through the light receiving members 6558 travels in a direction away from the cup-shaped member 6523 to the left and right and up and down (a direction in which light is diffused based on a point on the rear side).

This gives the player the impression that the light gets larger as it gets closer to the player, compared to when the light is only directed forward and backward, improving the effect of the light.

Next, the horizontal performance device 6700 will be described with reference to Figs. 265 to 281. Fig. 265 is an exploded front perspective view of the front frame 10014, and Fig. 266 is an exploded front perspective view of the horizontal performance device 6700.

In addition, in Figure 265, the upper performance device 6500, the operating device 10300, and the lower tray unit 6400 are omitted, and a view from the right diagonal front of the horizontal performance device 6700 disassembled from the metal main body portion 10014a is shown, while in Figure 266, a view from the left diagonal front of the horizontal performance device 6700 is shown.

As shown in Figures 265 and 266, the horizontal presentation device 6700 is a presentation device that is disposed on the front side of the left and right vertically elongated portions of the metal main body 10014a, and is formed from a vertically elongated ellipse cut in half when viewed from the side.

Note that the horizontal performance devices 6700 are arranged in a pair on the left and right sides of similarly shaped devices, but since the internal configuration is the same, we will provide a detailed explanation of the right-side horizontal performance device 6700 and will omit an explanation of the left-side horizontal performance device 6700.

In order to allow the front-to-rear layering relationship to be visually recognized at the top end of FIG. 266, the horizontal performance device 6700 is configured in such a manner that covering units 6730-6760 that cover the front side of the base member 6710 are arranged on the front side of the base member 6710 that is fitted into the metal main body portion 10014a.

The fastening between the base member 6710 and the metal main body part 10014a will now be described. When assembling the base member 6710 to the metal main body part 10014a, the base member 6710 is positioned by inserting a positioning protrusion (not shown) protruding from the back surface of the base member 6710 into a positioning recess 10014e formed in the metal main body part 10014a, and a fastening screw inserted into a through hole of the metal main body part 10014a is fastened and fixed to a fastening hole (not shown) formed on the back surface side of the base member 6710.

Of the components of the horizontal performance device 6700, only the base member 6710 is fastened to the metal main body portion 10014a. In other words, of the components of the horizontal performance device 6700, there are no components fastened to the metal main body portion 10014a, except for the base member 6710.

As shown in FIG. 266, on the side facing the play area, the curved body portion 6751 of the curved plate member 6750 is formed to a position where it completely covers the side of the base member 6710 (a position where it is flush with the rear end of the base member 6710). The rear end of the curved plate member 6750 is positioned close to and opposite the glass unit 16 in the front and rear, as shown by the unit on the left in FIG. 265.

By arranging them in this manner, it is easy to create an effect in which the light emitted from near the rear end of the curved plate member 6750 and the light emitted from the rear side of the glass unit 16 can be viewed as one unit.

Figure 267 is an exploded front perspective view of the horizontal performance device 6700, and Figure 268 is an exploded rear perspective view of the horizontal performance device 6700. Figures 267 and 268 show the covering units 6730 to 6760 disassembled from the base member 6710 to the front side.

As shown in FIG. 267, an illumination board 6720 on which multiple LED chips D1 that are configured to emit light are mounted is disposed on the front side of the base member 6710, and the covering units 6730 to 6760 are assembled to the base member 6710 so as to cover the illumination board 6720 from the front side.

That is, the horizontal performance device 6700 is a device that functions as one of the lamp display devices 227 (see Figure 4), and is mainly equipped with a light-emitting side unit consisting of an illumination board 6720 whose illumination is controlled by the audio lamp control device 113 and a base member 6710 that supports the illumination board 6720, and a light-receiving side unit consisting of covering units 6730-6760 that receive the light irradiated from the light-emitting side unit and allow the player to see it. First, the light-emitting side unit will be explained.

Figure 269(a) is a front view of the base member 6710 and the illumination board 6720, Figure 269(b) is a left side view of the base member 6710, Figure 269(c) is a right side view of the base member 6710, Figure 269(d) is a top view of the base member 6710, Figure 269(e) is a bottom view of the base member 6710, and Figure 269(f) is a cross-sectional view of the base member 6710 and the illumination board 6720 taken along line CCLXIXf-CCLXIXf in Figure 269(a).

As shown in Figures 269(a) to 269(f), the base member 6710 is made up of a flat support plate portion 6711 arranged opposite the illumination board 6720 and disposed on the back side of the illumination board 6720, a frame-shaped protrusion portion 6712 that protrudes toward the front side of the support plate portion 6711 in a frame shape that follows the outer shape of the illumination board 6720, a positioning protrusion portion 6713 that protrudes toward the front side from the frame-shaped protrusion portion 6712, a plurality of insertion holes 6714 that are drilled outside the illumination board 6720 and close to the illumination board 6720 in a front view so that fastening screws can be inserted therethrough, and two upper and lower The main components are a pair of fastening portions 6715 where fastening screws are inserted into the insertion holes 6736, a plurality of alignment holes 6716 drilled as elongated holes extending vertically in the support plate portion 6711 (step portion of the outer frame plate portion 6717) to the right of the frame-shaped protrusion portion 6712 (the opposite side of the window portion surrounding the play area, the opposite side of the glass unit 16), an outer frame plate portion 6717 extending from the right edge of the support plate portion 6711 to the rear side in a stepped plate shape, and an inner frame plate portion 6718 extending from the left edge of the support plate portion 6711 to the rear side in a plate shape.

The protruding tip of the frame-shaped protrusion 6712 is positioned opposite the back surface of the illumination board 6720 near the outer shape, and is in surface contact with the illumination board 6720. This provides a gap between the support plate 6711 and the back surface of the illumination board 6720, except for the area near the outer shape (see FIG. 269(f)). This allows an air layer (insulating layer) to be provided between the support plate 6711 and the illumination board 6720.

As a result, even if the base member 6710 is fastened and fixed to the metal main body portion 10014a and heat transferred to the metal main body portion 10014a can be transferred to the base member 6710, the amount of heat transferred to the illumination board 6720 can be suppressed (kept low), thereby suppressing the occurrence of problems such as the illumination board 6720 becoming too hot and malfunctioning.

The positioning protrusions 6713 are inserted into positioning holes 6722 formed in two places on the illumination board 6720 to align the illumination board 6720 with the base member 6710. That is, the positioning holes 6722 are drilled in the illumination board 6720 at positions corresponding to the positioning protrusions 6713, based on the positioning of the base member 6710 and the illumination board 6720 in the assembled state (see FIG. 269(a)).

The insertion hole 6714 has a cup-shaped portion into which the fastening portion 6744 of the flat plate member 6740 of the covering units 6730 to 6760 and the fastening portion 6753 of the curved plate member 6750 can be fitted from the front (see FIG. 268), and is formed so that they can be aligned, and is a through hole through which a fastening screw is inserted to fasten them.

The fastening portion 6715 is fitted and aligned with the insertion hole 6736 of the light receiving member 6730 (see FIG. 271), and is formed so that a fastening screw can be inserted into the insertion hole 6736. The light receiving member 6730 is fixed to the base member by being fastened to the fastening portions 6715 at two locations, top and bottom.

The alignment hole 6716 is a hole through which the protrusions 6743, 6766 (see FIG. 268) of the covering units 6730 to 6760 are inserted. The covering units 6730 to 6760 are formed of a pair of thin plate-like members (flat plate member 6740 and curved plate member 6750) arranged opposite each other on the left and right, and are formed in a roughly cup shape that opens to the rear side (see FIG. 268), and are fixed to the base member 6710 at the rear side (edge-shaped portion).

Here, the joints between the base member 6710 and the covering units 6730 to 6760 are located in areas (exterior parts) that can be touched by the player, and can be displaced by loads applied by the player (for example, loads generated by the player colliding with them). As described above, since they are fixed to the base member 6710 at the thin-walled rear end, there is a risk that they may deform or become misaligned with respect to the base member 6710 when a load is applied in the thickness direction (for example, left-right direction) of the flat plate member 6740 or the curved plate member 6750. To prevent this, the number of fixing points (fastening points) between the flat plate member 6740 and the curved plate member 6750 and the base member 6710 may be increased, but this may result in a problem of increased man-hours for assembly work.

In contrast, in this embodiment, an increase in the number of fixing points is suppressed, while the projections 6743, 6766 are inserted into the multiple alignment holes 6716, thereby suppressing misalignment (misalignment in the left-right direction) of the flat plate member 6740 and the curved plate member 6750 relative to the base member 6710.

In addition, the inner surface (left side surface) of the main body plate portion 6741 of the flat plate member 6740 is positioned opposite and adjacent to the outer surface (right side surface) of the frame-shaped protrusion portion 6712, so that even if the player applies a load to the flat plate member 6740 in the left direction, the flat plate member 6740 abuts against the frame-shaped protrusion portion 6712 with its surface, so that movement of the flat plate member 6740 is restricted. Therefore, deformation or displacement of the covering units 6730 to 6760 relative to the base member 6710 can be suppressed.

This makes it possible to improve the durability of the horizontal performance device 6700 while preventing an increase in the number of steps required for assembly. The main body plate portion 6741 is provided with an uneven portion 6741a in which a fine uneven shape is formed in the area of contact with the frame-shaped protrusion portion 6712, which allows the load to be distributed; details will be described later.

The outer frame plate portion 6717 is disposed opposite and in surface contact with the right side surface of the metal main body portion 10014a, covering the right side of the metal main body portion 10014a. This makes it possible to prevent the metal main body portion 10014a from being seen by the player.

The outer frame plate portion 6717 has a support recess 6717a recessed in the front-rear direction from a portion of the alignment hole 6716. The support recess 6717a is recessed along the left side of the alignment hole 6716 on the front side of the alignment hole 6716, and is recessed along the right side of the alignment hole 6716 on the rear side of the alignment hole 6716.

The support recess 6717a is formed with dimensions that allow it to fit into the protrusion 6743 or be positioned opposite with a small gap when the horizontal performance device 6700 is in an assembled state (see FIG. 265). Therefore, compared to when the protrusion 6743 is supported only by the alignment hole 6716, the area that can support the protrusion 6743 can be increased (supported by the surface of the support recess 6717a), so that the flat plate member 6740 can be prevented from shifting position relative to the base member 6710. In other words, the flat plate member 6740 can be stably supported relative to the base member 6710.

The inner frame plate portion 6718 is a portion that faces the main curved portion 6751 of the curved plate member 6750, and is formed in a surface that faces the play area (inside).

The illumination board 6720 is a so-called printed circuit board, and mainly comprises a main plate portion 6721 formed in a plate shape, positioning holes 6722 drilled in two places in the main plate portion 6721, and LED chips D1, the number of which is mounted in any pattern on the main plate portion 6721.

The main body plate portion 6721 is held by the base member 6710 without being fastened. That is, the positioning protrusions 6713 (see FIG. 269(c)) are inserted into the positioning holes 6722 to restrict left-right and up-down movement, and the main body plate portion 6721 is restricted from moving forward and backward by being sandwiched between the base member 6710 and the light receiving member 6730 (see FIG. 280).

The LED chips D1 in this embodiment are similar chips, but are divided into two types based on the relationship with the area shown by the imaginary line in Figure 269 (a) as the boundary between the areas showing the configuration of the light receiving units 6730 to 6760.

That is, the LED chip D1 mainly comprises an edge light-emitting portion D1a disposed inside the imaginary frame shown in FIG. 269(a), and a surface light-emitting portion D1b disposed outside the imaginary frame. The difference between these light-emitting portions D1a and D1b corresponds to the difference in the light emission mode visually perceived by the player, in that the light emitted from the light-emitting portion D1a is easily visually perceived as line-shaped (edge-shaped) light, while the light emitted from the light-emitting portion D1b is easily visually perceived as surface light, and will be described in detail later.

Next, we will explain the covering units 6730 to 6760 (see Figure 267) that are arranged on the front side of the illumination board 6720. Figure 270 is an exploded front perspective view of the covering units 6730 to 6760, and Figure 271 is an exploded rear perspective view of the covering units 6730 to 6760.

As can be seen by disassembling the state shown in Figures 267 and 268 into Figures 270 and 271, the covering units 6730-6760 are equipped with a light-receiving member 6730 that is made of a light-transmitting resin inside and is capable of refracting light passing through the inside, covering the front side of the illumination board 6720, and is configured so that the front is covered by other components.

Figure 272(a) is a front perspective view of the light receiving member 6730, Figure 272(b) is a front view of the light receiving member 6730, Figure 272(c) is a front perspective view of the light receiving member 6730, Figure 273(a) is a partial enlarged view of the light receiving member 6730 in the range CCLXXIIIa of Figure 272(a), and Figure 273(b) is a partial enlarged view of the light receiving member 6730 in the range CCLXXIIIb of Figure 272(b).

Also, Figure 274(a) is a rear perspective view of the light receiving member 6730, Figure 274(b) is a rear view of the light receiving member 6730, and Figure 274(c) is a rear perspective view of the light receiving member 6730.

Note that Fig. 272(a) is a front perspective view of the light receiving member 6730 seen from the left side, Fig. 272(c) is a front perspective view of the light receiving member 6730 seen from the right side, Fig. 274(a) is a rear perspective view of the light receiving member 6730 seen from the right side, and Fig. 274(c) is a rear perspective view of the light receiving member 6730 seen from the left side. Also, in Fig. 272(b), the covering units 6730 to 6760 are illustrated together for ease of understanding.

The light receiving member 6730 is a member formed from a light-transmitting resin material, and includes a light receiving surface portion 6731 formed in a flat shape with an outer shape equivalent to that of the illumination board 6720 and arranged to face the illumination board 6720, an inner extension portion 6732 extending from the inner edge (left edge in FIG. 272) of the light receiving surface portion 6731 in the assembled state (FIG. 207) to the rear side so as to be bent, an outer extension portion 6733 extending from the outer edge (right edge in FIG. 274) of the light receiving surface portion 6731 in the assembled state to the rear side so as to be bent, and a long rib-like portion extending from the rear of the light receiving surface portion 6731. The main components are a plurality of long ribs 6734 (five in this embodiment) protruding from the front surface of the light receiving surface 6731, a plurality of fins 6735 (five in this embodiment) extending in a long fin shape from the front surface of the light receiving surface 6731 at a position where the base end (the side that is joined to the light receiving surface 6731) of the long ribs 6734 matches the front and back of the light receiving surface 6731, a plurality of insertion holes 6736 that are disposed at the upper and lower ends and through which fastening screws that are fastened to the fastening portion 6715 (see FIG. 269(a)) are inserted, and a fitting portion 6737 that is formed in a shape that can fit with the decorative protrusion 6751a (see FIG. 276) of the curved plate member 6750.

The light receiving surface 6731 is a part that refracts the light emitted from the LED chip D1, and has a decorative pattern with complex cuts on the back side. The decorative pattern has long protrusions arranged along multiple concentric circles of different diameters, centered on the point facing the surface light emitting part D1b (see the enlarged view of Figure 274 (b)). Here, the outer circumferential surface of the small diameter protrusion at the position facing the surface light emitting part D1b is inclined outward (inclined in a manner that refracts light emitted from behind outward along the surface of the light receiving surface 6731, see Figure 275 (b)), and the outer circumferential surface of the large diameter protrusion is also inclined (inclined in a manner that refracts light traveling along the surface of the light receiving surface 6731 toward the front side of the light receiving surface 6731, see Figure 275 (b)).

As a result, the light emitted from the surface light-emitting portion D1b is refracted near the axis of the long protrusion, travels toward the outer diameter side of the long protrusion, and then is refracted further at a large diameter point away from the axis of the long protrusion and travels toward the front side, thereby allowing a wide area of the light-receiving surface portion 6731 to be illuminated.

Furthermore, the front side of the light receiving surface 6731 is formed in a manner in which a basic shape that is triangular when viewed from the front and has a roughly central portion that bulges toward the front side is regularly and densely arranged, and the light receiving surface 6731 is provided with a decorative recess 6731a that is recessed in a roughly hexagonal pyramid shape at the front side position of the surface light emitting portion D1b.

The decorative recess 6731a allows the surface light emission on the light receiving surface 6731 to be varied in intensity (gradual intensity can be achieved). In other words, the shape of the decorative recess 6731a causes light to be concentrated toward the center of the recess, so the decorative recess 6731a can be visually recognized as emitting a stronger light than other parts.

The inner extension portion 6732 and the outer extension portion 6733 are configured so that the extension ends abut the illumination board 6720 at the front and rear, and while the extension end of the inner extension portion 6732 abuts the illumination board 6720 over the entire top and bottom, the extension end of the outer extension portion 6733 has a portion that does not abut.

That is, the outer extension portion 6733 has a separation end 6733a that is separated from the illumination board 6720 without abutting it by being formed with an extension length approximately equal to the plate thickness of the illumination board 6720. In this embodiment, the separation end 6733a allows air to flow easily in and out of the area between the illumination board 6720 and the light receiving member 6730, preventing heat from building up.

In addition, when the inner extension portion 6732 abuts against the illumination board 6720 over the entire top and bottom, as in the case of the inner extension portion 6732, the LED chip D1, which is arranged to protrude from the surface of the main plate portion 6721 of the illumination board 6720, cannot be placed behind the inner extension portion 6732. Therefore, the thicker the plate thickness of the inner extension portion 6732, the more limited the area in which the LED chip D1 can be placed.

In response to this, a gap is formed between the separated end 6733a of the outer extension portion 6733 and the illumination board 6720, so that the LED chip D1 can be positioned behind the separated end 6733a of the outer extension portion 6732. This allows the placement area for the LED chip D1 to be maximized while still ensuring sufficient plate pressure for the outer extension portion 6733.

The left and right walls of the outer extension 6733 are formed as smooth surfaces, while the wall on the left side of the inner extension 6732 (the side opposite the outer extension 6733) has an uneven shape formed by closely aligned protrusions with semicircular cross sections. As a result, the light emitted to the left through the inner extension 6732 is surface-emitted (spreads radially), making it easier for the player to see the uniform light.

As described below, a portion of the light emitted from the illumination board 6720 to the front side passes through the inner extension 6732, and the intensity of the light varies from region to region. That is, at the peripheral positions of the end of the fin 6735, light D1m is seen, which is a combination of both the light emitted from the edge light-emitting portion D1a and traveling along the long rib 6734 and the light emitted from the surface light-emitting portion D1b, but at positions away from the fin 6735, the light traveling along the long rib 6734 does not reach the position, and light D1p emitted from the surface light-emitting portion D1b is seen, with light D1m being seen as stronger than light D1p (the intensity of the light corresponds to the length of the arrow).

This allows the intensity of the light visible through the inner extension 6732 to be changed for each of the vertically arranged regions. Note that the difference in the form of the light visible through the inner extension 6732 is not limited to the intensity.

For example, by making the color of light emitted from the edge light-emitting portion D1a different from the color of light emitted from the surface light-emitting portion D1b, the color of light viewed through the inner extension portion 6732 can be made to change for each of the vertically arranged regions.

The long rib 6734 is positioned on the front side of the edge light emitting section D1a (see FIG. 269(a)) when the horizontal performance device 6700 is in an assembled state (see FIG. 265), and is formed with the same thickness without tapering at the front and rear. It mainly comprises a number of straight ribs 6734a formed in an approximately straight line when viewed from the rear, and a V-shaped rib 6734b bent in a rear view and formed in an approximately V shape.

The side of the long rib 6734 is formed as a smooth surface. That is, unlike when the surface of the long rib 6734 is formed with linear jagged edges, when light reaches and passes through the side of the long rib 6734, it does not spread (does not emit light from the surface) but travels in one direction. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the side of the long rib 6734 from emitting light uniformly, and it is possible to reduce the degree to which the light irradiated from the edge light emitting unit D1a and the light irradiated from the surface light emitting unit D1b are mixed together when the horizontal performance device 6700 is viewed from the left or right direction.

In other words, the long rib 6734 is formed long in the vertical direction and is configured as a part that can be seen from the left and right, while the light that passes through the long rib 6734 can be prevented from reaching the player's eyes in the form of surface emission, making it easier for players viewing the horizontal performance device 6700 from the left and right to see the color and brightness of the light emitted from the surface emission section D1b.

The jagged shape is described as a process applied to the surface onto which light is irradiated, and the shape is not limited in any way. For example, it may be a process in which dots are densely formed, or a process in which wavy stripes are formed.

The straight ribs 6734a are arranged in pairs, one above the other, and are formed so that they extend in a direction that inclines toward the center as they move to the left (toward the center of the front frame 10014, see FIG. 265). The left end 6734a1 is connected to the inner extension 6732, while the right end 6734a2 is spaced apart from the outer extension 6733.

Therefore, light traveling inside the linear rib 6734a can pass through the left end 6734a1 and directly enter the inner extension 6732, while light passing through the right end 6734a2 loses energy in the gap between the right end 6734a1 and the outer extension 6733.

This results in different brightness being seen near the left and right ends of the linear rib 6734a. That is, the area seen through the inner extension 6732 appears bright, while the area seen through the outer extension 6733 appears dark in comparison.

As described above, in this embodiment, surface emission through the side surface of the long rib 6734 is suppressed, making the visibility of light from the left and right directions poor, while light that enters the inner extension portion 6732 through the left end portion 6734a1 of the linear rib 6734a is surface emitted through the surface of the inner extension portion 6732.

Therefore, the light emitted from the edge light-emitting unit D1a is easily visible from the left and right directions, but only the light that passes through the left end 6734a1 and enters the inner extension portion 6732. In other words, the color and brightness of the light emitted from the edge light-emitting unit D1a is visible near the left end 6734a1, and the color and brightness of the light emitted from the surface light-emitting unit D1b is visible at a position away from the left end 6734a1 (a position in between), so that a player viewing the horizontal presentation device 6700 from the left and right directions can see light of different colors and brightness.

The V-shaped rib 6734b is located in the vertical center and is connected to the inner extension 6732 at the intermediate connection 6734b1 near the bending position, while both ends 6734b2 are spaced apart from the outer extension 6733. The bending position and the intermediate connection 6734b1 are slightly offset because the edge light emitting portion D1a (see FIG. 269(a)) is located opposite the bending position.

In other words, by shifting the position that receives the light irradiated from the edge light emitter D1a from the intermediate connecting portion 6734b1, it is possible to prevent the light (main light) irradiated linearly in the front-to-rear direction from the edge light emitter D1a from entering the connecting position, thereby reducing the loss of light entering the fin 6735 from the V-shaped rib 6734b.

The V-shaped rib 6734b has the same function as the linear rib 6734a described above. That is, light traveling inside the V-shaped rib 6734b passes through the intermediate connection portion 6734b1 and can be directly incident on the inner extension portion 6732, while the energy of light passing through both end portions 6734b2 decreases in the gap between the outer extension portion 6733 and the V-shaped rib 6734b.

This results in different brightnesses being seen near the left and right ends of the V-shaped rib 6734b. That is, the area seen through the inner extension 6732 appears bright, while the area seen through the outer extension 6733 appears dark in comparison.

As described above, in this embodiment, surface emission through the side surface of the long rib 6734 is suppressed, making the visibility of light from the left and right directions poor, while light that enters the inner extension portion 6732 through the intermediate connection portion 6734b1 of the V-shaped rib 6734b is surface emitted through the surface of the inner extension portion 6732.

Therefore, the light emitted from the edge light-emitting unit D1a is easily visible from the left and right direction only when it passes through the intermediate connecting unit 6734b1 and enters the inner extension unit 6732. In other words, the color and brightness of the light emitted from the edge light-emitting unit D1a is visible near the intermediate connecting unit 6734b1, and the color and brightness of the light emitted from the surface light-emitting unit D1b is visible at a position away from the intermediate connecting unit 6734b1 (a position in between), so that a player viewing the horizontal presentation device 6700 from the left and right direction can see light of different colors and brightness.

The fin 6735 is formed so that its thickness decreases from the extended base end toward the tip, and mainly comprises a tip curved fin 6735a corresponding to the straight rib 6734a, and a tip bent fin 6735b corresponding to the V-shaped rib 6734b.

The curved tip fin 6735a has curved top and bottom inner edges, a light diffusion section is formed by densely forming triangular wave-shaped (jagged) notches on the left side (the inner surface of the front frame 10014), and a smooth surface is formed on the right side (the outer surface of the front frame 10014).

The tip of the bent tip fin 6735b has an inclined surface that slopes toward the rear side as it moves from the top and bottom ends toward the top and bottom center, and intersects with the front side of the bending position of the V-shaped rib 6734b, and a light diffusion section is formed by densely forming triangular wave-shaped (jagged) notches on the left side (inner surface of the front frame 10014), and the right side (outer surface of the front frame 10014) is formed as a smooth surface.

These fins 6735 are formed so that the extension length becomes shorter as it approaches the left side. In particular, the tip curved fin 6735a has an end on the left side connected to the light receiving surface 6731, so that a large amount of light (main light) emitted from the edge light emitting portion D1a and emitted from the front end of the tip curved fin 6735a is emitted from the fin 6735 near the light receiving surface 6731. This makes it possible for the light to reach the inner extension portion 6732 side (back side, base side), making it easier to brighten the left side of the light receiving member 6730.

In addition, the long rib 6734 and the inner extension 6732 are connected behind the position where the tip curved fin 6735a is connected to the light receiving surface 6731, and the inner extension 6732 can also be illuminated by light passing through the inside of the long rib 6734. In other words, near the position where the tip curved fin 6735a is connected to the light receiving surface 6731, a light emission effect can be produced by combining the light passing through the inside of the long rib 6734 and the light passing through the tip curved fin 6735a, thereby improving the effect of the light emission effect.

The jagged shape is described as a process applied to the surface onto which light is irradiated, and the shape is not limited in any way. For example, it may be a process in which dots are densely formed, or a process in which wavy stripes are formed.

Due to the difference in the configuration of the left and right sides of the fin 6735, the manner in which light passes through the side can be changed. That is, due to the surface luminous effect of the notches, the light passing through the left side can be visually recognized as uniform light, whereas the surface luminous effect does not apply to the light passing through the right side, so the light passing through the right side can be visually recognized as localized light. Furthermore, it goes without saying that due to their shapes, the long ribs 6734 and the fins 6735 function as reinforcing parts that reinforce the base member 6710.

When the horizontal performance device 6700 is in an assembled state (Figure 266), one of the insertion holes 6736 is exposed, and only two are located at the top and bottom ends of the light receiving member 6730. Therefore, by loosening the fastening screw inserted into the exposed insertion hole 6736 and applying a load to the light receiving surface portion 6731, the light receiving member 6730 can be displaced.

As a result, if the positional relationship between the long ribs 6734 and the fins 6735 and the edge light-emitting portion D1a of the LED chip D1 becomes misaligned (for example, due to vibrations caused by the player's operation or the opening and closing of the front frame 10014), the maintenance work of returning the position to the original position can be performed without disassembling the horizontal presentation device 6700, thereby improving maintainability (less difficult and less time consuming).

The fitting portion 6737 is recessed in the left-right direction with an inclined shape that tapers toward the rear side, and is a portion that aligns and adjusts the position and posture of the light receiving member 6730 and the components of the covering unit 6730-6760 other than the light receiving member 6730 by fitting it together, and is further recessed to include a single recess 6737a.

In this way, in this embodiment, the location of the recess 6737a on the inner extension portion 6732 side (the location where the fastening portion 6753 is arranged) is limited to one location (reduced), and positional and posture shifts between the light receiving member 6730 and the components of the covering unit 6730 to 6760 other than the light receiving member 6730 are suppressed. This is described in detail below.

When fastening the left and right sides of the horizontal performance device 6700, the fastening screws do not transmit light, so the more fastening points there are, the more likely shadows will be created. Therefore, even if the surface area of the horizontal performance device 6700 is made large, the light will be divided at the fastening points, and there is a risk that the performance effect of the light performance will be reduced. On the other hand, reducing the number of fastening points will result in a decrease in support force, and there is a risk that the horizontal performance device 6700 will be more likely to deform from the base due to the load applied by the player or the load generated when the front frame 10014 is opened and closed.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the fastening point is limited to the recess 6737a, and the fitting portion 6737 is fitted into the decorative protrusion 6751a (see Figure 276) to maintain the support force.

This makes it possible to improve the durability of the horizontal presentation device 6700 while reducing the number of fastening points (in this embodiment, fastening points arranged between the curved main body portion 6751, which serves as the light presentation point, and the illumination board 6720) of the horizontal presentation device 6700 on the play area (glass unit 16, see FIG. 265).

In addition, in this embodiment, the recess 6737a is configured to allow light to travel to the rear side. This will be explained with reference to Figure 275.

Figure 275(a) is a cross-sectional view of the horizontal performance device 6700 taken along line CCLXXVa-CCLXXVa in Figure 274(b), and Figure 275(b) is a cross-sectional view of the light receiving member 6730 taken along line CCLXXVb-CCLXXVb in Figure 274(b).

As shown in FIG. 275(a), the recess 6737a is disposed on the same cross section as the intermediate connecting portion 6734b1 of the V-shaped rib 6734b disposed opposite the edge light emitter D1a. The V-shaped rib 6734b is a portion through which light irradiated from the edge light emitter D1a can travel (see FIG. 281), and is formed so that light can travel to the rear side of the curved main body portion 6751 where the striped decorative portion 6751e is formed, via the fastening portion 6753 that fits into the recess 6737a. In other words, it is formed so that light can travel toward the rear side of the illumination board 6720 (the opposite side to the direction of light irradiation).

The fastening portion 6753 is where the fastening screw is fastened, and since the fastening screw is prone to casting a shadow, it is considered unsuitable for light-emitting effects. However, in this embodiment, intermediate connecting portions 6734b1 are formed on both the top and bottom of the fastening portion 6753, so that the light avoids the fastening screw from above and below, allowing the player to see the light while minimizing the impact of the fastening screw casting a shadow. In other words, by guiding light from both the top and bottom of the fastening screw, the shadow of the fastening screw visible to the player can be eliminated (diminished).

In Figure 275 (b), the light receiving surface portion 6731 is shown enlarged. Of the light emitted from the surface light emitting portion D1b, the light traveling in a direction with a small angle to the optical axis along the front-to-rear direction enters the inside of the light receiving surface portion 6731 while being gently refracted, and is further refracted and concentrated as it passes through the decorative recessed portion 6731a. This makes it possible to increase the emission intensity of the light visible through the decorative recessed portion 6731a.

In this way, the light emission pattern on the front side of the light receiving surface 6731 is such that the light intensity decreases as the distance from the decorative recess 6731a increases, with the decorative recess 6731a being the center and the light intensity being increased by focusing.

At this time, the light is concentrated in the decorative recess 6731a, so that the light is concentrated toward the optical axis compared to when the surface-emitting unit D1b is viewed alone. This increases the intensity of the light that is viewed compared to when the light irradiated from the surface-emitting unit D1b is viewed without the light-receiving surface 6731.

In other words, the action of the light receiving surface 6731 reduces the light intensity in stages from a higher intensity light (light visible near the decorative recess 6731a) than when the light emitted from the surface light emitting unit D1b is viewed directly, to a lower intensity light than when the light emitted from the surface light emitting unit D1b is viewed directly, allowing the player to view these lights of different intensities through the surface of the light receiving surface 6731.

Returning to FIG. 270, the member covering the light receiving member 6730 will be described. A cup-shaped member with an open rear side is disposed on the front side of the light receiving member 6730. The flat plate member 6740, curved plate member 6750, and cover member 6760 that make up the cup-shaped member will be described.

Figure 276 is an exploded front perspective view of the flat plate member 6740, the curved plate member 6750, and the cover member 6760, Figure 277 is an exploded front perspective view of the flat plate member 6740, the curved plate member 6750, and the cover member 6760, Figure 278 is an exploded rear perspective view of the flat plate member 6740, the curved plate member 6750, and the cover member 6760, and Figure 279 is an exploded rear perspective view of the flat plate member 6740, the curved plate member 6750, and the cover member 6760.

The flat plate member 6740 and the curved plate member 6750 are assembled from the left and right directions and joined together by fastening, and then the cover member 6760 is assembled from the front side and fitted together, thereby fixing each member inseparably.

The flat plate member 6740 is a member formed from a colorless, transparent, light-transmitting resin, and mainly comprises a main plate portion 6741 formed from a flat plate having a shape obtained by dividing an oval shape, a fitted plate portion 6742 disposed on a plane shifted parallel to the left from the plane on which the main plate portion 6741 is formed and connected to the front edge of the main plate portion 6741 with a step, a number of protrusions 6743 protruding from the rear end of the main plate portion 6741 toward the rear side, a number of fastening portions 6744 disposed at positions spaced apart from the protrusions 6743 and configured so that fastening screws can be screwed in from the rear side, and a number of insertion holes 6745 drilled in the main plate portion 6741 with a size large enough to insert the fastening screws.

The main body plate portion 6741 has a decorative shape recessed to the left on the left side surface and protruding to the right from the right side surface corresponding to the recess, and the right end portion of the main body plate portion 6741 coincides with the right side surface of the main body plate portion 6741.

The unevenness forming portion 6741a forms a honeycomb structure in a manner in which hexagonal pyramids arranged so as to taper to the left are filled, and produces an effect similar to that of a reflector. This improves the strength of the rear side of the main body plate portion 6741 (the portion that may come into contact with the outer frame plate portion 6717 (see FIG. 268) of the base member 6710 in the assembled state), making it possible to prevent cracking or chipping due to the application of external force. In addition, it is possible to reduce contact friction when sliding the assembly of the flat plate member 6740, the curved plate member 6750, and the cover member 6760 to the base member 6710 in order to assemble it.

Therefore, after the horizontal presentation device 6700 is attached to the front frame 10014, the outer frame plate portion 6717 is less likely to break when it is subjected to impact from a player or load when the front frame 10014 is opened or closed, thereby improving durability, and also making it easier to assemble the horizontal presentation device 6700.

The fitted plate portion 6742 has a plurality of grooves 6742a cut into the right surface as narrow grooves along the front-rear direction, and front-rear holes 6742b drilled in the step between the plate portion 6741 and the main plate portion 6741 in the direction along the grooves 6742a. The grooves 6742a and the front-rear holes 6742b function to align the flat plate member 6740 and the cover member 6760, as will be described in detail later.

The protrusion 6743 is a portion that is inserted into the alignment hole 6716 (see FIG. 269(a)) of the base member 6710, and the fastening portion 6744 is a portion that is fastened and fixed by a fastening screw that passes through the insertion hole 6714 (see FIG. 269(a)) of the base member 6710.

The protrusion 6743 and the fastening portion 6744 are positioned close to the outer right edges of the illumination board 6720 and the light receiving member 6730 when viewed from the front. In particular, the fastening portion 6744 is positioned so that it fits into the recesses of the illumination board 6720 and the light receiving member 6730 (see Figures 269(a) and 274(b)), which can prevent the illumination board 6720 and the light receiving member 6730 from shifting out of position relative to the flat member 6740.

The insertion holes 6745 are through holes through which fastening screws are inserted to screw into the curved plate member 6750, and four are provided above and below. Since the curved plate member 6750 can be firmly fastened to the flat plate member 6740 at the four fastening positions, it is possible to avoid insufficient fixing force even if there are few fastening portions 6753 formed on the back side of the curved plate member 6750.

The curved plate member 6750 is arranged opposite the main plate portion 6741 of the flat plate member 6740, curved in such a way that it bulges leftward as it approaches the rear side, and is formed so as to cover the front side of the light receiving member 6730. The curved plate portion 6751 is made of a colorless, transparent, light-transmitting resin and has multiple stripes on its inner surface. The curved plate portion 6751 is arranged parallel to the right side of the main curved portion 6751, connected to the front side edge of the main curved portion 6751 with a step, and arranged opposite the fitted plate portion 6742. The main components are a fitted plate portion 6752 into which a fastening screw is inserted, a plurality of fastening portions 6753 configured so that a fastening screw can be screwed in from the rear side, a plurality of fastening portions 6754 formed so that a fastening screw can be screwed in at positions corresponding to the insertion holes 6745, a plurality of insertion holes 6755 drilled into the front edge of the main body curved portion 6751 so that the fastening screw can be inserted in the front-rear direction, and a plurality of insertion holes 6756 drilled into the front edge of the fitted plate portion 6752 so that the fastening screw can be inserted in the front-rear direction.

The curved main body portion 6751 is mainly composed of a decorative protrusion 6751a that protrudes rightward from the right side in a triangular shape tapering toward the rear side in an area including the fastening portion 6753 at the top and bottom center, a front-to-back hole 6751b drilled in the front-to-back direction in the front-to-back direction in the front-to-back direction in the front-to-back portion of the decorative protrusion 6751a, a flat partitioning portion 6751c that partitions the striped shape with a flat surface, a central flat portion 6751d formed from a flat surface facing the front-to-back direction at the top-to-bottom center position, and a striped decorative portion 6751e formed in thin stripes on the inner surface near the rear end.

The decorative protrusion 6751a is configured as a portion that fits into the fitting portion 6737 of the light receiving member 6730. In addition, the front-rear direction hole 6751b has the function of aligning the connecting extension portion 6763 with the curved plate member 6750.

This allows the decorative protrusion 6751a to be configured as a part that functions both as a decorative part and as a part that aligns with the light receiving member 6730. This allows the curved plate member 6750 to be prevented from wobbling even in a configuration in which only one (few) fastening parts 6753 are arranged in the vertical center as in this embodiment.

The flat partition 6751c is formed in an area including a position that coincides with the front edge of the tip curved fin 6735a (see FIG. 272(a)) in a front-to-back view and a side view. As a result, when the light emitted from the front edge of the tip curved fin 6735a is viewed from the front (see FIG. 207), the light passes through the flat partition 6751c, and can be viewed as a clear light.

On the other hand, the light emitted to the inner side of the tip curved fin 6735a (the side facing the play area) is diffusely reflected by the multiple striped sections defined in the flat section 6751c. Therefore, when the light emitted from the inner side of the tip curved fin 6735a is viewed from the side, the light emission mode can be surface emission, and the light can be viewed in a blurred manner.

The central flat portion 6751d is formed in an area including a position that coincides with the front edge of the tip bent fin 6735b (see FIG. 272(a)) in a front-to-back view and a side view. As a result, when the light emitted from the front edge of the tip bent fin 6735b is viewed from the front (see FIG. 207), the light passes through the central flat portion 6751d, and can be viewed as a clear light.

On the other hand, the light emitted to the inner side of the tip bent fin 6735b (the side facing the play area) is diffusely reflected by the multiple striped portions. Therefore, when the light emitted from the inner side of the tip bent fin 6735b is viewed from the side, the light emission mode can be made to be surface emission, and the light can be viewed in a blurred manner.

The fitted plate portion 6752, like the fitted plate portion 6742 of the flat plate member 6740, has a plurality of grooves 6752a cut into the left side as narrow grooves along the front-rear direction, and front-rear direction holes 6752b drilled in the direction along the grooves 6752a in the step between the main body curved portion 6751. The grooves 6752a and the front-rear direction holes 6752b function to align the curved plate member 6750 and the cover member 6760, as will be described in detail later.

The fastening portion 6753 is a portion that is fastened and fixed by a fastening screw that passes through the insertion hole 6714 (see FIG. 269(a)) of the base member 6710. The fastening portion 6753 is positioned close to the outside of the left edge of the illumination board 6720 and the light receiving member 6730 when viewed from the front, and is positioned in a manner that fits into the recesses of the illumination board 6720 and the light receiving member 6730 (see FIG. 269(a) and FIG. 274(b)), so that the positional deviation of the illumination board 6720 and the light receiving member 6730 relative to the curved plate member 6750 can be suppressed.

The fastening parts 6754 are portions into which the fastening screws inserted through the insertion holes 6745 are screwed, and are disposed at positions (four positions) corresponding to the insertion holes 6745. Since multiple fastening parts 6754 are disposed, the flat plate member 6740 and the curved plate member 6750 can be firmly fixed together simply by fastening in the left-right direction.

On the other hand, since the flat plate member 6740 is firmly fixed to the base member 6710 by the protrusions 6743 and the fastening parts 6744, it is possible to prevent the curved plate member 6750 from wobbling when the number of fastening parts 6753 of the curved plate member 6750 is reduced. This allows the number of fastening parts 6753 near the rear end of the curved plate member 6750 to be reduced, and as a result, the number of places where light is blocked by the fastening screws can be reduced, and as a result, a large area in which the light-emitting effect can be viewed without light being blocked can be secured.

The insertion holes 6755 and 6756 are through holes through which the fastening screws can be inserted from the rear side, and guide walls 6755a and 6756a that guide the fastening portion 6764 (see FIG. 279) of the cover member 6760 are formed on the front side (see FIG. 277).

The guide walls 6755a, 6756a are formed so that the inner surface, which has a diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the fastening portion 6764 of the cover member 6760, faces the right side (the side closest to the flat plate member 6740) of the fastening portion 6764. This allows the fastening portion 6764 of the cover member 6760 to restrict the leftward movement of the curved plate member 6750 when the horizontal performance device 6700 is in an assembled state (see FIG. 265), preventing the curved plate member 6750 from being inadvertently removed.

The cover member 6760 is assembled to the flat plate member 6740 and the curved plate member 6750 by sliding the fastening portion 6764 back and forth along the guide wall portions 6755a and 6756a. The cover member 6760 is made up of a main plate portion 6761, which is a flat plate portion shaped to cover the fitted plate portion 6742 of the flat plate member 6740 from the right side, a curved plate portion 6762, which is a curved plate portion formed by bending the front side edge of the main plate portion 6761 and shaped to cover the fitted plate portion 6742 of the curved plate member 6750 from the left side, a connecting extension portion 6763, which is extended to the left rear of the curved plate portion 6762 from two positions spaced apart from the vertical center position by approximately equal distances, and which is connected at the extension end, and a curved plate portion 6762, which is a curved plate portion 6762, which is a curved plate portion shaped to cover the fitted plate portion 6742 of the curved plate member 6750 from the left side, a connecting extension portion 6763, which is extended to the left rear of the curved plate portion 6762 from two positions spaced apart from the vertical center position by approximately equal distances, and which is connected at the extension end, and a connecting extension portion 6763, which is a connecting ... 2 and formed so that a fastening screw can be screwed into the insertion holes 6755, 6756 of the curved plate member 6750; a base end fastening portion 6765 (see FIG. 279) arranged at the rear end of the upper end of the curved plate portion 6762 and formed so that a fastening screw can be screwed into the insertion hole 6714 near the upper end of the base member 6710; and a plurality of protruding portions 6766 protruding from the rear end of the main plate portion 6761 toward the rear side.

The main body plate portion 6761 is provided with a plurality of protruding ribs 6761a that are slidable inside the groove portion 6742a at positions corresponding to the groove portion 6742a of the flat plate member 6740 and protrude leftward in a rib shape that extends along a straight line in the front-to-rear direction.

The protruding rib 6761a is formed to protrude rearward beyond the rear edge of the main body plate portion 6761, and this protruding portion is inserted into the front-rear direction hole 6742b. In other words, the protruding portion is disposed opposite the left side surface of the main body plate portion 6741, and the movement of the main body plate portion 6741 can be restricted. This makes it possible to prevent the flat plate member 6740 from shifting leftward relative to the cover member 6760 when the horizontal performance device 6700 is in the assembled state (Figure 265).

The curved plate portion 6762 is provided with a plurality of protruding ribs 6762a that are slidable inside the groove portion 6752a at a position corresponding to the groove portion 6752a of the curved plate member 6750 and protrude to the right in the form of a rib that extends along a straight line in the front-to-rear direction.

The protruding rib 6762a is formed to protrude rearward beyond the rear edge of the curved plate portion 6762, and this protruding portion is inserted into the front-rear direction hole 6752b. In other words, the protruding portion is disposed opposite the right side surface of the main body curved portion 6751, and the movement of the main body curved portion 6751 can be restricted. This makes it possible to prevent the curved plate member 6750 from shifting to the right relative to the cover member 6760 when the horizontal performance device 6700 is in the assembled state (Figure 265).

The connecting extension 6763 has a protruding rib 6763a that protrudes to the right in a rib shape that extends along a straight line in the front-rear direction at a position corresponding to the front-rear hole 6751b.

The protruding rib 6763a is formed to protrude rearward from the rear edge at the connection position of the connecting extension portion 6763, and this protruding portion is inserted into the front-rear direction hole 6751b. In other words, the protruding portion is positioned opposite the right side surface of the decorative protruding portion 6751a, and the movement of the main body curved portion 6751 can be restricted. This makes it possible to prevent the curved plate member 6750 from shifting to the right relative to the cover member 6760 when the horizontal performance device 6700 is in the assembled state (Figure 265).

As described above, the fastening portion 6764 is configured as a portion capable of restricting the movement of the curved plate member 6750 to the left when the horizontal performance device 6700 is in the assembled state (see FIG. 265), thereby preventing the curved plate member 6750 from being inadvertently removed.

In this way, the cover member 6760 structurally restricts the left-right movement of the curved plate member 6750. That is, the relationship between the protruding ribs 6762a, 6763a and the front-rear holes 6751b, 6752b restricts the rightward movement of the curved plate member 6750, and the relationship between the fastening portion 6764 and the guide walls 6755a, 6756a restricts the leftward movement of the curved plate member 6750. Therefore, the arrangement of the curved plate member 6750 relative to the cover member 6760 can be stabilized.

The base end fastening portion 6765 is disposed at the rear end of the upper end of the curved plate portion 6762, and is formed so that a fastening screw can be inserted into the through hole 6714 (see FIG. 267) near the upper end of the base member 6710. That is, a fastening screw passing through the through hole 6714 (see FIG. 269(a)) of the base member 6710 is screwed into the base end fastening portion 6765, and the base end fastening portion 6765 is fastened and fixed to the base member 6710.

The protrusion 6766 is a portion that is inserted into the alignment hole 6716 (see FIG. 269(a)) of the base member 6710. In addition, the protrusion 6766 and the base end fastening portion 6765 can suppress misalignment of the illumination board 6720 and the light receiving member 6730 relative to the cover member 6760, which is positioned close to the right edge or the outer side of the upper edge of the illumination board 6720 and the light receiving member 6730 when viewed from the front.

Figure 280(a) is a cross-sectional view of the base member 6710, the illumination board 6720, and the light receiving member 6730 taken along the line CCLXXXa-CCLXXXa in Figure 272(b), Figure 280(b) is a cross-sectional view of the base member 6710, the illumination board 6720, and the light receiving member 6730 taken along the line CCLXXXb-CCLXXXb in Figure 272(b), and Figure 280(c) is a cross-sectional view of the base member 6710, the illumination board 6720, and the light receiving member 6730 taken along the line CCLXXXc-CCLXXXc in Figure 272(b).

As shown in FIG. 280(a), the front-to-rear distance between the long rib 6734 and the LED chip D1 is limited to the height at which the LED chip D1 protrudes from the surface of the main body plate portion 6721. This allows the light irradiated from the edge light emitting portion D1a to be incident on the long rib 6734 without leakage, and also makes it easier for the light to travel toward the front side by being totally reflected inside the long rib 6734 (see FIG. 281).

In addition, in areas where the long rib 6734 is not arranged, the front-to-rear distance between the surface light emitting portion D1b and the light receiving surface portion 6731 is maintained to be equal to or greater than the front-to-rear width (formation length) of the long rib 6734. This makes it possible to increase the area where the light irradiated from the LED chip D1 can reach the light receiving surface portion 6731.

In this way, according to this embodiment, under the assumption that the light emitted from the LED chip D1 is emitted radially, it is possible to easily distinguish and visually recognize the light emitted from the edge light-emitting portion D1a and the light emitted from the surface light-emitting portion D1b.

That is, the light emitted from the edge light-emitting portion D1a is seen as a clear line of light that travels through the long ribs 6734 and the fins 6735 by total reflection, or as light that brightens a small area through which the light can travel via the long ribs 6734, while the light emitted from the surface light-emitting portion D1b is seen as uniform light (faint light) through the light-receiving surface portion 6731 and the light-refractive surface portion of the inner extension portion 6732.

As a result, compared to conventional performances in which a lens that focuses light emitted from the illumination board 6720 is placed opposite the illumination board 6720 to make a brilliant light visible over a small area, this embodiment makes it possible to make a brilliant light visible over a small area (line-shaped light) while also making light visible that spreads over the area of the illumination board 6720 (planar light). Furthermore, these different lights can be easily controlled to make a performance in which only one or both are visible. This improves the freedom of light performance.

Therefore, for example, even if the same LED chip is used for the edge light-emitting unit D1a and the surface light-emitting unit D1b, it is possible to achieve a lighting effect rich in gradation (light-emitting effects of different colors and brightness) by making the color and brightness of the light emitted from the edge light-emitting unit D1a and the light emitted from the surface light-emitting unit D1b different.

As shown in FIG. 280(b), the right side (outer surface of the front frame 10014) of the fin 6735 in the thickness direction is flush with the long rib 6734 in the front-to-back direction, and the left side (inner surface of the front frame 10014) is an inclined surface that tapers toward the front end (closer to the right side). Therefore, the normal to the left side does not face straight to the side (parallel to the surface of the main plate portion 6721 of the illumination board 6720, i.e., perpendicular to the front-to-back direction), but faces in a direction that has a component facing the front side. This allows the light emitted from the left side of the fin 6735 to be directed not only straight to the side, but also toward the front side.

As shown in FIG. 280(c), the long rib 6734 is connected to the inner extension 6732, so that light emitted from the edge light-emitting portion D1a and incident on the long rib 6734 can travel toward the inner extension 6732. The travel of this light will be explained using a schematic diagram.

Figure 281 is a schematic diagram of the base member 6710, the illumination board 6720, and the light receiving member 6730, showing the cross section of Figure 280 (a). In Figure 281, arrows L23a to L23e indicating the light emitted from the edge light emitter D1a are shown.

The intensity of the light emitted from the LED decreases as the angle between the surface of the illumination board 6720 and the perpendicular axis X23 increases, but the light itself is emitted radially. In this embodiment, the destination position of the light varies depending on the direction in which the light travels, so we will explain each in turn below.

Arrow L23a indicates the direction of travel of light that enters the end of the long rib 6734, travels through the inside of the long rib 6734 and the fin 6735 by total reflection, and reaches the front end of the fin 6735. Because the light that reaches the fin 6735 along arrow 23a travels by total reflection, it is possible to reduce the energy loss of light compared to when the light is partially transmitted (emitted) from the side of the long rib 6734 or the fin 6735. Therefore, even if the distance from the edge light-emitting portion D1a is great, it is possible to make it easier for the player to see light that is sufficiently bright.

Arrow L23b indicates the direction of travel of light emitted from the left side (inside of the front frame 10014) before reaching the front end of the fin 6735. As described above, the left side of the fin 6735 is processed to have a jagged shape, so that the light is emitted in a surface-emitting manner.

Arrow L23c indicates the direction of travel of light that passes through the long rib 6734, travels directly to the inner extension portion 6732, and is emitted from its surface. This light is not refracted at the end face after entering the long rib 6734, and light energy loss is suppressed, so it can be viewed brightly. In addition, the outer surface of the inner extension portion 6732 (the surface opposite the outer extension portion 6733) is processed to have a jagged shape, so the light is emitted in a surface-emitting manner.

Arrow L23d indicates the direction of travel of light that is reflected after reaching the light receiving surface 6731, which is the joining position between the long rib 6734 and the fin 6735, and is unable to travel inside the fin 6735. That is, as described above, the fin 6735 is formed so that its thickness length is shorter than that of the long rib 6734 as it approaches the front side, and a jagged recess is formed on the left side surface (the inner surface of the front frame 10014), so that the long rib 6734 partially protrudes from the fin 6735 when viewed in the front-to-rear direction.

Therefore, even if light travels in the same forward and backward directions, it is not possible for the light to enter the fins 6735 at all of the joining positions between the long rib 6734 and the light receiving surface 6731. In some areas (particularly near the left side of the long rib 6734), the light is prevented from entering the fins 6735, and the light that reaches this area is reflected by the light receiving surface 6731.

Then, arrow L23d reaches the inner extension 6732 and is emitted. Note that the outer surface of the inner extension 6732 (the surface opposite the outer extension 6733) is processed to have a jagged shape, so that the light is emitted in a surface-emitting manner.

Here, as shown in FIG. 281, the light of the arrow L23d includes light traveling toward the rear side of the illumination board 6720. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the illumination board 6720 having the LED chip D1 on the front side that irradiates light toward the front side can illuminate the rear side of the illumination board 6720 (at least, light can travel toward the rear side of the illumination board 6720, see FIG. 281).

The inner surface of the rear end of the curved plate member 6750, which is located downstream of the arrow L23d, is formed from a lens shape in which fine semicircular cross sections are arranged vertically when viewed from behind (see FIG. 276). This allows the light that travels in the direction of arrow L23d and reaches the rear end of the curved plate member 6750 to be emitted to the left in a uniform manner both vertically, and this light can brightly illuminate the glass unit 16.

As a result, light effects can be created by combining the light irradiated toward the glass unit 16 from an illumination device positioned on the rear side of the glass unit 16 with the light traveling in the direction of arrow L23d, thereby improving the design freedom of the light effects.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the difference in brightness between the light indicated by the arrow L23c and the light indicated by the arrow L23d can be mitigated. That is, when the light is incident on the long rib 6734, the light indicated by the arrow L23d is brighter than the light indicated by the arrow L23c due to the difference in angle with the axis X23. However, when the light indicated by the arrow L23 is reflected by the light receiving surface portion 6731, an energy loss occurs due to the transmitted light, so when the light reaches the inner extension portion 6732, it is visually recognized as light of approximately the same brightness. In this way, the difference in brightness of the light depending on the irradiation direction can be mitigated, and the brightness of the inner extension portion 6732 can be easily made uniform from front to back.

In this embodiment, the configuration of the horizontal performance device 6700 arranged on the left side is almost entirely formed in a shape that is approximately symmetrical (or similar) to the configuration of the horizontal performance device 6700 on the right side, but as a special part that is not symmetrical, the formation of the long rib 6734 (protruding from the back) is omitted (the formation of the fin 6735 is maintained). This allows the light performance to be adjusted for each range of the play area (glass unit 16, see Figure 265).

This adjustment is made to ensure visibility for the player. In other words, we want to maintain the dramatic effect of light traveling up the fins 6735 on the left side, but at the same time, we want to suppress light traveling up the long ribs 6734 from traveling toward the play area.

In other words, the aim is to reduce the intensity of the light emitted from the horizontal presentation device 6700 inward (towards the playing area) in order to improve the visibility of the game ball at the left side of the playing area, where the launched ball enters the playing area. This makes it possible to prevent a situation in which the light presentation is too bright, making it difficult to see the launched ball, and thus making it difficult to adjust the launch intensity or confirm the launch of the game ball.

On the other hand, balls shot from the right (highest shooting strength) mostly flow down the right side of the play area, so there is little need for the player to visually check to adjust the ball shooting strength. In addition, since a large number of game balls flow down a narrow area continuously in a short period of time, the presentation effect of the light-based presentation can be easily improved by shining light on that area and having it reflect off the game balls. Therefore, there is no need to weaken the light intensity on the right side of the play area, and the presentation effect can be improved by making it easier to emit light from the horizontal presentation device 6700 toward the play area (glass unit 16, see Figure 265) as in this embodiment.

Arrow L23e indicates the direction of travel of light emitted in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the long rib 6734, and irradiated in a direction with a large angle with the axis X23 (light that does not enter the long rib 6734). This light is reflected by the inner surfaces of the left and right extension parts 6732, 6733, or reaches the light receiving surface part 6731 and emits light from the surface, but because the long rib 6734 is extended to a position very close to the edge light emitting part D1a, the intensity of the light traveling in the direction of arrow L23e is very small to begin with, so it can be configured as light that is difficult for the player to see.

This prevents the light traveling along the arrow L23e from being visually mixed with the light emitted from the surface-emitting unit D1b, thereby preventing a reduction in the lighting effect.

Returning to FIG. 280(a), the role of the fitting portion 6737 and the light emission effect near the fitting portion 6737 will be explained. The V-shaped rib 6734b is connected to a recess 6737a formed inside the fitting portion 6737 at the intermediate connection portion 6734b1 (see FIG. 274). Therefore, similar to the content described above with arrows L23c and L23d, a portion of the light incident on the V-shaped rib 6734b passes through both walls of the recess 6737a and reaches the left surface of the fitting portion 6737.

The recess 6737a is configured as a recess in which the fastening portion 6753 (see FIG. 278) of the curved plate member 6750 can slide back and forth, and a fastening screw is screwed into the fastening portion 6753. As the fastening screw blocks light near the recess 6737a, there is a risk that the effect of the light emission presentation will be reduced.

In contrast, in this embodiment, sufficient alignment (prevention of misalignment) can be achieved by matching the shapes of the fitting portion 6737 and the decorative protrusion portion 6751a, so the number of fastening screws can be reduced while preventing misalignment between the light receiving member 6730 and the LED chip D1, and the number of areas where the effect of the light emission performance is reduced can be reduced.

In addition, a recess 6737a is disposed near the fastening screw to avoid interference with the fastening screw, and the light passing through the recess 6737a is configured to be emitted from the surface of the inner extension 6732, preventing the area around the fastening screw from becoming too dark. This makes it possible to reduce the degree to which the effect of the light-emitting effect is reduced.

Next, the 18th embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 282 to 284. In the above-mentioned 17th embodiment, the illumination board 6570 is arranged on the front side of the sound device 6610 at the top of the front frame 10014. However, in the pachinko machine 18010 of the 18th embodiment, a performance device 18800 including an illumination board 18830 is arranged on the lower right of the operation device 10300, so that light-emitting performance can be performed even at the bottom of the front frame 18014. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

Fig. 282 is a front view of a pachinko machine 18010 in the 18th embodiment, and Fig. 283 is a front perspective view of the pachinko machine 18010. The pachinko machine 18010 differs from the pachinko machine 10010 in the 17th embodiment in that the front frame 18014 is equipped with a performance device 18800 in contrast to the front frame 10014 in the 17th embodiment, but the rest of the configuration is the same, so only the performance device 18800 will be described and a description of the other configuration will be omitted.

As shown in Figures 282 and 283, the performance device 18800 is a device for lighting performance in which the back side and top side are connected to the covering base member 6410 on the front side of the lower tray unit 6400, and is disposed between the operating device 10300 and the operating handle 51.

This performance device 18800 is configured with structural innovations that change the appearance of the light emission performance depending on whether or not the operation device 10300 participates in the operation performance. Next, in order to explain the structural innovations, the internal structure of the performance device 18800 will be explained.

Figure 284(a) is a cross-sectional view of the performance device 18800 taken along the line CCLXXXIVa-CCLXXXIVa in Figure 282, and Figure 284(b) is a schematic diagram of the illumination board 18830 of the performance device 18800 as viewed in the direction of the arrow CCLXXXIVb in Figure 284(a). Note that Figure 284(b) shows a schematic diagram of the support mode of the illumination board 18830.

As shown in FIG. 284(a), the performance device 18800 mainly comprises a connecting base member 18810 connected to the lower tray unit 6400, an intermediate fixing member 18820 which is a frame-shaped member arranged on the front side of the connecting base member 18810 with a planar gap therebetween and is fixed to the connecting base member 18810, an illumination board 18830 arranged in the gap between the connecting base member 18810 and the intermediate fixing member 18820, a light receiving member 18840 which is formed so that light irradiated from the LED chip D1 of the illumination board 18830 can travel inside and is fixed to the front side of the intermediate fixing member 18820, and a covering member 18850 which is attached so as to cover the outer surface of the light receiving member 18840.

The front wall of the connecting base member 18810, which faces the illumination board 18830, is formed as an inclined surface that slopes downward toward the rear side. The inclination angle of this inclined surface is formed so that the inclined surface is parallel to the vibration direction Y17a (see FIG. 215) of the vibration device 10366 when the oscillating device member 10310 of the operating device 10300 is positioned in an upward position and is in the pre-operation posture.

The illumination board 18830 is disposed parallel to the wall surface on the front side of the connecting base member 18810. Therefore, the vibration direction Y17a of the vibration device 10366 is parallel to the surface of the illumination board 18830. The illumination board 18830 mainly comprises an LED chip D1, a long hole 18831 drilled in a vertically elongated shape, and a leaf spring 18832 that generates an upward biasing force.

The long hole 18831 is a hole through which the fixing portion 18821 of the intermediate fixing member 18820 is inserted to support the illumination board 18830. Therefore, the difference (length) between the vertical length of the long hole 18831 and the diameter of the fixing portion 18821 is designed as the length (allowable length) by which the illumination board 18830 can be mechanically displaced.

LED chips D1 are arranged in an arbitrary pattern (in this embodiment, the vertices of a pentagon) on the front side of the illumination board 18830, and emit light in the normal direction to the surface of the illumination board 18830. Therefore, the light emitted from the LED chips D1 is emitted in a direction that slopes downward as it approaches the front side. On the other hand, the light receiving member 18840 that receives this light is formed to change the direction of travel of the light to a direction along the front-to-rear direction.

In other words, the player can see the light whose direction has been changed by the light receiving member 18840, so even if the direction of the light emitted from the LED chip D1 slopes downward toward the front (away from the player's line of sight), the effect of the light presentation is prevented from decreasing.

The light receiving member 18840 is formed from a colorless, transparent, light-transmitting resin material, and mainly comprises a plate-shaped portion 18841 configured to be capable of closing the opening on the front side of the intermediate fixing member 18820, and a number of extending plate portions 18842 extending in a plate shape from the back surface of the plate-shaped portion 18841.

The intermediate fixing member 18820 is made of a resin material with low light transmittance and is formed in a container shape with an open front side, and mainly comprises a plurality of fixing parts 18821 that protrude in a cylindrical shape toward the connecting base member 18810 and are fastened and fixed to the connecting base member 18810, and a plurality of insertion holes 18822 that are drilled in the bottom on the rear side at a position and size that allows the extension plate part 18842 to be received.

In this embodiment, since the resin mold for the light receiving member 18840 is punched in the left-right direction, the extended plate portion 18842 is formed in a plate shape with the same cross section in the left-right direction. Therefore, while the LED chips D1 are arranged at the vertices of a pentagon, the LED chips D1 lined up on the left and right at the middle and lower positions can be associated with a common extended plate portion 18842. This allows the extended plate portion 18842 to be formed as three plate-shaped portions with different widths at the top and bottom. Similarly, the insertion holes 18822 of the intermediate fixing member 18820 are also drilled in three positions at the top and bottom with shapes of different widths.

As shown in FIG. 284, the extension plate portion 18842 starts extending along the normal direction of the plate portion 18841, but is formed into a gently curved plate shape. The radius of curvature of the curve can be set arbitrarily, but in this embodiment, the curved shape is designed with a large radius of curvature so that the light irradiated from the LED chip D1 of the illumination board 18830 can continue to be totally reflected until it reaches the plate portion 18841. This makes it easier for the light incident on the extension tip (rear end) of the extension plate portion 18842 to reach the plate portion 18841 while maintaining its intensity.

The covering member 18850 is a member for suppressing light leakage from areas on the outer surface of the light receiving member 18840 where light presentation is not desired, and can be realized in various forms. For example, it may be a light-shielding tape (insulating tape) that is formed so as to be able to be attached, or it may be a member formed into a cup shape from a resin material.

In this embodiment, the covering member 18850 is configured as a cup-shaped member that can be fitted from the front side, and the bottom of the cup that is placed on the front side has multiple through holes 18851 drilled at the vertices of a pentagon based on the arrangement of the LED chips D1 to allow light to pass through.

As mentioned above, the arrangement of the through holes 18851 does not need to be the same as that of the LED chips D1, and they can be similar in shape but slightly different in size. Considering the propagation mode of the light irradiated from the LED chips D1, the formation mode of the light receiving member 18840 is more important than the arrangement of the LED chips D1 when designing the arrangement of the through holes 18851. Therefore, in this embodiment, the through holes 18851 are designed to be formed at a position that matches the position of the base of the extension plate portion 18842 of the light receiving member 18840 in a front view.

The operation of the performance device 18800 will now be described. As described above, the illumination board 18830 is movable in a first shift direction parallel to the surface on which the LED chip D1 is arranged, with an allowable width of the long hole 18831, and this first shift direction coincides with the vibration direction Y17a of the vibration device 10366 of the operating device 10300.

That is, when the operating device 10300 produces a vibration effect, the illumination board 18830 is configured to slide due to the vibration. When the illumination board 18830 slides, the positional relationship between the position of the LED chip D1 and the end of the extension plate portion 18842 shifts, making it difficult for the light emitted from the LED chip D1 to enter the extension plate portion 18842.

In this case, even when light is emitted from the LED chip D1, the light has difficulty traveling through the extension plate portion 18842, and the through hole 18851 appears dark. In other words, it is not possible to know whether the LED chip D1 is emitting light or not. On the other hand, in the operating device 10300, as described above, the direction Y17a of vibration of the vibration device 10366 changes to a direction different from the first deviation direction by operating the swing operating member 10310.

In this case, the effect of the vibration of the operating device 10300 on the illumination board 18830 is suppressed, and the illumination board 18830 returns to the initial position (upper end position) by the biasing force of the leaf spring 18832. In the initial position of the illumination board 18830, the LED chip D1 and the rear end of the extension plate portion 18842 are arranged opposite each other, and the light emitted from the LED chip D1 enters the extension plate portion 18842 and is then formed so that it can travel toward the front side by total reflection.

In other words, even when light is being emitted from the LED chip D1 and the operating device 10300 is performing a vibration effect (when the through hole 18851 appears dark), the through hole 18851 can be made to appear bright by pressing the oscillating operating member 10310.

Therefore, when a vibration effect is being performed and the through hole 18851 appears dark, it is possible to know whether the LED chip D1 is emitting light by operating the swing operation member 10310. Here, for example, by controlling the LED chip D1 to emit light when a jackpot occurs or when the game transitions to a game state that is advantageous to the player (i.e., when a change that is advantageous to the player occurs), it is possible to increase the player's interest in whether the LED chip D1 is emitting light or not.

This can increase the player's motivation to operate the swing operation member 10310, so that when an effect is performed in which the player operates the swing operation member 10310, it can increase the player's motivation to participate and encourage the player to actually operate the swing operation member 10310.

In this embodiment, the case where the illumination board 18830 is arranged on the outside of the covering base member 6410 has been described, but this is not limited to the above. For example, the illumination board 18830 may be arranged so that it penetrates the covering base member 6410 and enters the interior, and may be capable of abutting against the operating device 10300.

In this case, it is possible to easily transmit vibrations of the operating device 10300 to the illumination board 18830, and the illumination board 18830 can be configured to slide not only in response to vibrations but also in response to a pushing operation on the lens member 10317.

In this case, for example, the LED chip D1 may be controlled to emit light at a timing other than the timing when a push command is issued as a notification effect. If the lens member 10317 is pushed (pushed) at the timing when the LED chip D1 emits light, a configuration can be realized in which it is difficult to determine whether the LED chip D1 is emitting light when viewed from the front.

In other words, it is possible to configure the device so that if the lens member 10317 is pressed (pushed) at a time other than when a notification is issued, the player is more likely to miss notifications that are advantageous to the player. Since it is easier to prevent the lens member 10317 from being pressed at times other than when a push instruction is issued, it is possible to prevent early failure of the operation device 10300 and nuisance behavior such as operating the operation device unnecessarily many times and generating noise.

Next, the 19th embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 285. In the above-described 17th embodiment, the covers 10321, 10322 of the operating device 10300 are formed so as to be separable into left and right parts, but the covers 19321, 19322 in the 19th embodiment are formed so as to be separable into front and rear parts. Note that the same parts as those in the above-described embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

Figure 285 is a side view of covers 19321, 19322 in the 19th embodiment. As shown in Figure 285, in this embodiment, the upper cover 19321 and the lower cover 19322 are arranged to surround the swing operation member 10310 (see Figure 207). Note that the main configuration of the covers 19321, 19322 is substantially the same shape as the above-mentioned covers 10321, 10322, and will be described mainly as an example in which the direction of division is changed.

The covers 19321 and 19322 are formed so as to be separable at a dividing surface coinciding with the reference line X19 shown in FIG. 285, and are formed so as to be fastened and fixed by fastening screws that are inserted in a direction perpendicular to the dividing surface through insertion holes 19321a drilled in the upper cover 19321 and screwed into the fastening portions 19322a of the lower cover 19322.

Here, the reference line X19 is set as a direction parallel to the vibration direction Y17a (see FIG. 215) of the vibration device 10366 before operation when the swing operation member 10310 is in the upward position. That is, the fastening direction of the fastening screw fastened to the fastening portion 19322a is perpendicular to the vibration direction Y17a in a side view (see FIG. 285), so that the fastening screw can be prevented from loosening due to the impact of the vibration.

In addition, the direction of vibration Y17a of the swing operation member 10310 is the same as the pushing direction of the lens member 10317 (see FIG. 216(a)), and the pushing direction of the lens member 10317 and the fastening direction of the fastening screw are perpendicular in side view (see FIG. 285), so that it is possible to prevent the fastening screw from loosening due to the impact generated by the operation of the lens member 10317.

Next, the twentieth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 286. In the above-described 17th embodiment, the protruding portion 6413 and the recessed portion 6414 are formed in a flat dish shape in cross section, and the plate thickness is approximately constant in the inclined portion. However, in the 20th embodiment, the protruding portion 16413 and the recessed portion 16414 are formed with a slight inclination toward the vertical direction. Note that the same parts as those in the above-described embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

Figure 286 is a cross-sectional view of the lower tray unit 16400 in the 20th embodiment taken along a line corresponding to the CCXXXIIIb-CCXXXIIIb line in Figure 229. As shown in Figure 286, in this embodiment, the inclination of the left and right ends of the protruding portion 16413 and the recessed portion 16414 is set closer to the vertical direction than the protruding portion 6413 and the recessed portion 6414 described above in the 17th embodiment.

In addition, the lower end of the protruding portion 16413 (corresponding to the protruding portion 6413 in the seventeenth embodiment) and the upper end (base end of the recess) of the recessed portion 16414 (corresponding to the recessed portion 6414 in the seventeenth embodiment) are arranged on the same line in the up-down direction (vertical direction).

The hanging plate-like portion 6426b of the plate-like support portion 6426 of the lower dish forming member 6420 abuts against and is supported by the base end portion (upper surface of the main body portion 6411) of the recessed shape portion 16414, and since the support thickness of the main body portion 6411 in the up-down direction (vertical direction) can be sufficiently secured at this support position, deformation of the main body portion 6411 due to the load applied when operating the operating device 10300 (see FIG. 207) can be suppressed.

In this embodiment, the case where the inclination of the left and right ends is changed compared to the protruding portion 6413 and the recessed portion 6414 has been described, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, there may be no inclination at all, and the left and right outer surfaces of the protruding portion 6413 and the left and right inner surfaces of the recessed portion 6414 may be formed along the vertical direction (vertical direction in cross-sectional view). Even in this case, the support thickness of the main body portion 6411 can be sufficiently ensured.

On the other hand, by forming the protrusions 6413 and recesses 6414 inclined in cross section as in this embodiment, the direction in which they deform when subjected to an external force can be made to be more likely to be toward the center on the left or right. This makes it possible to reduce the degree of fatigue caused by external forces compared to when they are capable of deformation in both the left and right directions, and to prevent early damage to the plate portions forming the protrusions 6413 and recesses 6414. In other words, the durability of the lower plate unit 6400 can be improved.

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, 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 tilting device 310 is pushed down is described, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the tilting device 310 may be in the initial position in a state where it hangs down downward, and the tilting device 310 may be pushed up. In this case, the force that returns the tilting device 310 to the initial position can be provided by gravity, making the torsion spring 315 unnecessary.

In the above first embodiment, the voice coil motor 352 is driven after the tilt device 310 has moved to the end of its depression, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the voice coil motor 352 may be driven in advance when the tilt device 310 is in the first state. In this case, the load required to press the tilt device 310 from the first state can be increased, and this change in load can be used for effects (for example, an effect of a "button that cannot be pressed" can be produced).

In this case, it is preferable to position the voice coil motor 352 and the lower frame member 320 in a dimensional relationship that leaves a slight gap between them even when the voice coil motor 352 moves to the end of its motion (the end of the extending motion). This makes it possible to suppress the impact noise caused by the voice coil motor 352 colliding with the lower frame member 320 when in motion. This makes it possible to prevent the player from realizing that the voice coil motor 352 has already extended, and makes it possible for the player to realize that the button is in the "button cannot be pressed in" state only after the tilting device 310 is pressed in.

In the first embodiment, the engagement rib 344c and the connecting pin 344d of the disc cam 344 are fixed relative to each other, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the engagement rib 344c may be made of a separate member and configured to rotate relative to the disc cam 344. In this case, for example, the position of the connecting pin 344d when the first protrusion 344c1 and the engagement portion 346d are in contact can be changed, so that the degree to which the tilting device 310 rises can be changed immediately after the engagement rib 344c is rotated in the forward rotation direction from that state to change the attitude of the rotating claw member 347. Therefore, more operating states of the tilting operation of the tilting device 310 can be formed than in the first embodiment.

In addition, the operating state of the tilting device 310 can be switched sequentially (the ascent end can be switched sequentially) by the driving mode that continues to rotate the disc cam 344 in the forward rotation direction. This allows the driving motor 342 to operate in one direction, suppressing deterioration of the driving motor 342, while creating a complex operating mode in which the ascent position of the tilting device 310 is switched sequentially.

In the above third embodiment, the operation timing of the voice coil motor 352 that applies the driving force to the tilting device 310 is controlled by the operation speed and the direction of the operation of the tilting device 310, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the driving mode of the drive motor 5411 that rotates and drives the weight member 5412 may be controlled by the operation speed and the direction of the operation of the tilting device 310. For example, the drive motor 5411 may be fixed in a position in which the center of gravity of the weight member 5412 is located above the rotation axis until the tilting device 310 reaches the pushing end (while the tilting device 310 is moving downward), and the rotation operation of the drive motor 5411 may be started just before the tilting device 310 reaches the pushing end and starts moving upward. In this case, while the tilting device 310 is being pushed down when it is repeatedly struck, the repulsive force pushing back the tilting device 310 can be reduced, while the repulsive force pushing back the tilting device 310 can be increased at the start of the upward movement of the tilting device 310.

In the above fifth embodiment, the case where the storage member 5430 is fixed to the bottom plate portion 5321 has been described, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the storage member 5430 may be fixed to the tilting device 310, and the vibration device 5400 may be operated inside the storage member 5430. When the storage member 5430 is fixed to the tilting device 310, for example, the protruding leg portion 5424 may be arranged on the side facing the bottom plate portion 5321, and when the tilting device 310 is moved downward to the end of the push-in, the protruding leg portion 5424 may be pressed against the bottom plate portion 5321, thereby changing the shape of the flexible member 5420 in the vibration device 5400, and switching whether or not the weight member 5412 can abut against the storage member 5430 may be configured.

In this case, the flexible member 5420 arranged inside the storage member 5430 moves in conjunction with the tilting operation of the tilting device 310, and at this time, the shape of the flexible member 5420 changes. The degree of change in the shape of the flexible member 5420 changes in conjunction with the tilting speed when operating the tilting device 310, so by operating the tilting device 310 at a predetermined speed or higher, the amount of deformation of the flexible member 5420 can be increased to create a state in which the weight member 5412 abuts against the storage member 5430. In other words, the player can feel vibration not only when the tilting device 310 is pushed to the end, but also when the tilting device 310 is operated at high speed, so the variety of effects for making the player operate the tilting device 310 can be increased.

For example, when the player is to operate the tilting device 310, the third pattern display device 81 displays a message such as "Press the button.", but by adding a message such as "Press the button. Press it quickly, and if you feel a vibration, it's your big chance," it is possible to specify how the player should press the button (tilting device 310). In this case, by making whether or not the player presses the button (tilting device 310) in the specified way the condition for transmitting vibration to the player, it is possible to increase the player's motivation to operate the button (tilting device 310) in the specified way, and also to prevent operation of the button (tilting device 310) from becoming monotonous.

The degree of change in the shape of the flexible member 5420 may be reversed in magnitude with respect to the degree of the pushing speed of the tilting device 310. In other words, when the tilting speed of the tilting device 310 is slow, the amount of deformation of the flexible member 5420 becomes large, and the weight member 5412 and the containing member 5430 may be formed in such a manner that they can come into contact with each other. In this case, the slow pushing speed of the tilting device 310 can be set as a condition for the vibration generated by the vibration device 5400 to be transmitted to the player, and the player can be encouraged to slow down the pushing speed of the tilting device 310. This can prevent the player from pushing the tilting device 310 with too much force, and can prevent malfunctions caused by pushing the tilting device 310 with too much force.

In the fifth embodiment, the player can feel the vibration generated from the vibration device 5400 by pushing the tilt device 310, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the weight member 5412 of the vibration device 5400 may be arranged so that it can abut against the storage member 5430 when the tilt device 310 is not pushed in, while the weight member 5412 may be arranged so that it cannot abut against the storage member 5430 when the tilt device 310 is pushed to the end of its movement. In this case, the vibration can be transmitted to the player when the tilt device 310 is not being operated, making the performance more lively, while the vibration can be stopped when the tilt device 310 is pushed in, making it difficult for others to notice, allowing the player to recognize the change in the performance mode (difference in expectation), creating a sense of premium, in which only the player playing this machine can feel the change in the performance mode, except for the players around him/her.

As a variation in presentation, it is desirable to have the player push in the tilting device 310 to create both a position where the weight member 5412 and the container member 5430 cannot come into contact with each other, and a position where the weight member 5412 and the container member 5430 can continue to come into contact with each other. This can be achieved by changing the operating mode of the weight member 5412. For example, the two different cases can be created by changing the rotation direction of the weight member 5412.

In the above fifth embodiment, the case where the disc cam 5344 is deformed by axial inclination, and the disc cam 5344 and the release member 346 come into contact with each other to generate frictional force has been described, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the plate portion in which the shaft support hole 341b of the main body member 341 is drilled may be configured to partially protrude in a direction approaching the disc cam 5344, and come into contact when the disc cam 5344 is deformed by axial inclination. In this case, since the main body member 341 is not a moving part, it is possible to ensure a large frictional force generated between the disc cam 5344 and the disc cam 5344, compared to the case where the disc cam 5344 and the movable release member 346 come into contact with each other. Therefore, the load applied to the arm member 345 connecting the disc cam 5344 and the tilting device 310 can be sufficiently reduced.

In the eighth embodiment, both of the board surface support devices 600 arranged above and below the inner frame 12 are configured to be able to abut against the front frame 14, but this is not necessarily limited to the above. For example, only one of the board surface support devices 600, either the top or bottom, may be configured to be able to abut against the front frame 14. For example, at the upper position, the portion of the multi-function cover member 171 that interferes with the board surface support device 600 may be chamfered so that it does not abut against the board surface support device 600 arranged at the upper position.

In the eighth embodiment, the case where the vertical position of the game board 13 does not change when the game board 13 is attached to the board support device 600 has been described, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the support bottom 12c supporting the lower end surface of the game board 13 may be configured as an inclined surface that slopes downward toward the front side, and the front end may be configured to be positioned lower than the upper surface of the back side extension plate 621c of the board support device 600 in the released state. In this case, when the game board 13 is placed on the board support device 600 in the released state, the game board 13 is supported by the back side extension plate 621c, and from there, in the process of fixing the board support device 600, the game board 13 can be made to ride up onto the support bottom 12c. Therefore, the height at which the game board 13 is placed on the board support device 600 in the released state can be lower than the height at which the game board 13 is fixed, so that the work efficiency of fixing the game board 13 can be improved.

In the eighth embodiment, the foul ball passage 145 is configured as a passage that bends left and right, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, it may be bent forward and backward, or a combination of forward, backward, left and right bends. In this case, it is preferable to form a long path in the front and back directions directly behind the ball guide opening 53, as this allows the ball to be discharged smoothly. In addition, by making the path bend forward and backward, the range of the foul ball passage 145 along the surface of the game board 13 can be narrowed, making it easier to prevent interference between the launch path and the foul ball passage 145.

In the eighth embodiment, the light-guiding member 540 is curved so that the portion facing the opening 524 is concave, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the portion facing the opening 524 may be convex. In this case, the light that reaches the player through the opening 524 is perceived as faint. In addition, the light-guiding member 540 does not need to be curved from top to bottom; for example, curved portions and straight portions may be mixed at the top and bottom.

In the eighth embodiment, the passage forming ribs 467, 487 are used to form a path that bends up and down, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the path may bend left and right, or a combination of up, down, left and right.

In the eighth embodiment, the auxiliary protrusion 481Ha of the rear assembly 480 abuts against the inner surface 461Hi of the front assembly 460 in the thickness direction, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the auxiliary protrusion 481Ha and the inner surface 461Hi may be configured to be spaced apart by approximately the diameter of the speaker connection wire 453 in the thickness direction of the rear sidewall portion 461H. In this case, the speaker connection wire 453 can be sandwiched and held between the auxiliary protrusion 481Ha and the inner surface 461Hi, and the resistance of this clamping can prevent the speaker connection wire 453 from coming off the speaker 451 even if a load is applied to the speaker connection wire 453 in a direction that pulls it outward from the speaker assembly 450.

The auxiliary protrusion 481Ha may be configured so that, within a range of protruding lengths corresponding to the recess depth of the wiring passage recess 464, it abuts against the inner surface 461Hi and the thickness direction of the rear side wall 461H, while within a range of protruding lengths greater than this, it is stepped in the middle so that it is separated from the inner surface 461Hi and the thickness direction of the rear side wall 461H by approximately the diameter of the speaker connection wire 453. In this case, the range in which the rear side wall 461H and the front side wall 481H form a double wall is sufficiently secured, and the speaker connection wire 453 can be clamped while suppressing sound leakage.

In the eighth embodiment, the speaker assembly 450 is described as constituting a double bass reflex type speaker in which the base body portion 461B and the tip body portion 461T correspond to a speaker room, and the intermediate body portion 461M corresponds to a duct, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the front-to-rear width of the intermediate body portion 461M may be expanded to be the same as that of the base body portion 461B and the tip body portion 461T, so that the base body portion 461B, the intermediate body portion 461M, and the tip body portion 461T together form a large speaker room.

In addition, while the base end main body portion 461B has been described as having a larger volume than the tip end main body portion 461T, the size relationship may be reversed, or they may be configured with similar volumes. The placement of the speaker 451 is not limited to the left or right end, but may be in the center in the left-right direction, or in a position between the left or right end and the center in the left-right direction.

In the above eighth embodiment, the case where the adjacent rib portions 467a to 467e, 487a to 487e constituting the passage-forming ribs 467, 487 do not overlap when viewed in the left-right direction (the direction connecting the base-end side main body portion 461B and the tip-end side main body portion 461T, the direction intersecting the opening direction of the opening formed by the front-side recessed portion 471 and the rear-side recessed portion 491) is described, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the adjacent rib portions (for example, the rib portion 467d and the rib portion 467c) may be configured to overlap when viewed in the left-right direction. In this case, the internal path of the speaker assembly 450 can be bent in a maze-like shape, so that, for example, it is difficult to insert a thin metal wire such as a piano wire through the opening formed by the front-side recessed portion 471 and the rear-side recessed portion 491 and the tip of the wire into the play area, making it difficult to perform the fraudulent act, and by lengthening the time required for the fraudulent act, it is possible to suppress the fraudulent act. In addition, examples of preventing fraudulent activities include preventing the fraudulent activities themselves and preventing the acquisition of fraudulent benefits through fraud (successful fraud).

In the eighth embodiment, the fourth gear 880G of the loose fitting device 880 is linked to the third gear 810G of the slit member 810 via the intermediate gear 808, but this is not necessarily limited to the above. For example, the intermediate gear 808 may be configured to mesh with the second gear 830G of the rotating plate 830 and the fourth gear 880G of the loose fitting device 880. In this case, since the rotating plate 830 and the loose fitting device 880 can be linked, the loose fitting device 880 can be rotated not only during the rotational operation of the petal operation device 800, but also during the spreading operation and the gathering operation. This allows the radial sliding operation of the petals 802 and the rotational operation of the decorative member 884 to be performed simultaneously, improving the presentation effect.

Although the loose fitting device 880 is configured as a device that rotates coaxially with the rotating plate 830, this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, it may be configured to expand and contract with the rotation of the rotating plate 830, or it may be configured to rotate on an axis different from the axis of rotation of the rotating plate 830.

In the eighth embodiment, the second performance member 940 operates by transmitting a driving force via the slide plate 930, which slides due to the operation of the drive side arm member 910, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the upper part of the support base material 801 of the petal operation device 800 and the tip of the second performance member 940 may be connected, so that the second performance member 940 operates based on the displacement of the petal operation device 800. In this case, the slide plate 930 can be omitted.

In the above eighth embodiment, when the board support device 600 arranged on the lower side of the inner frame 12 is in a fixed state, the operation unit back member 155 and the game board 13 are separated above the opening/closing restricting portion 159. However, this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, when the board support device 600 arranged on the lower side of the inner frame 12 is in a fixed state, the operation unit back member 155 and the game board 13 may be configured to abut in the front-rear direction above the opening/closing restricting portion 159. In this case, even if the lower board support device 600 is in a fixed state, if the upper board support device 600 is not in a fixed state, the upper end of the game board 13 is displaced toward the front side (the right side of the game board 13 is tilted toward the front side), and the part of the game board 13 arranged opposite the operation unit back member 155 is also displaced toward the front side, so that the operation unit back member 155 and the game board 13 can interfere with each other. This makes it possible to prevent the front frame 14 from being closed against the inner frame 12.

In this case, when the game board 13 is installed in the inner frame 12 and the board support device 600 arranged on the lower side of the inner frame 12 is fixed, whether the board support device 600 arranged on the upper side of the inner frame 12 is fixed or not is determined based on the relationship between the operation unit back member 155 arranged opposite the lower board support device 600 and the game board 13, and if the board support device 600 arranged on the upper side of the inner frame 12 is not fixed, the front frame 14 can be restricted from closing against the inner frame 12. This allows the function of determining the state of the board support device 600 installed on the upper side of the inner frame 12 to be removed from the multi-function cover member 171, thereby improving the design freedom of the multi-function cover member 171. For example, the multi-function cover member 171 may be configured to be recessed (chamfered) to a position where it does not abut against the board support device 600 regardless of the state of the board support device 600. In this case, the risk of the multi-function cover member 171 being damaged by the collision of the synthetic resin with the metal panel support device 600 can be reduced, so the multi-function cover member 171 can be used for other purposes (for example, as a wiring cover) for a long period of time.

In the above eighth embodiment, the right panel unit 500, in which the light irradiated to the end face of the light-guiding member 540 is emitted from both sides of the light-guiding member 540, is arranged at the right end of the front frame 14 and on the front side, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, it may be arranged inside the center frame 86. In this case, for example, by configuring the right panel unit 500 to be switchable between a state in which one side of the right panel unit 500 is arranged on the front side and a state in which the other side is arranged on the front side (for example, by configuring the right panel unit 500 to rotate around an axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the support plate portion 510), the form of light irradiated to the center frame 86 can be switched. In addition, by switching the correspondence between the form of light irradiated to the center frame 86 and the moving prop that protrudes inward from the center frame 86, the performance can be diversified.

That is, for example, consider switching the right panel unit 500 between a state in which one side is positioned on the front side and a state in which the other side is positioned on the front side among the multiple openings 524. When the surface on the inner cover member 520 side faces the moving props, the moving props positioned opposite the part corresponding to the top opening 524 (the part near the edge) will light up, while when the surface on the outer cover member 560 side faces the moving props, the moving props positioned opposite over a wide area of the opening 565 (a wider area than the top opening 524) will light up. Therefore, the light-emitting part of the moving props can be switched by switching the position of the right panel unit 500 without switching the LEDs 512a to be illuminated.

In this case, for example, the performance effect can be improved by operating the moving prop in accordance with the change in the light-emitting location. For example, the moving prop may be configured to shrink to fit into the location corresponding to the top opening 524 when the surface on the inner cover member 520 side faces the moving prop, and expand (stretch) in the direction along the longitudinal direction of the right panel unit 500 when the surface on the outer cover member 560 side faces the moving prop. This makes it possible to change the location of the light emitted in accordance with the movement of the moving prop by switching the position of the right panel unit 500, without the need to switch the LED 512a that controls the light emission.

In addition, the right panel unit 500 focuses the light emitted from the inner cover member 520 side (higher brightness, greater light quantity, and clearer light emission), and diffuses the light emitted from the outer cover member 560 side (lower brightness, smaller light quantity, and faint light emission). Therefore, by switching the position of the right panel unit 500, the light emission mode of the light-emitting object (liquid crystal or moving object) can be changed.

Furthermore, by changing the right panel unit 500 so that the front end 551a of the outer lens member 550 faces the moving props or liquid crystal (for example, when the right panel unit 500 is positioned in front of the moving props or liquid crystal, the front end 551a of the outer lens member 550 is positioned on the rear side of the support plate portion 510), it is possible to emit light over a wide area in a direction perpendicular to the direction toward the moving props or liquid crystal while irradiating the moving props or liquid crystal with beam-like (narrow) light. This allows only the details of the moving props or liquid crystal to be illuminated, while illuminating a wide area away from the moving props or liquid crystal.

In the above ninth and tenth embodiments, the case where the string Y8 is cut by the sheet metal members 9150, 10150 arranged in the foul ball passages 9145, 10145 has been described, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the sheet metal member may be configured to be weak enough that it partially breaks under the load from the string Y8 and the broken part falls, and a detection sensor may be arranged at a position through which the broken part passes when it falls. In this case, by issuing an alarm and forcibly stopping the shooting of the ball due to the detection of the sheet metal member by the detection sensor, it is possible to detect cheating early and minimize the profits gained by the cheater through cheating (losses suffered by the gaming hall).

In the twelfth embodiment, the inclined surface 2803T is formed as an inclined surface, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, various configurations that improve frictional force may be added. For example, frictional force may be improved by attaching a rubber sheet to the inclined surface 2803T, or spike-shaped hard members (members harder than the material of the slit member 810) may be arranged to bite into the resin slit member 810, thereby improving the operating resistance.

In addition, for example, when the sliding member 2820 is in a position inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the central slit 814, a recess may be formed in the wall of the side slits 815 that are arranged opposite the inclined surface 2803T, allowing the inclined surface 2803T to enter into the recess. In this case, the operating resistance can be improved by the inclined surface 2803T entering into the recess.

In the above sixteenth embodiment, the shape of the recessed portion 2543 formed in each region of the light-guiding member 2540 is changed to change the direction of travel of light to a direction that gathers light or a direction that spreads light, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, upward recessed portions 2543b, 2543e may be formed in all of the regions CCVIb to CCVIe. In this case, the direction of travel of light emitted from both sides of the light-guiding member 2540 is an upwardly inclined direction in all of the regions CCVIb to CCVIe, so that the light can be made to travel easily toward the eye level of people walking by to choose a machine to play. This can improve the customer attraction effect of the pachinko machine 8010.

In addition, for example, a downward concave portion 2543c may be formed in the areas CCVIc and CCVIe that emit light to the inner lens member 530, and an upward concave portion 2543b may be formed in the areas CCVIb and CCVId that emit light to the outer lens member 550. In this case, the light traveling in the direction opposite to the player playing the pachinko 8010 and emitted to the outer lens member 550 is in an upward inclined direction, so that the light can be easily directed toward the eye level of a person walking to select a machine to play, while the light traveling toward the player and emitted to the inner lens member 530 is in a downward inclined direction, so that, for example, the balls stored in the upper tray 17 can be illuminated with light to make the balls look dazzling. Therefore, the interest of the player playing the pachinko machine can be improved while improving the customer attraction effect of the pachinko machine 8010.

In the above seventeenth embodiment, the protruding portion 6413 and the recessed portion 6414 are formed near the center of the left and right sides, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the positions may be changed in accordance with the arrangement of the operating device 10300.

It is also possible to provide both a portion formed in accordance with the arrangement of the operating device 10300 and a portion formed near the center on the left and right. In other words, it is also possible to provide a protruding portion 6413 and a recessed portion 6414 for dealing with the operating load of the operating device 10300, and a protruding portion 6413 and a recessed portion 6414 for dealing with issues with the front frame 10014 alone (ease of holding, durability, etc.).

In the above 17th embodiment, a case was described in which the operating device 10300 configured to be operable by the player is arranged above the protruding portion 6413 and the recessed portion 6414 in an attachable (replaceable) manner, but this is not necessarily limited to this. In other words, anything that can be attached (replaceable) is acceptable. For example, it may be an audio device such as a speaker box that outputs sound, a vibration device that is configured so that it cannot be operated by the player and produces a vibration effect, an illuminated board that produces a light-emitting effect, or an object such as a board box that is not intended to be directly visible to the player.

In the above seventeenth embodiment, the protruding portion 6413 and the recessed portion 6414 are formed in a groove shape extending in the front-rear direction, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the recessed and protruding portions may be triangular or circular when viewed from above. In this case, multiple recessed and protruding portions may be formed, and the size of each recessed and protruding portion may be designed based on the amount of the operating load of the operating device 10300 that is directed or the frequency with which the load is applied.

In addition, multiple grooves may be formed, even if they are the same groove shape. In this case, by forming a large number of grooves while forming the grooves narrow, it is possible to achieve the same effect in terms of reducing the contact area with the operating device 10300 as when a single wide groove is formed. When multiple grooves are formed, each groove does not necessarily need to be aligned in the front-to-rear direction, and may be formed radially when viewed from above, for example.

In the above 17th embodiment, the protruding portion 6413 protrudes downward from the outer shape of the front frame 10014, and can be used as a finger hook when carrying the front frame 10014. However, this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the gap between the lower surface of the plate-shaped support portion 6426 and the recessed portion 6414 may be formed to be longer in the vertical direction than the fingers of a worker carrying the front frame 10014. In this case, it is possible to insert a finger into the gap between the lower surface of the plate-shaped support portion 6426 and the recessed portion 6414 (which can be used as a finger hook), making it easier to carry the front frame 10014.

In the above seventeenth embodiment, the resin member 6427 is disposed below the operating device 10300 to reduce the transmission of the load of the operating device 10300, but this is not necessarily limited to the above. For example, it may be a member that generates an elastic force (coil spring, torsion spring, etc.), or it may be a device for vibration control such as a damper.

In the above 17th embodiment, the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are fastened and fixed to the upper tray 17 and the lower tray unit 6400, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 may be connected to the upper tray 17 and the lower tray unit 6400 via a floating mechanism. In this case, even if the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 have poor flexibility or resilience, it is possible to prevent the load generated in the operating device 10300 from being transmitted to the upper tray 17 and the lower tray unit 6400.

In the above 17th embodiment, the lever member 10340 is rotated around the lever support shaft 10331d1 by the drive motor, but various types of drive motors are exemplified. For example, the load may be transmitted to the lever member 10340 from a rotating gear rotated by the drive motor by a simple gear mechanism, or a mechanism that does not rely on a gear mechanism (e.g., a rotating cam) may be interposed in the transmission path to transmit the load to the lever member 10340, or the load may be transmitted to the lever member 10340 via the movable clutch 343c and the transmission gear 343b, allowing it to spin freely when an overload occurs.

In the above 17th embodiment, the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are fastened and fixed in a direction perpendicular to the plane on which the load is applied during operation of the operating device 10300, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, if an operating part that does not move on that plane is arranged (for example, if there is an operating part that pushes diagonally to the left or right), the fastening direction may be set to a direction (for example, an intermediate angle direction) found as a balance (average) of the operating directions of each operating part, or the fastening direction may be set for operating parts that are frequently instructed to operate (ignoring operating parts that are rarely instructed to operate). This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of loosening of the fastening due to the load during operation.

In the above 17th embodiment, the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 are joined together by fastening, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, they may be joined together using an adhesive, or they may be joined together by fitting together by matching shapes.

In the above 17th embodiment, the case where the direction in which the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 have high rigidity (the vertical direction) is aligned with the vibration direction of the vibration device 10366 has been described, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the vibration direction of the vibration device 10366 may be the horizontal direction. In this case, the shape of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 can be easily changed by the generation of vibration of the vibration device 10366, so that it is possible to perform an effect in which the design around the operation device 10300 is dynamically changed when vibration is generated. In addition, the form of the vibration device 10366 is not limited in any way. For example, it may be a linear type represented by a voice coil motor, or a rotary type represented by a vibrator, or a combination of these.

The left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 may be formed from a transparent resin material instead of an opaque resin. In this case, by configuring the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 to be irradiated with light emitted from a specified irradiation device, it is possible to change the appearance of the light visually recognized through the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 as the shape of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 changes.

In the above 17th embodiment, a case was described in which bending can be easily suppressed regardless of the arrangement of the swing operation member 10310 by forming the left and right muscle parts D24a with different inclinations, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, by making the inclination angles of the left and right muscle parts D24a the same regardless of position, it is possible to increase the difference in the degree of rigidity between the direction in which the rigidity is improved by the left and right muscle parts D24a and the direction in which the rigidity is weakened relative to that direction.

In this case, for example, by forming the left and right muscle parts D24a in the direction along the direction Y17a, it is possible to suppress the bending of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 due to the vibration generated by the vibration device 10366 when the swing operation member 10310 is positioned in the upward position, while at the same time increasing the bending of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 due to the vibration generated by the vibration device 10366 when the swing operation member 10310 is positioned in the downward position. In other words, by changing the position of the swing operation member 10310, it is possible to vary the degree of bending of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 caused by the vibration of the vibration device 10366.

Conversely, the direction in which the left and right muscle parts D24a are formed may be along the direction Y17b. In this case, it is possible to suppress the bending of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 due to the vibration generated by the vibration device 10366 when the swing operation member 10310 is positioned in the downward position, while at the same time increasing the bending of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 due to the vibration generated by the vibration device 10366 when the swing operation member 10310 is positioned in the upward position. In other words, by changing the position of the swing operation member 10310, it is possible to vary the degree of bending of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 caused by the vibration of the vibration device 10366.

In the above 17th embodiment, the left cover member 10323 and the right cover member 10324 can be removed from the inner case member 10330, and the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 can be easily attached. However, this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the left cover member 10323 and the right cover member 10324 may be integrally formed with the inner case member 10330, and the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 may be assembled thereto. In this case, when assembled to the inner case member 10330, the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 can be easily assembled due to the bending of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322, and after the subsequent assembly to the front frame 10014, the bending of the left front cover 10321 and the right front cover 10322 is suppressed, thereby enabling the effect of suppressing displacement due to interference between the protruding interference portion 6805a and the inner edge portion Rm1 to be effective.

In the above 17th embodiment, the plate-shaped protrusion 6453R of the V-shaped design member 6450 abuts against the plate-shaped support member 6426 from above and below, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a fastening portion into which a fastening screw is screwed in the front-rear direction may be formed at the position of the plate-shaped protrusion 6453R, and the fastening screw may be inserted into an insertion hole formed in a plate portion extending above the plate-shaped support member 6426 corresponding to the fastening portion. In this case, the load that is the basis of the displacement can be transmitted to the V-shaped design member 6450 not only when the plate-shaped support member 6426 is displaced upward, but also when it is displaced downward, and the load can be distributed.

In the above 17th embodiment, the V-shaped design member 6450 is described as being formed with a thickness (dimensions with almost no gap) that allows the gap between the main body 6451 and the upper opposing parts 6455b and 6456b to be fitted to the thickness of the inserted covers 10321 and 10322, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the thickness of the inserted covers 10321 and 10322 may be configured to be shorter than the gap (dimensions may be configured to form a gap between the members during assembly). In this case, if the displacement of the covers 10321 and 10322 (displacement of the operating device 10300) is smaller than the gap between the members, it is possible to prevent the covers 10321 and 10322 from coming into contact (collision) with the V-shaped design member 6450, thereby suppressing the generation of powder (dust).

In the above seventeenth embodiment, the flange portion 6582 is formed in a flat plate shape, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the flange portion 6582 may be formed with a hook-shaped cross section that protrudes downward from the front edge, and the opposing plate portion 6561 of the partition member 6560 may be formed with a shape that meshes with this shape, so that they fit together when assembled. In this case, when the partition member 6560 is positioned in the assembled state, it is possible to prevent the partition member 6560 from moving away from the rear support member 6580 toward the front side.

In the above 17th embodiment, a case was described in which both opposing side surfaces of the enlarged hole 6562a are inclined relative to the front-to-rear direction in cross section, but the key point is that the spacing widens toward the front side, and this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, only one of the two side surfaces may be inclined, or both side surfaces may be formed in a curved shape.

In the above 17th embodiment, a case was described in which the lower edge plate portion 6548a and the lower edge of the box-shaped light receiving portion 6546 are easily visible as a continuous area by allowing a player viewing the lower edge plate portion 6548a of the transparent covering member 6548, which is formed from a colorless and transparent resin material, to see the color of the milky white member 6541 and the partition member 6560 arranged behind it, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the lower edge plate portion 6548a may be formed in advance in milky white by forming the transparent covering member 6548 by two-color molding.

In the above 17th embodiment, the plate guide unit 6550 is fastened with a fastening screw whose fastening direction slopes downward as it approaches the front side, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, it may be fastened with a fastening screw whose fastening direction slopes downward as it approaches the rear side. This fastening direction can be set arbitrarily depending on the arrangement space required by the parts to be placed near the fastening position and the side on which it is desired to suppress displacement.

In the above 17th embodiment, a configuration was described in which a compressive force is generated between the partition member 6560 and the rear support member 6580 as the top cover member 6510 is deformed, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the partition member 6560 may be configured in such a manner that its front-to-rear width can be changed, and the degree of compressive force that can be generated as the top cover member 6510 is deformed may be changed.

In other words, if the partition member 6560 is driven to shorten its front-to-rear width in such a manner that the rear edge of the partition member 6560 is displaced toward the front side, a gap can still be generated between the partition member 6560 and the rear support member 6580 even if the top cover member 6510 is deformed, making it difficult for a compressive force to occur. Since the degree to which the illumination board 6570 is held can be reduced by making it difficult for a compressive force to occur, the degree of displacement of the illumination board 6570 can be changed in a situation in which the top cover member 6510 is similarly deformed.

In other words, by controlling the front-to-rear width of the partition member 6560, the behavior of the illuminated board 6570 in a situation where deformation of the top cover member 6510 may occur can be changed, and similarly, the appearance of the light irradiated to the front side of the illuminated board 6570 can be changed.

In addition, the front-to-rear width of the partition member 6560 may be kept short under normal circumstances (leaving a gap between the partition member 6560 and the rear support member 6580), and the front-to-rear width may be expanded by drive control, changing the situation to one in which a compressive force can be generated between the partition member 6560 and the rear support member 6580.

In the above 17th embodiment, the partition member 6560 and the back support member 6580 that sandwich and support the illumination board 6570 are stacked on the front side of the front frame 10014, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the illumination board 6570 may be placed below the back support member 6580, the illumination board 6570 may be fastened and fixed to the partition member 6560 (a member separated from the acoustic device 6610), or the illumination board 6570 may be inserted (fixed) into the light receiving protrusion 6521b of the transparent cylindrical member 6521 that is inserted into the partition member 6560. In any case, the transmission of vibration from the acoustic device 6610 to the illumination board 6570 can be suppressed.

The rear support member 6580 (and the audio device 6610) may be fixed to the outer frame 11 or inner frame 12, which is located on the rear side of the front frame 10014, while the partition member 6560 may be fixed to the front frame 10014. In this case, the rear support member 6580 and the partition member 6560 can be separated by opening the front frame 10014, so that it is easy to replace the illumination board 6570 sandwiched between the rear support member 6580 and the partition member 6560 or to correct any misalignment when the front frame 10014 is closed.

In the above 17th embodiment, a case was described in which the plate portion of the acoustic device 6610 was placed opposite the head of the fastening screw, and a configuration was created in which vibrations were transmitted and abnormal noises were generated when the fastening screw loosened, thereby making it possible to detect the loosening of the fastening screw; however, this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a configuration may be used in which light travels near the head of the fastening screw, and when the fastening screw loosens, the shadow of the fastening screw can be seen from the front side. In this case, the occurrence of loosening of the fastening screw can be detected by checking whether or not there is a shadow, making it easier to detect the occurrence of loosening of the fastening screw in a noisy environment compared to when it is detected by abnormal noise.

In the above 17th embodiment, the fastening direction of the fastening screws is described as being inclined up and down with respect to the front-to-rear direction, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the fastening direction may be inclined left and right with respect to the front-to-rear direction, or there may be a mixture of parts inclined up and down and left and right.

In the above seventeenth embodiment, the long ribs 6734 and the fins 6735 are described as being formed in a shape that extends linearly when viewed from the front, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, they may be formed in a shape that extends in a curved line, or may be formed in a mesh or lattice pattern.

In the above 17th embodiment, the side of the long rib 6734 is made smooth to prevent light from diffusing from the side, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, light-shielding tape may be attached to the side of the long rib 6734 to prevent light leakage from the side. In this case, it is easier to prevent the energy of the light traveling to the fin 6735 from decreasing. Also, light-shielding tape may be attached to the side of the fin 6735. In this case, if the entire side is covered, the light of the front edge can be emphasized, and if part of the side is covered (for example, if a light-shielding tape with polka dot holes is used), the player can see the light as being similar to the shape of the light-shielding tape, improving the presentation effect of the light traveling through the side of the fin 6735.

In the above 17th embodiment, a case was described in which the long rib 6734 is not extended toward the rear side in the horizontal performance device 6700 on the left side of the pachinko machine 10010, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the long rib 6734 may be extended toward the rear side, but may be formed so that it is not connected to the inner extension portion 6732 at the left and right ends. Even in this case, the light intensity near the glass unit 16 can be suppressed.

In the above 17th embodiment, the light traveling in the front-to-back direction through the long rib 6734 is emitted from the front end of the fin 6735, thereby improving the light presentation effect when viewed from the front of the fin 6735. However, this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a shape (notch (cut) or the like) may be formed so that at least a portion of the light traveling through the fin 6735 is emitted from the side of the fin 6735 midway along the front-to-back width of the fin 6735.

For example, as shown in this embodiment, the side of the fin 6735 may be inclined so that the thickness gradually decreases toward the front side, making it easier for light to repeatedly reach the side of the fin 6735 before reaching the front tip of the fin 6735, and therefore easier for light to exit from the side of the fin 6735.

In the above 17th embodiment, a case was described in which the number of fastening positions of the curved plate member 6750 relative to the base member 6710 was reduced, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the curved plate member 6750 may be fixed by fitting or interlocking claws based on the shape relationship. In this case, the fastening screws can be eliminated, and it is possible to prevent the light effect from being reduced by the shadow of the fastening screws.

In the above 18th embodiment, a case was described in which the illuminated board 18830 slides due to the vibration of the operating device 10300, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a speaker box similar to the audio device 6610 may be placed close to the back side of the connecting base member 18810, and the illuminated board 18830 may also be configured to slide due to the vibration of this speaker box. In this case, the vibration direction of the operating device 10300 (direction along direction Y17a) and the vibration direction of the speaker box (roughly the front-to-rear direction) differ, so the displacement mode of the illuminated board 18830 can be made complex.

In addition, by generating sound with a vibration frequency outside the audible range from the speaker, it is possible to execute a silent effect that causes the illuminated board 18830 to slide while the player is unable to hear the sound. At this time, by configuring the vibration of the illuminated board 18830 to be transmitted to the operation device 10300, the player who touches the operation device 10300 can understand the vibration caused by the sound output from the speaker. This makes it possible to increase the player's interest in touching the operation device 10300, for example, by controlling the silent effect to be executed when a change in the situation occurs that is advantageous to the player.

In the above 18th embodiment, the case where the illumination board 18830 is supported so as to be floating (slidable) near the operation device 10300 has been described, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the illumination board 6570 of the upper performance device 6500 may be supported so as to be floating. In this case, it may be supported so as to be floating on a rod member fixed to the front frame 10014 and extending to the front side from the gap between the pair of left and right acoustic devices 6610, or it may be supported so as to be floating on a rod member fixed to the wall of the acoustic device 6610. Furthermore, the sliding direction is not limited to up and down, but may also be left and right or diagonal.

In the above 19th embodiment, the reference line X19 is described as being aligned with the vibration direction Y17a, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, if multiple vibration directions Y17a are set, the reference line X19 may be configured to be aligned with one of the vibration directions Y17a, or the reference line X19 may be configured to be aligned with a direction between the multiple vibration directions Y17a (for example, at an intermediate angle).

The direction of the reference line X19 may be set in consideration of the frequency of vibration and the frequency of operation of the lens member 10317. For example, when the vibration direction Y17a and the operation direction are set in a first direction and multiple directions, and the frequency of vibration and operation in the first direction is extremely high and the frequency of vibration and operation in the other directions is low, the reference line X19 can be set along the first direction to prevent loosening of the fastening screw that fastens the insertion hole 19321a and the fastening portion 19322a.

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.

<Points on how to make the player push in from the back to the front>
A gaming machine A1, characterized in that the operating device has an operating means which is operated by a player by pushing it, the operating device is capable of being configured into a first state under normal circumstances and a second state in which the operating means is positioned in a position which protrudes further from the player than in the first state, the operating means is provided with a biasing means which biases the operating means from the first state towards the second state, and the direction in which the operating means is pushed in the second state is from the back to the front as viewed by the player.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, are configured with an operating means that can be operated by the player that moves back and forth between a first position and a second position (see, for example, JP 2014-144218 A). However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, the performance is performed in a manner that heightens the player's sense of anticipation of a big win at the advanced position, so the player is likely to operate the operating means at the advanced position with high acceleration, and so the operating means needed to be designed with high strength. In this case, there was a problem that the operating means became heavy overall, and the drive means that drives the operating means became larger.

In contrast, with gaming machine A1, when performing a push operation in the second state, the pushing direction of the operating means is from the back to the front as viewed by the player, so the part that cannot be operated with a simple up and down linear movement is made to slip between the player's hand and the operating means, allowing the momentum of the push to be released.

In addition, when a player's playing posture requires pushing and operating the operating means with their shoulders or elbows as the main force, it becomes difficult to apply force toward the player, allowing the player to naturally apply less force to the operating means.

Gaming machine A2 is characterized in that the operating device in gaming machine A1 is rotatable around an axis located at the back side of the player, is configured to be tiltable up and down around the axis, and has a tilting means having the operating means, and the tilting means positions the operating means facing away from the player in the second state.

According to gaming machine A2, the tilting means having the operating means is configured to rotate, and the operating means is positioned facing away from the player in the second state, thereby preventing the player from slamming the operating means when in the second state.

In addition, by placing a hand near the shaft and tilting the hand using that position as a fulcrum, the operating means can be easily pushed in, providing a new method of pushing that is less likely to accelerate, and preventing damage to the operating device due to the player's pushing operation.

Examples of new pressing operation methods include a method in which the outer side of the left little finger is placed near the axis rod, the hand is positioned near the operating means with the palm raised up and down, and the thumb is tilted down toward the operating means, or a method in which the tip of the middle finger is placed near the axis rod, the palm is positioned facing the operating means, and the palm is dropped toward the operating means.

Gaming machine A3 is characterized in that in the first state of gaming machine A1 or A2, the direction of the pushing operation of the operating means is the up and down direction.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines A1 and A2, gaming machine A3 allows the operating means to be pushed in the up and down direction in the first state, ensuring operability in the first state while preventing damage caused by the pushing operation in the second state.

A gaming machine A4 is characterized in that the operating device in the gaming machine A3 is configured so that the operating means can operate automatically, and is equipped with a driving means that generates a driving force for the automatic operation, and the driving force of the driving device acts in the direction in which the player pushes in and does not act in the opposite direction.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A3, gaming machine A4 has the advantage that the driving force of the driving means that automatically operates the operating device acts only in the direction of the pushing operation, preventing the driving force from acting in a direction opposite to the player's operation. This makes it possible to prevent the driving means from being damaged by the player's operation.

For example, by configuring the button so that it can only be pressed down, it is possible to prevent the drive means from being subjected to a high load caused by the player pulling the button in the opposite direction when retracting it.

A gaming machine A5 is provided with a maintaining means that is operated by the drive means and that can form a maintaining state that maintains the operating device in a first state or a second state in the gaming machine A4, the drive means having a rotating means that transmits a driving force to the operating means via an eccentric portion, the rotating means can change phase between a first phase and a second phase different from the first phase while the maintaining means is in the maintaining state, the range in which the operating means can move when the maintaining state is released is changed between the first phase and the second phase, and the maintaining state can be released by the same rotation in both the first phase and the second phase.

According to gaming machine A5, in addition to the effects of gaming machine A4, the phase of the drive means can be changed while the maintenance means is in the maintenance state, and in the changed phase, the rotation means is caused to perform a movement that releases the maintenance state, thereby changing the movement width of the operation device moved by the biasing means. Therefore, multiple operating modes can be configured by the biasing means.

A gaming machine A6 is configured such that the maintaining means in the maintaining state can move in the biasing direction of the biasing means, the moving speed of the maintaining means increases or decreases in response to the rotation speed of the rotating means, and the operating means moves in accordance with the movement of the maintaining means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A5, gaming machine A6 adds a new movement pattern of moving in the direction of the biasing force of the biasing means, which was previously caused only by the biasing force of the biasing means, to the operation means, which was limited to one type of movement pattern. This increases the variety of movement patterns of the operation means, thereby making it possible to increase the attention-grabbing effect of the operation device.

A gaming machine A7 is any one of the gaming machines A1 to A6, and is provided with a light-emitting means disposed inside the operating device and emitting light toward the player, and is characterized in that, compared to the first state, in the second state, the area of the operating means is reduced from the player's viewpoint and the range of light emitted by the light-emitting means is expanded.

Gaming machine A7 has the same effects as any of gaming machines A1 to A6, but is also equipped with a light-emitting means, and compared to the first state, in the second state, from the player's viewpoint, the range of light emitted by the light-emitting means is expanded and the area of the operating means is reduced, so that the player can focus on the light, improving the presentation effect, and the operating means is difficult to press unless aimed, reducing the force required by the player when operating it.

A gaming machine A8 is characterized in that the operating means is made of a non-transparent material in the gaming machine A7, and the area of the exposed portion of the light-emitting means changes when the operating means moves toward or away from the display means between the operating means and the display means.

Gaming machine A8 has the same effect as gaming machine A7, but in addition, the operating means is made of a non-transparent material, and the area of the exposed portion of the light-emitting means changes as the operating means moves closer to or away from the display means. This prevents the emitted light from being reflected on the display means, making it difficult to see the image on the display means.

<Key points for making it possible to respond to repeated hits while keeping the repulsive force small under normal circumstances>
A gaming machine B1 is characterized in that in an operating device having an operating means that allows a player to operate it up to a terminal position, the operating means is capable of forming a first state and a second state which has a wider range of motion for operation up to the terminal position compared to the first state, the gaming machine is equipped with a first driving means which generates a driving force to move the operating means from the second state to the first state, and a biasing means which generates a biasing force to move the operating means from the first state to the second state, and the gaming machine is equipped with a second driving means which generates a driving force to move the operating means from the first state to the second state in response to the operation of the player.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, are configured with an operating means that can be operated by a player that moves back and forth between a first position and a second position (see, for example, JP 2014-144218 A). However, in the above-mentioned conventional gaming machines, the force that returns the operating means to its initial position is generated by a spring, and the operating means is automatically operated by a drive motor. While the drive force of the drive motor can be kept low by lowering the elastic constant of the spring, this causes the operating means to return slowly, and if the player operates it quickly, the operating means does not keep up with the player's operation, making it difficult for the player to perform repeated tapping operations.

According to gaming machine B1, by setting the biasing force to be weak, the driving force of the motor can be reduced when the first drive means is used to move the operating means, while when it is desired to return the operating means to its original position more quickly, the second drive means can be used to push the operating means back, allowing the player to enjoy rapid tapping.

A gaming machine B2 is characterized in that it is provided with a successive stroke determination means for determining whether or not a successive stroke operation is being performed based on the sensor detection value of the stroke operation means within a predetermined time in a gaming machine B1, and determines whether or not to drive the second drive means based on the detection value of the successive stroke determination means.

According to gaming machine B2, whether or not to drive the second drive means is determined based on the detection value of the rapid-fire determination means, so that the second drive means operates even when the player is not performing a rapid-fire operation (for example, performing a single push operation or a long push operation), preventing the player from feeling the pressure of having his or her hand pushed back.

A gaming machine B2, which is provided with an end detection means for detecting the position of the operating means and whether or not the operating means has been placed at the end position, a position difference detection means for detecting whether or not the operating means has been placed at a position that has changed a predetermined amount from the end position, and a movement direction determination means for determining the direction of movement of the operating means from the time relationship between the detection values of the end detection means and the detection values of the position difference detection means, characterized in that the second drive means is driven when the movement direction determined by the movement direction determination means is the direction of returning from the push end to the first state.

In addition to the effect of gaming machine B2, gaming machine B3 drives the second drive means when the direction of movement determined by the movement direction determination means is the direction from the end of the push back to the first state, that is, when the player's hand moves in a direction away from the button, so that a load that pushes back on the operating means can be generated in synchronization with the player's movement.

As a result, the second drive device operates in a direction opposite to the movement of the player's hand, preventing a high load from being placed on the player's hand.

Gaming machine B4 is any one of gaming machines B1 to B3, characterized in that the second drive means is composed of a voice coil motor that vibrates and displaces along a direction connecting the first state and the second state of the operating means.

In addition to the effects of any of gaming machines B1 to B3, gaming machine B4 can effectively utilize the vibration displacement of the voice coil motor to generate a driving force that moves the operating means.

A gaming machine B5, which is any one of the gaming machines B1 to B3, is provided with a support frame that supports the operating means, the second driving means includes a driving motor that rotates an eccentric weight, and a supporting means that elastically supports the driving motor on the supporting frame, the supporting means being configured such that the driving force that moves the operating means from the position of the first state to the position of the second state increases as the operating means approaches the terminal position, and the eccentric weight abuts against the supporting frame when the operating means is disposed at the terminal position, generating a driving force.

Gaming machine B5, in addition to the effects of any of gaming machines B1 to B3, generates the driving force from the second driving means separately as a driving force generated by the support means and a driving force generated by the contact between the eccentric weight and the support frame, making it possible to adjust the driving force applied to the operating means while maintaining the rotation of the drive motor. In this case, there is no need to control the start or stop of the rotation of the drive motor, and this can be done while maintaining the rotation of the drive motor.

Gaming machine B6 is characterized in that, in gaming machine B5, the eccentric weight moves toward the support frame in the direction of movement of the operating means and abuts against the support frame based on the operating means being placed at the end position.

According to gaming machine B6, in addition to the effects of gaming machine B5, the eccentric weight approaches the support frame in the moving direction of the operating means and abuts against the support frame, and the repulsive force generated by this abutment can be used to move the drive motor in the moving direction of the operating means away from the support frame. As a result, the support means supporting the drive motor moves in the direction away from the support frame (direction approaching the operating means), and the drive force pushing back the operating means can be further increased.

<Key points for using VCM as a braking device and vibration production device>
A gaming machine C1 is provided with a detection sensor that detects a position near the end position of an operating means, the detection sensor being composed of a plurality of sensors, and is provided with a measurement means that measures the speed of the operating means from the detection interval of the detection sensor, a threshold determination means that determines whether the measurement value measured by the measurement means is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, and a repulsion means that generates a driving force in the opposite direction to the pushing direction of the operating means, wherein the driving force generated by the repulsion means is greater when the threshold value measured by the threshold determination means is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold, compared to when the threshold value measured by the threshold determination means is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, are configured with an operating means that can be operated by a player and moves back and forth between a first position and a second position (see, for example, JP 2014-144218 A). However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, if emphasis is placed on light operation by the player, the operating resistance is low and there is a risk that the operating means may be damaged by the player's operation, while if the operating means is supported more firmly, the movement of the operating means itself can be slowed down and the possibility of the operating means being damaged can be reduced, but the force required for the player to operate it increases, and there is a problem that operating the operating means is a burden for players with little strength.

In response to this, gaming machine C1 is configured in such a way that the threshold determination means determines whether the speed of the operating means is equal to or greater than a threshold, and if so, the driving force generated by the repulsion means is increased, so that the operating resistance is reduced when the speed of the operating means is equal to or less than the threshold, while the operating means is decelerated only when necessary. Therefore, the repulsion means can improve operability and prevent damage.

In gaming machine C1, the repulsion means includes a voice coil motor that generates a driving force in the opposite direction to the pushing direction of the operating means, and when the threshold value measured by the threshold value determination means is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, control is executed to push the voice coil motor to an extended position, and the voice coil motor is driven in advance before the operating means is placed in a position where it can come into contact with the voice coil motor. Gaming machine C2.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine C1, gaming machine C2 can control the driving of the voice coil motor to decelerate the operating means, and by driving the voice coil motor before the operating means is placed in a position where it can come into contact with the voice coil motor, it is possible to suppress the impact that occurs between the operating means and the voice coil motor.

Gaming machine C3 is characterized in that, in gaming machine C1 or C2, control is performed to increase the current flowing through the voice coil motor after the operating means and the voice coil motor come into contact.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines C1 and C2, gaming machine C3 controls the current flowing through the voice coil motor after the operating means and the voice coil motor come into contact, thereby gradually increasing the degree to which the operating means is braked while preventing a large load from occurring at the moment the operating means and the voice coil motor come into contact, thereby reducing the discomfort felt by the player when operating the operating means.

In gaming machine C1, the repulsion means is arranged so as to be able to come into contact with the operating means, and uses spring elasticity to generate a driving force corresponding to the amount of deformation caused by the movement of the operating means. Gaming machine C4.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine C1, gaming machine C4 has a repulsive means that generates a driving force corresponding to the amount of deformation by spring elasticity, so that even if the movement speed of the operating means is high, the driving force can be generated without time delay.

Gaming machine C5 is characterized in that the repulsion means narrows the movable area of the end of the repulsion means opposite the end that comes into contact with the operating means when the value measured by the threshold determination means is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, compared to when the value measured by the threshold determination means is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold value.

In gaming machine C5, in addition to the effect of gaming machine C4, the movable area of the end of the repulsion means opposite the end that abuts against the operating means is narrowed, so that the elastic force generated by the repulsion means can be increased when the operating speed of the operating means is fast.

<The clutch cuts off the transmission of driving force, preventing damage to the driving means>
A gaming machine D1 having an operating means operated by a player, the operating device comprising: a driving means for generating a driving force to operate the operating means; a transmission means for transmitting the driving force of the driving means to the operating means; and a release means for releasing the transmission of the driving force, the release means releasing the transmission of the driving force when the load generated between the driving means and the operating means via the transmission means reaches or exceeds a predetermined amount.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, are configured with an operating means that can be operated by the player and moves back and forth between a first position and a second position (see, for example, JP 2014-144218 A). However, in the above-mentioned conventional gaming machines, there was a problem in that when the operating means is operated automatically for a performance, if the operating means is operated during this automatic operation, a large load may be placed on the drive system.

In contrast, according to gaming machine D1, the release means is configured to release the transmission of the drive force when the load generated between the drive means and the operating means via the transmission means reaches or exceeds a predetermined amount. Therefore, even if a player operates the operating means while the operating means is operating automatically, the transmission of the load to the drive system is released (disconnected), and the load applied to the drive system can be reduced.

Gaming machine D2 is characterized in that in gaming machine D1, the drive means is capable of driving in a first direction and driving in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and the release means functions to release the drive regardless of whether the drive is in the first direction or the second direction.

If the operating direction of the drive means determines whether or not the transmission of the drive force can be released, there is a risk that a large load will be placed on the drive means if the player operates the operating means to drive the drive means in an operating direction in which the transmission of the drive force cannot be released. This reduces the freedom of presentation when operating the operating means.

When the button is driven between the first and second positions, the locking member that locks the button is moved in the release direction or in the direction opposite to the release direction, depending on whether the drive means rotates forward or backward. In this case, two patterns of button operation can be created (a release pattern and a non-release pattern), but the drive force must be cut off in both cases.

In contrast, gaming machine D2, in addition to the effects of gaming machine D1, can release (disconnect) the transmission of the driving force in both driving directions, regardless of the driving direction of the driving means, thereby improving the freedom of movement in the performance of automatically operating the operating means.

As a method of releasing the transmission, for example, the clutch may move in a direction intersecting with the operating direction of the drive means. The intersecting direction excludes, for example, the circumferential direction when the drive means rotates, and the clutch may move in the direction of the rotation axis or in the radial direction.

A gaming machine D3, which is equipped with a biasing means for biasing the drive means and the transmission means to a state in which the drive force can be transmitted between the drive means and the transmission means in the gaming machine D1 or D2, and which is characterized in that the release means is a protruding portion formed at the contact portion between the drive means and the transmission means, and is equipped with engaging teeth that transmit the drive force when they are in a meshed state, and the engaging teeth are configured with a shape that is inclined with respect to the contact surface such that both sides facing the operating direction of the drive means become tapered as they move away from the contact surface.

According to gaming machine D3, in addition to the effects of gaming machines D1 and D2, the biasing means presses the drive means and the transmission means together, and at the contact surface against which the biasing means presses, the release means transmits the drive force in an engaged state, while both sides facing the operating direction of the drive means are provided with engaging teeth that are inclined in a manner that tapers away from the contact surface, so that the engagement of the engaging teeth allows the transmission means to be separated from the drive means, thereby releasing the transmission of the drive force.

In addition, a biasing force is constantly applied between the drive means and the transmission means by the biasing means, and when the transmission means separates from the drive means, a load is applied by the biasing force in the direction of movement of the drive means via the engaging teeth. This makes it possible to prevent a sudden change in the load applied to the drive means between a state in which the drive force is transmitted and a state in which the transmission is released.

The size of the engaging portion of the engaging teeth becomes smaller in the circumferential direction of the transmission means as the transmission means moves farther away from the drive means. Therefore, when the phase difference between the transmission means and the drive means becomes large, it is possible to prevent the load generated in the circumferential direction of the transmission means from becoming excessive.

In addition, in the released state, resistance periodically returns, rather than disappearing completely when released. This allows the player to start operating the button within a short period of time after releasing the button.

In other words, "as a presentation," when a button is activated, if the player is holding the button, one phase of the button's operation will pass. If the player then lets go of the button midway through, and it starts to move from the end of that phase, the button will be stopped for a longer period of time, and the feeling that "the button is starting to move because the player's load has been relieved" will be lost.

In contrast, with gaming machine D3, the operating means can be started within a short time after the player releases his/her hand and the load is released. This creates the feeling that the player has started moving because the load on the player has been released.

Gaming machine D4 is characterized in that, in any one of gaming machines D1 to D3, the engagement surfaces of the transmission means and the release means are formed from a sawtooth shape that engages with each other.

Gaming machine D4, in addition to the effects of any of gaming machines D1 to D3, can facilitate the release means to quickly return to the engagement position with the transmission means when the load from the player is released. In other words, if there is a plane at the tip of the engagement surface that is parallel to the direction in which the transmission means and the release means move toward and away from each other, it is possible to prevent the transmission means and the release means from colliding with each other at that plane, thereby preventing the release means from stopping its movement along the direction in which it moves toward and away from the transmission means. This allows the operation means to start operating quickly after the load from the player is released.

Gaming machine D5 is characterized in that, in any one of gaming machines D1 to D4, the operating mode of the operating means differs when the driving means is operated continuously in the forward direction from when the driving means is operated continuously in the reverse direction.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines D1 to D4, gaming machine D5 provides multiple operating modes for the operating means, and allows the drive force transmission to be released without being limited to any one of the operating modes.

A gaming machine D6 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine D5, when the driving means operates in a forward direction or a reverse direction, the operating mode of the operating means is the same for a predetermined period from the start of the operation of the driving means, but the operation after the predetermined period has elapsed is different.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine D5, gaming machine D6 can improve the player's attention to the operating means, because when the operating mode of the operating means is different from the operating direction of the drive means, the operating mode is the same for a predetermined period from the start of operation of the drive means, but the operation after the predetermined period has elapsed is different.

Here, by linking the difference in the operation mode of the operating means with information that is beneficial to the player, such as the probability of winning a jackpot, the player can be made to watch the operation of the operating means for a specified period of time until the operation mode of the operating means changes.

In addition, since this difference in operating mode occurs due to differences in the operating direction of the drive means, if the operating direction of the drive means can be confirmed in advance, the player can grasp the difference in the likelihood of winning a jackpot, etc., without watching the operation of the operating means. However, since the drive means is usually hidden from the player, and the difference in operating direction cannot be recognized from vibration sounds, etc., it is not possible to confirm the operating direction of the drive means in advance, and the player can be made to watch the operation of the operating means.

<The position of the cam protrusion is changed based on the rotation of the cam>
A gaming machine E1 having an operating means operated by a player, the operating device comprising: driving means for generating a driving force for operating the operating means; transmission means for transmitting the driving force of the driving means to the operating means; first means for suppressing a change in position of the operating means from the first position, configured in a manner that the operating means operates between a first position and a second position different from the first position; biasing means for biasing the operating means in a direction from the first position toward the second position; and terminal means for making a movement end of the operating means that moves from the first position toward the second position by the biasing force of the biasing means variable; the first means suppresses the change in position of the operating means by engaging with the operating means, and comprises a release load means for applying a load to the first means to release the engagement of the first means with the operating means, and the release of the engagement by the release load means and the change in the movement end of the operating means at the terminal means are performed by a single driving means.

In gaming machines such as pachinko machines, there are gaming machines in which a movable operating means operated by a cam is fixed in a first position, and the fixing is released by a release load means, causing the operating means to extend by the biasing force of a biasing means, and the displacement amount of the extension movement can be changed by a termination means (see, for example, JP 2014-144218 A). However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, the displacement amount of the extension movement of the operating means is changed depending on the phase of the cam when the fixing is released, and therefore the phase of the cam when the fixing is released is changed in various ways, so the cam that moves the operating means and the release load means that releases the fixing are operated by different driving forces. Therefore, multiple driving means are required, which poses the problem of a large space required for arranging the driving means.

In contrast, in gaming machine E1, the release load means that releases the fixation of the operating means is driven by the drive means that drives the operating means. This allows the drive means that changes the terminal position of the operating means by the terminal means to be used as a single drive means, and the drive means that moves the release load means, making it possible to reduce the number of drive means.

A gaming machine E2 is characterized in that in the gaming machine E1, the change in position of the release load means is performed based on the operation of the transmission means.

In addition to the effect of gaming machine E1, gaming machine E2 can change the position of the release load means based on the operation of the transmission means, so the state of the release load means can be determined by detecting the amount of operation of the transmission means. This makes it possible to reduce the number of detection means, such as position sensors, that detect the state of the release load means, and therefore the number of parts.

Examples of methods for switching the state of the release load means include, in a case where the transmission means is composed of a cam and the release load means is composed of a protrusion that rotates coaxially with the cam, a method of shifting the rotational periods of the cam and the protrusion, and a method of desynchronizing the rotation of the cam and the rotation of the protrusion when the cam is positioned at a specified phase and synchronizing the rotation of the cam and the rotation of the protrusion at other phases.

In gaming machine E2, the release load means is arranged to be operable relative to the transmission means by the load applied from the first means, and the operation of the release load means switches whether the release load means and the transmission means operate synchronously or not. Gaming machine E3.

In gaming machine E3, in addition to the effects of gaming machine E2, a release load means is arranged so that it can operate relative to the transmission means when a load is applied from the first means, and the operation of the release load means switches whether the release load means and the transmission means operate synchronously or not, so that the synchronization state between the release load means and the transmission means can be changed without adding any components.

In the gaming machine E2, the transmission means includes a rotating first rotating member, the operation means is supported eccentrically with respect to the rotation axis of the first rotating member, and the release load means includes a rotating second rotating member, and the first rotating member and the second rotating member have different rotation periods. Gaming machine E4.

In gaming machine E4, in addition to the effects of gaming machine E2, the first rotating member and the second rotating member are operated by a single driving means, but have different rotation periods, so that it is possible to provide multiple types of phases for the first rotating member when the first means is released by the second rotating means coming into contact with the first means at a predetermined phase.

With this configuration, when the operation means is maintained in the first position, the action of the first means is released and the operation means moves toward the second position, and multiple types of terminal positions can be prepared, thereby expanding the range of effects. For example, a similar configuration can be used to realize an effect in which the terminal position gradually moves away from the first position, or gradually moves closer to the first position.

<Vibration device supported by a soft case>
A gaming machine F1 is provided with an operating device having an operating means operated by a player, the operating means being configured so that the operating means can move between a first position and a second position reached by the player operating the operating means from the first position, a vibration means having a vibrating vibration unit, and a receiving means arranged so that it can come into contact with the vibration unit, wherein when the operating means is arranged at the first position, the vibration unit is in a separated state so that it cannot come into contact with the receiving means, and when the operating means is arranged at the second position, the vibration unit is in an abutting state so that it can come into contact with the receiving means.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, are equipped with an operating means that can be operated by a player, and a vibration means that transmits vibrations to the player via the operating means or the frame of the gaming machine (see, for example, JP 2014-144218 A). However, in the above-mentioned conventional gaming machines, when the vibration means vibrates, regardless of whether the operating means is being operated or not, the vibration is transmitted to the operating means or the frame of the gaming machine, and is transmitted to the player who touches the operating means or the frame of the gaming machine. Therefore, when performing an effect in which vibration is transmitted immediately after the operating means is operated, it is necessary to operate the vibration means after detecting the operation of the operating means. Therefore, after the player operates the operating means, it is necessary to operate the vibration means before releasing the operating means. Depending on the manner of operation by the player (for example, the manner of operation in which the operating means is released at the moment it is pressed in), the start of vibration may not be in time before the player releases the hand, and there is a problem that the player may not notice the vibration.

In contrast, with gaming machine F1, whether the vibration unit abuts against the receiving means changes depending on whether the operating means is placed in the first position or is operated by the player to place it in the second position, so even when the vibration unit is vibrated continuously, the player can only feel the vibration when the player operates the operating means. Also, because the vibration of the vibration unit occurs before the player presses it, the vibration unit can be vibrated before the player releases his or her hand, regardless of the manner in which the player operates it, and the vibration can be transmitted to the player.

In the gaming machine F1, the vibration means is arranged to protrude into the occupied area that the operating means occupies when the operating means is arranged at the second position in the separated state, and when the operating means moves to the second position, the vibration means is moved out of the occupied area, thereby changing to the abutting state. Gaming machine F2.

According to gaming machine F2, in addition to the effect of gaming machine F1, the vibration means moves based on the movement of the operating means, changing from a separated state to a contact state, so that the contact strength between the operating means or receiving means and the vibration section can be changed depending on the degree of movement of the operating means, and the strength of the transmitted vibration can also be changed. Therefore, an effect in which the strength of the transmitted vibration changes in response to the strength of the player's operation can be achieved by vibrating the vibration means in the same way, without any particular change in the drive mode.

A gaming machine F3 is a gaming machine F1 or F2, characterized in that the vibration means is supported by the receiving means via a support means having spring elasticity.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines F1 and F2, gaming machine F3 can position the receiving means while suppressing the transmission of vibrations from the vibration means to the receiving means by the support means. This allows the receiving means and the vibration means to be separated, preventing the transmission of vibrations and suppressing the displacement that occurs in the vibration means when it vibrates.

A gaming machine F4 is characterized in that in the abutting state of the gaming machine F3, the support means expands and contracts based on the vibration of the vibration part.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine F3, gaming machine F4 can use the elasticity of the support means to increase the load generated when the vibration part and the receiving means come into contact. In other words, the expansion and contraction of the support means can provide momentum to the vibration part as it moves in the direction approaching the receiving means.

A gaming machine F5, in which the support means in the gaming machine F3 is characterized in that the deformation resistance along the motion direction of the operating means is lower than the deformation resistance in a direction perpendicular to the motion direction of the operating means.

In addition to the effect of gaming machine F3, gaming machine F5 allows the direction in which the support means deforms to be finely set when the operating means is operated and interferes with the support means, depending on the difference in deformation resistance of the support means.

As a result, even if the difference in the amount of movement of the operating means is small, the amount of expansion and contraction of the support means can be made different, and the load generated between the vibration part and the receiving means can be made different.

Examples of methods for varying the deformation resistance include extending rubber legs along the direction of movement of the operating means when the support means is made of a rubber member surrounding the vibration means, manufacturing the rubber member by two-color molding to vary the deformation resistance for each direction when the support means is made of a rubber member surrounding the vibration means, and configuring the support means from a rail that guides the operating means to move in a direction along the movement direction and a coil spring that biases the vibration means along the movement direction of the operating means.

A gaming machine F6 is characterized in that the part that the vibration unit contacts in the gaming machine F3 is the receiving means, and the receiving means is configured as a means separate from the operating means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine F3, gaming machine F6 transmits vibrations to the player not through the operating means, but through a receiving means that is separate from the operating means, so that the vibrations of the vibration means are prevented from being transmitted to the drive means through the operating means and the transmission means, and therefore the drive means is prevented from being placed under load. This improves the durability of the drive means.

In addition, it is possible to prevent vibrations from being transmitted to the hands of the player operating the operating means, which can prevent the player from being startled by the vibrations and stopping the operation.

Examples of receiving means include parts of the frame of the gaming machine near the upper tray where game balls are supplied, the edges of the glass frame, and other parts that a player may touch unconsciously while playing, as well as storage parts that partially surround the operating means.

<One-touch attachment of cam and shaft. Shape can be deformed (elastically deformed) at the attachment part>
A gaming machine G1 has an operating means operated by a player, the operating means being configured to be movable between a first position and a second position different from the first position, the operating device comprising: a driving means for generating a driving force to drive the operating means; and a transmission means for transmitting the driving force of the driving means to the operating means, the transmission means comprising a deformation section that elastically deforms when overloaded.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, are equipped with an operating means that can be operated by a player, a driving means that generates a driving force to drive the operating means, and a transmission means that transmits the driving force from the driving means to the operating means (see, for example, JP 2014-144218 A). However, in the above-mentioned conventional gaming machines, when the operating means is held and fixed by a player, when the driving means generates a driving force to drive the operating means, a load accumulates in the connection between the transmission means and the operating means and in the connection between the transmission means and the driving means, which creates the problem that these connections may be damaged.

In response to this, with the gaming machine G1, when an overload is applied to the operating device, the deformation portion of the transmission means elastically deforms, thereby reducing the load on the connection between the operating means and the transmission means and the connection between the drive means and the transmission means.

A gaming machine G2, in which the transmission means comprises a rotatably supported cam member in the gaming machine G1, the deformation portion constitutes a connection portion with the rotation shaft of the cam member, and a fixing force to the rotation shaft is generated by the elasticity of the deformation portion.

According to the gaming machine G2, the deformation part has the role of a part that is responsible for the elastic deformation of the cam member relative to the rotation shaft of the transmission means, and the role of a part that generates the support force of the cam member relative to the rotation shaft. Therefore, by combining the functions, it is possible to simplify the structure of the transmission member. For example, it is possible to omit a separate fixing member such as an e-ring.

A gaming machine G3 is characterized in that the cam member in the gaming machine G2 has a protruding portion that is protruding parallel to the rotation axis, the protruding portion is connected to the operating means, and the elastic deformation of the deformation portion is such that the rotation axis tilts relative to the cam member.

Here, the elastic deformation of the transmission means can be achieved, for example, by displacing the protruding portion along the circumferential direction of the cam member. In this case, however, it becomes difficult to configure the cam member and the protruding portion as a single member, and there is a risk that the number of parts will increase.

In contrast, with gaming machine G3, in addition to the effects of gaming machine G2, the elastic deformation of the deformation portion is such that the rotation axis tilts relative to the cam member, so the cam member can be easily constructed from a single component, and the components can be simplified, compared to when the protruding portion is slid relative to the cam member.

A gaming machine G4, characterized in that the resistance to elastic deformation of the deformation portion in the second rotation direction, in which the cam member is rotated around a straight line perpendicular to both the straight line connecting the rotation shaft and the protruding portion and the extension direction of the rotation shaft, is greater than the resistance to elastic deformation of the deformation portion in the first rotation direction, in which the cam member is rotated around a straight line connecting the rotation shaft and the protruding portion.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine G3, gaming machine G4 makes it possible to vary the deformation resistance of the deformation portion for each direction, so that when viewed in the direction of the rotation axis, the state after the deformation portion is elastically deformed can displace the protruding tip of the protruding portion in a direction along the circumferential direction of the cam member, compared to the state before the deformation portion is elastically deformed. This allows the protruding portion of the cam member to be displaced in the direction in which the protruding portion is about to move, and the elastic deformation of the deformation portion can alleviate the load generated between the protruding portion and the operating means.

A gaming machine G5 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine G3 or G4, it is provided with a friction member that is arranged at a predetermined distance along a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the cam member, and the deformation portion elastically deforms, causing the cam member to change position and come into contact with the friction member.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines G3 and G4, gaming machine G5 has the following advantages: when an overload is applied to the operating means, the deformation portion elastically deforms, causing the cam member to change position and come into contact with the friction member, thereby increasing the operating resistance of the cam member itself, thereby reducing the load on the connection between the cam member and the operating means.

A gaming machine G6 is any one of the gaming machines G3 to G5, and is characterized by having a detection means for detecting the inclination displacement of at least a portion of the cam member relative to the axis.

Here, in a situation where an overload is applied to the operating device and the operating means is not operating even though the driving means is operating, if the occurrence of an overload is detected based on, for example, the deviation between the displacement predicted by driving the driving means and the actual displacement of the operating means, it is necessary to drive the driving means for a predetermined period of time before the occurrence of the overload is detected. This period can be shortened the smaller the arrangement interval of the detection means that detects the deviation in displacement, but the smaller the arrangement interval of the detection means, the more complex and expensive the configuration of the detection means becomes. Therefore, there was a problem in that it was difficult to configure the occurrence of an overload at low cost and at an early stage.

In contrast, gaming machine G6 has the same effect as any of gaming machines G3 to G5, and in addition, the detection means detects whether or not at least a portion of the cam member has been tilted relative to the axis, making it possible to determine that an overload has occurred as soon as the detection means detects at least a portion of the cam member, without the need to drive the drive means for a predetermined period of time, while minimizing the number of additional detection means. This makes it possible to reduce the load applied to the drive means when an overload occurs.

＜Structure to prevent balls from rattling. Gaming machine H＞
This game machine H1 is provided with a foul ball passage through which foul balls that flow back down toward the launching device among game balls launched into a game area can pass, and is characterized in that the foul ball passage is provided with a one-way obstruction means that allows the game balls flowing down to pass through and obstructs the progress of objects flowing backward.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, have a thread cutting blade installed inside the guide path that guides the gaming ball from the upper tray to the launching device, and are equipped with a function to prevent fraudulent acts (cutting the thread) performed by shooting a gaming ball connected to a thread into the playing area (see, for example, JP 2015-024179 A). However, in the above-mentioned conventional gaming machines, the thread is pressed against the thread cutting blade when the ball is launched, and the thread is cut by the tension generated at that time. However, if the strength of the launched ball is weak, the thread cannot be completely cut and the gaming ball may be returned to the player as a foul ball. For example, a cheating device can be prepared with game balls attached to both ends of a string, and one game ball attached to one end of the string can be launched with a weak launch strength to send it down the foul ball passage, and while holding the one game ball that has been returned to the player, the other game ball attached to the other end of the string can be shot into the play area. This removes the string from the guide path, and creates a state in which one game ball and the other game ball are connected by the string through the foul ball passage, which creates the problem that it may be possible to apply an external load to the string connected to the other game ball, thereby manipulating the other game ball placed in the play area and obtaining an illegal advantage.

In response to this, with the gaming machine H1, even if a fraudulent act is committed by using a thread guided into the gaming area through the foul ball passage to put a load on the other gaming ball, the one-way obstruction means obstructs the movement of the thread in the opposite direction of the gaming ball, making it difficult to generate an illegal advantage.

Gaming machine H2 is characterized in that the foul ball passage in gaming machine H1 has a bending section that bends the flow path of the gaming ball.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine H1, gaming machine H2 can rub the thread guided along the path of the gaming ball against the bent portion, allowing the thread to be cut early.

Gaming machine H3 is characterized in that the bending section of gaming machine H2 is provided with a load means on the inner corner side of the bend that does not apply a load to the gaming ball flowing down, but applies a load to the object flowing backward.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine H2, gaming machine H3 can apply a load to the backflowing object (e.g., a thread-like member) by using a load means.

Gaming machine H4 is characterized in that the load means in gaming machine H3 is disposed in a recessed portion that is recessed with a width less than the diameter of the gaming ball.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine H3, gaming machine H4 prevents gaming balls from entering the recesses of the recessed portions, thereby preventing collisions between the load means and gaming balls and preventing damage to the load means.

Gaming machine H5 is characterized in that it is equipped with a restricting means for restricting the movement of the load means outward from the foul ball passage in gaming machine H3 or H4.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines H3 and H4, gaming machine H5 uses a restricting means to restrict the movement of the load means outward from the foul ball passage, so that when a load is generated between the thread-like member and the load means, the load means deforms outward from the foul ball passage, preventing the load applied to the member on the thread from weakening.

Among any of the gaming machines H1 to H5, gaming machine H6 is characterized in that it has a receiving tray that is the tray where the foul ball first arrives at the front side of the front door, and the payout ball discharge section that discharges the gaming balls paid out from the payout device to the receiving tray is located above the discharge side exit of the foul ball passage.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines H1 to H5, gaming machine H6 is configured so that the gaming ball dispensed from the dispensing device passes just before the discharge side exit of the foul ball passage, so that if a fraudulent act is committed in which a string guided through the foul ball passage into the playing area is used to apply a load to another gaming ball, the dispensed gaming ball can be intentionally hit to apply a load and reduce the durability of the string.

Among any of the gaming machines H1 to H6, gaming machine H7 is characterized in that the lower end of the payout ball discharge section, which is the part that discharges gaming balls paid out from the payout device to a receiving tray, which is the tray that the foul ball first reaches on the front side of the front door, is lower than the lower end of the discharge side outlet of the foul ball passage.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines H1 to H6, gaming machine H7 can make it easier for the paid-out gaming balls to damage the thread when a fraudulent act is committed in which a thread guided through the foul ball passage into the gaming area is used to put a load on another gaming ball.

<Structure of the board holder. Gaming machine I>
A gaming machine I1 comprising: a gaming means used during play; and a receiving means that is open on one side facing the gaming means and can receive the gaming means from that side, the receiving means comprising a state change means that can change the gaming means from an unusable state in which the gaming means cannot be used to a usable state in which the gaming means can be used, the state change means comprising an approach means that approaches the gaming means from the one side when the gaming means is put into the usable state.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, are equipped with a fixing means that can rotate in a direction parallel to the front surface of the game board and changes state between a fixed state in which the game board is fixed to the inner frame and a released state in which the game board can be removed from the inner frame (see, for example, JP 2005-230420 A). However, in the above-mentioned conventional gaming machines, the fixing means is configured to change state only after the game board has been pushed into the play position, so if the game board is only partially pushed in, it becomes necessary to repeat the task of pushing it in again, which poses a risk of reducing work efficiency.

In contrast, according to gaming machine I1, the state change means is provided with an approach means that approaches the gaming means from the receiving side (one side) when the gaming means is put into a usable state. Therefore, even if the gaming board is only partially pushed in, the approach means comes into contact with the gaming board and applies a pushing force, thereby providing the effect of pushing the gaming board into a usable state position.

Gaming machine I2 is characterized in that in gaming machine I1, the state change means displaces the gaming means to one side when the state change is made to an unusable state in which the gaming means is unusable.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine I1, gaming machine I2 has the effect of improving the efficiency of the work of removing the gaming means, since the gaming means is displaced to the receiving side (one side) when the gaming means is changed to an unusable state.

Gaming machine I3 is characterized in that, in gaming machine I1 or I2, the state change means changes the gaming means to an unusable state, making the gaming means unusable, and the approach means retreats to the outside of the gaming means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines I1 and I2, gaming machine I3 improves the work efficiency of removing the gaming means because the approaching means retracts to the outside of the gaming means, and because this is done in conjunction with making the gaming means unusable, the work efficiency can be further improved.

Gaming machine I4 is any one of gaming machines I1 to I3, in which the state change means is equipped with a contact means that receives a load from the gaming means when the state changes to a usable state.

According to gaming machine I4, the state-changing means changes to a usable state when the contact means receives a load from the gaming means, so that the state-changing means can change to a usable state in a series of steps by pressing the gaming means against the state-changing means.

Gaming machine I5 is characterized in that in gaming machine I4, the gaming means is supported on one side of the receiving means by an axis and is configured to be received by the receiving means by bringing the other side close to it, and the state change means is disposed on the other side of the receiving means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine I4, gaming machine I5 can utilize the width of the gaming means to efficiently apply a load to the contact means via the gaming means.

Gaming machine I6 is any one of gaming machines I1 to I5, and is provided with a blocking means for blocking the opening on one side of the receiving means, and the blocking means is provided with a blocking regulation part that makes the opening on one side of the gaming means unblockable when the state change means maintains the unusable state in which the gaming means is unusable.

According to gaming machine I6, in addition to the effect of any of gaming machines I1 to I5, the state change means can determine whether or not the gaming means is in a usable state depending on whether or not the blocking means can block one opening of the gaming means. This makes it possible to prevent the occurrence of a situation in which the blocking means blocks one opening of the gaming means even when the gaming means remains in an unusable state.

<The reverse cup and harness band prevent the piano wire from being knocked around. Gaming Machine J>
A gaming machine J1 comprising: a gaming means used during play; and a receiving means that is open on one side facing the gaming means and can receive the gaming means from that side, the receiving means comprising a positioning means that is disposed in a path that connects the gaming means to the outside, the positioning means being configured to be able to prevent the entry of objects from the outside at multiple locations.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, are equipped with a fraud prevention unit to prevent fraudulent acts such as inserting piano wire into the rotating shaft side of the front frame (see, for example, JP 2016-26573 A). However, the above-mentioned conventional gaming machines have a problem in that the fraud prevention unit is located in only one place, which is insufficient to prevent fraud.

In response to this, in gaming machine J1, a placement means is provided in a path where there is a risk of the piano wire being inserted, and the placement means is configured to be able to prevent the piano wire from entering at multiple locations, thereby improving the effectiveness of fraud prevention.

In the gaming machine J1, the placement means is characterized in that the first means for preventing the entry of external members at a first location and the second means for preventing the entry of external members at a second location prevent the entry of external members in different ways. Gaming machine J2.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine J1, gaming machine J2 has different methods for preventing the entry of external components at the first location and the second location of the placement means, so that the entry of external components can be further prevented compared to simply increasing the number of placement means.

The method of preventing intrusion from outside is not limited in any way. For example, it may be possible to prevent intrusion by blocking the route, or to prevent fraudulent activity by detecting heat and sounding an alarm.

Gaming machine J3 is characterized in that the placement means in gaming machine J1 or J2 is equipped with an intrusion prevention section formed from a cup shape that opens outward from the receiving means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines J1 and J2, gaming machine J3 has an intrusion prevention section formed in a cup shape, which can prevent the intruding member from intruding further.

Gaming machine J4 is characterized in that the placement means in gaming machine J3 includes a support means for supporting electrical wiring, and the support means is placed downstream of the entry restriction section on the path from the outside to the gaming means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine J3, gaming machine J4 can more easily suppress the entry of external components by detecting changes in the wiring caused by high heat (such as a broken wire caused by heat) when fraud occurs in which high heat penetrates the entry restriction section.

Gaming machine J5 is characterized in that, in any of gaming machines J1 to J4, the placement means is equipped with a resolution means that guides a member that has entered from the outside to a resolution area far from the gaming means.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines J1 to J4, gaming machine J5 has a placement means that guides an externally invading member to a resolution area far from the gaming means, so that even if the degree of intrusion of the externally invading member increases, the externally invading member can be prevented from reaching the gaming means.

<The structure of the five-piece decorative plate. It also prevents fraud. Gaming machine K>
Gaming machine K1 comprises a first means and a second means arranged opposite each other along a first direction and having at least one side connected, and a third means disposed between the first means and the second means along the first direction, characterized in that the gaming machine K1 further comprises a connecting portion connecting the first means and the second means, and the connecting direction of the connecting portion is set to a second direction intersecting the first direction.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, are equipped with first and second means that are arranged opposite each other and connected on at least one side, and third means that is disposed between the first and second means along a first direction (see, for example, JP 2016-26573 A). However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, the components are connected by existing methods such as gluing or screwing, and when the first and second means are connected, a load is applied to the third means along the first direction, which can cause damage to the third means, which is a problem.

In contrast, with the gaming machine K1, the connection direction of the connection part that connects the first means and the second means is set to a second direction that intersects with the first direction, so the load applied to the third means from the first direction can be reduced. This makes it possible to prevent the third means from being damaged.

Gaming machine K2 is characterized in that, in gaming machine K1, the connecting portion is positioned away from the third means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine K1, gaming machine K2 can prevent a load from being applied to the third means from the connecting portion.

A gaming machine K3 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine K1 or K2, it has a connecting means that is connected and fixed to the other sides of the first means and the second means, and the one side of the first means and the second means is connected by displacing the second means relative to the first means in a third direction approaching the connecting means and fitting them together.

Gaming machine K3 has the same effects as gaming machine K1 or K2, but also includes a connecting means that connects to the other sides of the first means and the second means, and one side of the first means and the second means is connected and fixed by engagement caused by displacing the second means relative to the first means in a third direction approaching the connecting means, thereby improving resistance to disassembly of the first means and the second means in a direction intersecting the third direction.

Gaming machine K4 is characterized in that, in gaming machine K3, one side of the first means and the second means are arranged so as to be exposed to the outside.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine K3, gaming machine K4 has one side of the first means and one side of the second means exposed to the outside, making it easy to check the state of the mating parts. This makes it possible to quickly uncover any fraudulent acts that destroy the mating parts and disassemble the first means and second means.

Gaming machine K5 is characterized in that, in gaming machine K3 or K4, the first means and the second means are fastened and fixed to the connected means, and the direction of the fastening and fixing is the same as the third direction.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine K3 or K4, gaming machine K5 has the advantage that the fastening direction between the first and second means and the connected means is set to the same direction as the third direction, so that the tightening strength of the fastening can reinforce the fitting strength.

A gaming machine K6 is characterized in that it is equipped with a light emitting means that emits light toward the first means or the second means and is fixed to the connected means, and a light guiding means that is fixed to one of the members of the first means or the second means and is configured to be able to introduce the light emitted by the light emitting means into the inside of the gaming machine.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines K3 to K5, gaming machine K6 can prevent misalignment between the first and second means and the light guide means.

Gaming machine K7 is characterized in that, in gaming machine K6, it is provided with an abutment means that abuts the face of the other member of the first means or the second means in an area facing the light guiding means.

Gaming machine K7, in addition to the effects of gaming machine K6, can maintain a gap of the dimension of the abutment means in the opposing area between the other member of the first means or second means and the light guiding means. This makes it possible to prevent the gap between the other member of the first means or second means and the light guiding means from changing when the first means or second means is displaced by a load in the opposing direction.

This makes it possible to prevent the positional relationship between the first means, the second means, and the light-guiding means from changing even if the first means or the second means is subjected to a load in the opposing direction when an attempt is made to illegally disassemble the first means or the second means.

<Point L that utilizes curved light guiding means. Point not yet achieved>
Gaming machine L1 comprises a light-guiding means that is formed in a curved wave shape when viewed in the direction of irradiation of light passing through the inside, and a projection means that is arranged opposite the light-guiding means and onto which the light that has passed through the light-guiding means is projected, wherein the projection means comprises a concave surface opposing portion that is arranged opposite the concave surface portion of the light-guiding means, and a convex surface opposing portion that is arranged opposite the convex surface portion of the light-guiding means.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, are equipped with a light guide plate that uniformly emits light entering from an end face (see, for example, JP 2016-26573 A). However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, the light guide plate is formed as a flat plate, and so there is a problem in that in order to partially change the intensity of the light emitted from the surface, it is necessary to change the intensity of the incident light.

In contrast, with gaming machine L1, the projection means has a concave facing portion and a convex facing portion, so even if the intensity of the light incident on the light-guiding means is constant, the light emission intensity of the projection means can be changed between the concave facing portion and the convex facing portion.

Gaming machine L2 is characterized in that the projection means in gaming machine L1 has the concave surface facing portion made of a light-transmitting material, and the convex surface facing portion made of a material that is less light-transmitting than the concave surface facing portion.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine L1, gaming machine L2 can improve the effects of the light presentation at the concave surface facing portion where the light emitted from the light guide means is focused by intentionally weakening the intensity of the light passing through the convex surface facing portion.

Gaming machine L3 is characterized in that the gaming machine L2 is provided with a counter projection means that is disposed on the opposite side of the light guiding means from the projected means and projects light that has passed through the light guiding means, and that the counter projection means has a portion that faces the concave portion of the light guiding means and a portion that faces the convex portion of the light guiding means that are made of a material with approximately the same light transmittance.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine L2, gaming machine L3 has the advantage that the portion of the counter projection means that faces the concave portion of the light guiding means and the portion that faces the convex portion of the light guiding means are made of materials with approximately the same light transmittance, so that by making the same light incident on the light guiding means, the presentation of the light seen through the projected means and the presentation of the light seen through the counter projection means can be made to differ.

<Bass reflex speaker layout. M gaming machine>
A gaming machine M1 comprising first and second means arranged opposite each other and fixed to each other to form an internal space in a fixed state, an acoustic means disposed with at least a portion thereof inserted into the internal space, and a bending means for forming a bending path in the internal space.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, have speakers located on both the left and right ends of the front frame, and produce effects using the sound output from the speakers (see, for example, JP 2016-16088 A). In such gaming machines, vibration waves traveling to the rear side of the speaker body are made to travel to the center position on the left and right of the gaming machine, and then sent out to the outside of the gaming machine, making it easy to produce effects that produce low-pitched sounds; however, there is a problem in that the path length of the vibration waves is determined by the left and right width of the gaming machine.

In contrast, with gaming machine M1, a bending path is formed in the internal space of the first means and the second means by the bending means, so that by forming a path longer than the length of one side, the restrictions on the left and right width of the gaming machine can be lifted and the vibration wave can travel any distance.

A gaming machine M2, characterized in that in the gaming machine M1, the first means and the second means are fastened and fixed in a manner in which a load is applied in opposing directions, and the bending means has a protruding portion that protrudes in a rib shape from at least one of the first means or the second means toward the other, and the protruding tip of the protruding portion abuts against the other of the first means or the second means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine M1, gaming machine M2 prevents gaps from occurring between the protruding portion and the other of the first means or the second means when the protruding tip of the protruding portion abuts against the other of the first means or the second means in the direction in which a fastening force is applied to the first means and the second means. This makes it possible to prevent fluids such as vibration waves from passing through gaps in the curved path.

A gaming machine M3 is characterized in that it is provided with an opening that connects the internal space to the outside in the gaming machine M1 or M2, and the opening is closed by a passing member that connects the internal space to the outside through the opening and is connected to the acoustic means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines M1 and M2, gaming machine M3 has an opening that is blocked by a passing member connected to the acoustic means, making it unnecessary to prepare an additional blocking member, and is therefore possible to properly block the wall that constitutes the internal space with the passing member passing from the internal space to the outside.

Gaming machine M4 is characterized in that in gaming machine M3, the opening is disposed closer to the acoustic means than the protruding portion.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine M3, gaming machine M4 can prevent the wiring of the acoustic means from being pinched by the protruding portion and being broken when the wiring of the acoustic means is passed from the internal space to the outside through the opening.

A gaming machine M5 is any one of gaming machines M1 to M4, and is equipped with a support fastening means to which at least one of the first means or the second means is fastened and fixed, and a performance means that is arranged below the support fastening means and performs a performance associated with the game, and the performance means supports the support fastening means from below.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines M1 to M4, the gaming machine M5 has a configuration in which the support fastening means is supported from below by the performance means, making it possible to use a heavy object for the support fastening means without taking up space used for the performance.

<Movable unit, reverse rotating flower. Petals that stop midway. Gaming machine N>
Gaming machine N1 comprises a base member, a first displacement means displaceably supported on the base member, a drive means for applying a drive force to the first displacement means, and a second displacement means switchable between a following state in which it is displaced in the displacement direction of the first displacement means and a non-following state in which it is displaced in a direction different from the displacement direction of the first displacement means, characterized in that it also comprises a third displacement means which is displaced in the opposite direction to the displacement direction of the second displacement means by the drive force of the drive means at least when the second displacement means is in the following state.

In some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, the second displacement means displaces in the direction of the first displacement means' extension/retraction movement as the first displacement means extends/retracts, but when the first displacement means operates near the extension end, the second displacement means displaces in a direction different from the direction of the first displacement means' extension/retraction movement (see, for example, JP 2011-229580 A). However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, the first displacement means and the second displacement means displace in the same direction when the first displacement means extends/retracts, resulting in a slow presentation and insufficient presentation effect.

In contrast, with gaming machine N1, at least when the second displacement means is in a following state, the third displacement means displaces in the opposite direction to the displacement direction of the second displacement means, so the displacement speed of the second displacement means can be visually recognized as a speed based on the third displacement means. Therefore, the speed of the second displacement means that the player feels can be made greater than the speed at which the second displacement means is actually driven.

Gaming machine N2 is characterized in that, in gaming machine N1, it is provided with resistance means for generating resistance to the displacement of the second displacement means, and the resistance means is configured to be able to change the switching point between the following state and the non-following state.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine N1, gaming machine N2 makes it possible to change the switching point between a following state in which the second displacement means operates to follow the first displacement means and a non-following state in which the second displacement means deviates from the following state, by the action of the resistance means, so that it is possible to increase the variety of the displacement modes of the second displacement means relative to the first displacement means. This makes it possible to improve the presentation effect.

Gaming machine N3 is characterized in that in gaming machine N2, the resistance means is configured to be able to change the state of the second displacement means by utilizing the driving force when operating the second displacement means in the non-following state.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine N2, gaming machine N3 can also use the driving means for driving the first displacement means to generate the driving force for switching the state of the second displacement means.

Gaming machine N4 is characterized in that the resistance means is arranged so as to be visible from the front in gaming machines N2 and N3.

In gaming machine N4, in addition to the effects of gaming machines N2 and N3, by configuring the resistance means to be visible, the resistance means can be used both to change the state of the first displacement means and as a presentation device that is visible to the player.

Gaming machine N5 is characterized in that, in gaming machine N4, it has a rod-shaped shaft means fixed to the base member, and the shaft means supports the first displacement means, the second displacement means and the resistance means so that they can rotate coaxially.

In gaming machine N5, in addition to the effects of gaming machine N4, the axis means that functions as the rotation axis of the first displacement means, second displacement means, and resistance means is fixed to the base member, so that when the attitude of any one of the first displacement means, second displacement means, or resistance means changes, the attitude of the other members or means changes accordingly, preventing an excessive increase in displacement resistance.

<Use of shell buttons and punch holes. Points not yet achieved>
A gaming machine O1 is provided with a first means and a storage means configured to store the first means, the storage means comprising a first opening which is an opening for receiving the first means when storing the first means, and a second opening which is opened with a width equal to or greater than the width of the gap between the first opening and the first means.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, are equipped with an operating means that can be operated by the player and an upper tray that covers the operating means from below, and the operating means moves up and down relative to the upper tray (see, for example, JP 2012-048970 A). However, the above-mentioned conventional gaming machines have a problem in that if a foreign object is inserted into the gap between the upper tray and the operating means, the foreign object may remain inside and cause a malfunction.

In contrast, the gaming machine O1 is provided with a second opening that is formed with a width equal to or greater than the width of the gap between the first opening of the storage means and the first means, so that foreign objects can be easily removed to the outside of the storage means through the second opening. This makes it possible to prevent foreign objects from remaining inside.

A gaming machine O2, characterized in that the storage means in the gaming machine O1 includes a support portion that supports the first means, and the second opening is disposed on the opposite side of the support portion across the first means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine O1, gaming machine O2 can form a second opening while maintaining the support strength of the support portion.

A gaming machine O3, which is a gaming machine O1 or O2, is characterized in that the storage means has a low water resistance part, and the second opening is arranged around the low water resistance part.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines O1 and O2, gaming machine O3 can also drain water to the outside through the second opening before it reaches the less water-resistant portion. In other words, the second opening can be used both to allow a predetermined solid object to pass through and to drain liquids such as water.

A gaming machine O4 is characterized in that, in any one of gaming machines O1 to O3, a plurality of the second openings are formed, and the plurality of second openings are configured with shapes based on shapes projected in different directions of the solid object.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines O1 to O3, the gaming machine O4 has multiple second openings that are configured in a shape based on the different orientations of the solid object, making it easier to remove the solid object through the second openings.

Gaming machine O5 is any one of gaming machines O1 to O4, characterized in that the second opening is disposed closer to the player than the first means.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines O1 to O4, gaming machine O5 allows the player to see the shadow of a solid object when the solid object is blocking part of the second opening. This allows the player to realize that a solid object has been inserted between the first means and the storage means, reducing the possibility that the solid object will remain.

<Key points regarding the design of the bottom shape of the glass frame (front frame)>
A gaming machine P1 comprising a first means and a first support means for supporting the first means, wherein the first support means comprises a protruding portion protruding from an underside.

In some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, the glass frame (front frame) in which the operating handle is arranged is configured to be removable from the outer frame in which the game board is arranged (see, for example, JP 2015-159837 A). However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, the bottom surface of the glass frame is formed in a flat shape, so there is a risk of it slipping when the fingers are placed on the bottom surface and it is problematic that there is room for improvement in terms of ease of handling.

In contrast, with gaming machine P1, the protruding portion protruding from the bottom surface of the first support means functions as a portion for hooking the fingers, preventing the first support means from slipping out of the hand, thereby improving ease of use.

The arrangement of the protruding portion is not limited in any way, and may be any shape that protrudes outward from the first support means. For example, it may protrude in the vertical direction or toward the front side.

A gaming machine P2 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine P1, the second support means is provided to detachably support the first support means, and the protruding portion is disposed away from the support position where the first support means is supported by the second support means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine P1, gaming machine P2 makes it easier to hold the first support means because the protruding portion protrudes downward from the lower bottom surface at a position away from the position where the weight of the first support means is centrally placed as the support position. This makes it easier to attach and detach the first support means to the second support means.

The position away from the support position is not limited in any way. For example, it may be a position closer to the front when the first support means is supported in front of the second support means, or it may be a position closer to the other end when the first support means is pivotally supported at one end by the second support means, or it may be a position on the opposite side of the pivotal support position based on the tray that stores the game balls.

Gaming machine P3 is characterized in that, in gaming machine P1 or P2, the first support means has a recessed shape recessed from the inside to the outside, and the first means is disposed opposite the recessed shape with a gap between them.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines P1 and P2, gaming machine P3 has a recessed portion that defines a gap at part of the support position between the first means and the first support means, reducing the amount of powder (abrasive powder, dust) that may be generated when the first means and the first support means rub against each other due to the first means being out of position. In other words, it is possible to prevent powder from accumulating and clogging the moving parts, causing malfunctions, or powder from accumulating at the detection point of the detection device, resulting in false detection.

In this way, the recessed shape is effective not only when the device is not in operation (for example, when the glass frame is open to clear an error, during maintenance, or when the glass frame is being replaced), but also when the device is in operation (for example, during play or when waiting to play (demo screen display state)).

Gaming machine P4 is characterized in that, in gaming machine P3, the recessed portion is disposed inside the range in which the protruding portion protrudes.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine P3, gaming machine P4 can prevent the area where the recessed portion is formed from becoming extremely thin compared to other areas, resulting in insufficient strength. Also, by forming the recessed portion on the back of the protruding portion, the protruding portion can be flexibly deformed inward and outward, so that cracking of the protruding portion can be suppressed even if a large load is applied to the protruding portion.

Examples of loads that may be applied to the protruding portion include the weight of the first support means that may be applied during transportation or temporary placement, loads applied when moving the first support means, and loads applied when an object being moved by a player or store clerk (such as a coin chest) collides with the first support means.

In the gaming machine P4, the first means comprises a contact means that is a part of the first support means outside the recessed portion and is supported in a manner that contacts an overlapping portion that overlaps with the protruding portion in the inward and outward direction, and a control unit that is positioned on the contact means and configured to be operable by a player. Gaming machine P5.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine P4, gaming machine P5 maintains the effect of the recessed shape while ensuring sufficient support thickness at the overlapping position that supports the abutment means, thereby preventing the first support means from deforming when the operating unit is operated.

Gaming machine P6 is characterized in that the contact means in gaming machine P5 is formed continuously between the contact means and the operating unit, and is equipped with an impact damping means configured to dampen impact, and the impact damping means is formed with a width shorter than the width of the recessed portion.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine P5, gaming machine P6 can attenuate the impact transmitted from the operating unit to the contact means by the impact attenuation means, and by providing a distance between the impact attenuation means and the overlapping portion, the impact can also be attenuated by deformation (flexure) of the contact means.

The impact damping means may take a variety of forms. For example, it may be a block member made of a flexible material, an elastic member such as a coil spring, or a device such as a damper or a damping device.

Gaming machine P7 is any one of gaming machines P3 to P6, characterized in that the recessed portion has a first portion that faces the first means and a second portion that extends from the first portion, and the first portion is formed to have a greater degree of recession than the second portion.

Gaming machine P7, in addition to the effects of any of gaming machines P3 to P6, provides sufficient space in the first portion where a large load is expected to be applied, and the space in the second portion where a smaller load is expected to be applied compared to the first portion is made smaller, thereby improving the design freedom of the recessed shape while maintaining high durability.

The degree of recession can be, for example, the depth of the recession (the greater the degree of recession, the deeper) or the width of the recession (the greater the degree of recession, the wider).

If the structure of the first means is complex and the portion facing the first means is subjected to a smaller load than the other portions, the recessed portion corresponding to the other portions may be formed with a larger recessed degree.

In addition, the recessed shape may be designed based on, for example, the frequency of load occurrence, without being limited to the magnitude of the load. In this case, the frequency of load occurrence may be based on the magnitude of the frequency of occurrence during the entire business hours of the gaming establishment, or may be based on the magnitude of the frequency of occurrence in a specified state of the gaming machine (a specified performance state, a specific gaming state, or other gaming state).

Among any of the gaming machines P1 to P7, gaming machine P8 is characterized in that the protruding portion is formed along the front-to-rear direction below the bottom surface of the first support means, and the formation range becomes wider as it moves toward the front.

Gaming machine P8 has the same effect as any of gaming machines P1 to P7, and in addition, it can improve the load-bearing capacity of the front portion where the load is concentrated when the first support means is set upright by itself, so that the first support means can be stored for long periods of time without falling over, even when the first support means is stored by placing it on the floor by itself.

Note that considerations when designing the protruding portion are not limited to the weight of the first support means. For example, the shape of the protruding portion may be designed by considering the magnitude of the load generated when the first support means is operated and the frequency of the load generation.

Gaming machine P9 is any of gaming machines P1 to P8, characterized in that the underside of the first support means is formed as an inclined surface that slopes upward in a direction away from the second support means.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines P1 to P8, gaming machine P9 makes it easier for the first support means to stand on its own, and furthermore, since the part that comes into contact with the floor can be limited to the protruding part, it is possible to prevent parts other than the protruding part from getting dirty.

<Key points regarding deformation modes based on the support structure and shape of the collar>
Gaming machine Q1 is equipped with an operating means that can be operated by a player, a first support means that supports the operating means, and a second support means that supports at least one of the first support means or the operating means, characterized in that the first support means is configured to be deformable in a direction that narrows the gap between the operating means and the second support means.

Here, among gaming machines such as pachinko machines, there are gaming machines in which operating means such as performance buttons are supported by a glass frame (see, for example, JP 2016-106830 A). However, the above-mentioned conventional gaming machines have insufficient measures against positional deviations that occur in the area surrounding the operating means due to the load applied when operating the operating means, and there is a problem in that there is room for improvement in terms of measures against positional deviations that occur in the area surrounding the operating means.

For example, when the player's weight is applied to the operating means and the operating means descends, the second support means also descends at the same time. At this time, the distance that the front side of the second support means descends tends to be longer than the distance that the operating means descends. At this time, due to the difference in the distance of descent, a gap may occur between the operating means and the second support means at the front side portion.

In contrast, with gaming machine Q1, even if the second support means descends excessively, the first support means deforms, thereby preventing a gap from occurring between the operating means and the second support means. In other words, since the operating means is allowed to descend excessively (sink), the support mode of the operating means can be simplified.

The direction of operation is not limited in any way. For example, it may be a downward direction, an upward direction, a direction of pushing in along the front and back, a rotational (rotating) direction, or a combination of these.

Furthermore, as a manner of contact from the operation direction, in addition to the case where the normal extending from the contact surface coincides with the operation direction, various other manners are exemplified. For example, the contact surface may be formed as a surface that spreads in a cone shape (V-shaped cross section) in the operation direction. In this case, the operation direction can be brought closer to the center of the bottom of the cone (V-shape) formed by the contact surface, and in addition, the closer to the center of the bottom, the greater the reaction force, so that the operating means can be effectively supported.

It is also possible to provide a common support means that commonly supports the first support means and the second support means. In this case, the first support means and the second support means may be connected (coupled, fitted) at a position opposite the support position supported by the common support means.

In gaming machine Q1, the first support means is made of a flexible material and includes a support section that supports the operating means, and a gaming ball holding section that is configured to hold gaming balls and is connected to the operating means via the first support means. Gaming machine Q2.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine Q1, gaming machine Q2 can also prevent gaps from occurring between the operating means and the gaming ball holding section.

In addition, if the first support means is made of a flexible material or is connected to the operating means or the game ball holding section with a floating structure, it is possible to prevent the vibrations generated when the operating means is operated from being directly transmitted to the game ball holding section, thereby preventing the game balls held in the game ball holding section from shifting position and generating abnormal noises each time the operating means is operated.

Various modes are exemplified as vibration transmission prevention (suppression) structures. For example, a structure may be configured so that vibration transmission is prevented in a first direction while vibration transmission is maintained in a second direction. In this case, by generating vibrations in the second direction, it is possible to purposely generate abnormal noises, and to execute sound effects.

In gaming machine Q2, the operating means includes an operating section that is configured to be operated by a player, and the first support means is arranged so that the further away from the operating section the connecting position with the game ball holding section is, the further toward the front the first support means is.

In gaming machine Q3, in addition to the effects of gaming machine Q2, in the vicinity of the operating unit, which is a position that is easily displaced due to operation, the absolute amount of displacement is reduced by moving the connection position toward the rear side, thereby suppressing the occurrence of gaps between the game ball holding unit and the first support means, while in the vicinity of the operating unit, which is a position that is less likely to displace due to operation, the connection position is positioned toward the front side (closer to the player), improving the design.

In any of the gaming machines Q1 to Q3, the operating means comprises an operating section configured to be operated by a player, a main body supported by the first support means, and a connecting section connecting the operating section and the main body, the operating section being formed to be wider than the connecting section, and the first support means being formed from a plurality of divided bodies, being detachable in a direction sandwiching the connecting section, and being configured in such a manner as to surround the connecting section. Gaming machine Q4.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines Q1 to Q3, gaming machine Q4 can facilitate the assembly of the first support means while ensuring a sufficient size for the operating unit.

The method of fixing the first support means formed from the divided bodies can be exemplified in various ways. For example, each of the divided bodies may be connected to the operating means, or one divided body among the divided bodies may be connected to the operating means and another divided body may be connected to the divided body.

The fixed position and manner of fixing the divided bodies can be exemplified in various ways. For example, they can be fixed by fitting or fastening.

When fastening is used, the divided body can be fixed at multiple positions along the operating direction of the operating part, so that the shock generated when the operating part is operated can be distributed and borne at multiple fixed positions, improving the durability of the fixed divided body, thereby preventing the first support means from shifting out of position.

Furthermore, by setting the fastening direction to a direction that intersects (e.g., perpendicular to) the operating direction of the operating unit, the direction of the load caused by operating the operating unit and the direction in which the fastening screw is tightened can be made different, thereby preventing the fastening screw from loosening due to impact during operation.

Amusement machine Q5 is characterized in that the fastening direction of the fastening means that fastens the divided bodies in the gaming machine Q4 intersects with the operating direction of the operating unit.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine Q4, gaming machine Q5 can suppress the load applied in the fastening direction when the operating unit is operated, preventing the fastening means from loosening during operation and releasing the fixation of the divided body.

The direction intersecting the operation direction can be exemplified in various ways. For example, if the operation direction is a rotation direction along a circle centered on a specific rotation axis, the direction intersecting the operation direction can be a direction intersecting a plane perpendicular to the specific rotation axis (for example, a direction along the specific rotation axis).

For example, when the operation direction is a direction along a predetermined straight line (such as a push-in operation or a pull-out operation), the direction intersecting the operation direction is, for example, a direction along a plane intersecting the predetermined straight line.

In this case, if multiple predetermined straight lines (straight lines along an operation direction that has a high proportion (frequency) of operations) are expected during play, the fastening direction may be set to a direction along at least one of multiple planes that intersect with each straight line, or the fastening direction may be set to an intersection of multiple planes, i.e., a direction that intersects with any of the multiple predetermined straight lines.

Amusement machine Q6 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine Q4 or Q5, the divided body has a plurality of fastening points, and a first plane including one fastening point and a second plane including another fastening point are configured as different planes.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines Q4 and Q5, gaming machine Q6 can prevent a large load from being applied to one fastening point (including the first plane) at the same time from being applied to another fastening point, thereby preventing the divided bodies from shifting position at both fastening points at the same time or the fastening from loosening.

The fastening points of the divided bodies may be located at points where load is concentrated when the operating part is operated. Even in this case, another fastening point will be located on a different plane from the plane where load is concentrated, so it is possible to prevent the divided bodies from shifting position or the fastening from loosening due to the load during operation.

Gaming machine Q7 is characterized in that the operating means in any one of gaming machines Q4 to Q6 includes a detection means configured to detect a specific operation of the operating unit, and the detection means is disposed at a position away from the division position of the divided body.

Gaming machine Q7 has the same effect as any of gaming machines Q4 to Q6, but in addition to the holding force being insufficient at the split position, the operating part and the split body rub against each other when the operating part moves in response to the operation of the operating part at the split position, which may cause powder (dust, etc.) to be generated. However, since the detection means is disposed away from the split position, it is possible to prevent powder (dust, etc.) from being detected by the detection means. This makes it possible to prevent false detections.

Gaming machine Q8 is one of the gaming machines Q4 to Q7, characterized in that the operating means includes interference means that, when playable, interferes with the divided body as viewed in the division direction on the side of the divided body that is moving away in the division direction (approaching/moving direction).

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines Q4 to Q7, gaming machine Q8 uses interference means to suppress misalignment of the operating means relative to the divided body in the direction of division.

The interference means may be formed so that it interferes with the operating means in the assembled state, but does not interfere with the operating means before the assembled state, for example, during the assembly work. For example, if the divided body is formed from a flexible material, the divided body can be bent during the assembly work, making it easier to avoid interference with the interference means and maintaining ease of assembly.

For example, even if the divided bodies are made of a hard material, they may be configured so as not to interfere with the interference means during the assembly process. In other words, they may be formed in a shape that does not interfere when viewed in the assembly direction before fastening (for example, when viewed in the direction in which the divided bodies are brought closer together for assembly). In this case, it is possible to ensure ease of assembly while suppressing misalignment of the divided bodies when play is possible.

Among any of the gaming machines Q1 to Q8, gaming machine Q9 is characterized in that the second support means has a receiving recess that is recessed so as to be able to receive the first support means.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines Q1 to Q8, gaming machine Q9 has a first support means received in a receiving recess, so that even if the first support means is displaced due to the operating means being displaced, the operating means and the first support means can be quickly returned to their original positions by the repulsive force from the receiving recess.

Gaming machine Q10 is one of the gaming machines Q1 to Q9, characterized in that the first support means is formed in a curved shape along a circle whose center of curvature radius is located on the operating portion side of the operating means.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines Q1 to Q9, gaming machine Q10 can provide a large area in which the operating unit can be placed, and can also prevent the player from feeling cramped when holding the operating unit. This improves the design of the operating unit and improves its operability.

Among any of the gaming machines Q1 to Q10, the first support means is provided with a streak-like portion that is processed into a streak-like shape for reinforcement, and the extension direction of the streak-like portion is formed in a different direction for each area. Gaming machine Q11.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines Q1 to Q10, gaming machine Q11 has a first support means that has anisotropic rigidity because the extension direction of the rib-like portions is different for each region.

The design criteria for the extension direction of the streak-like portion are not limited in any way. For example, the extension direction may be designed to have a good yield rate based on the shape of the first support means, or, if the load generated when operating the operating means acts in different ways in different regions, the extension direction of the streak-like portion may be designed to be the best direction to deal with that load.

<Key points regarding the support structure between the speaker and the circuit board>
A gaming machine R1 comprising a vibration means and a light emitting means arranged at a position to which the vibration is transmitted and configured to be capable of emitting light, the light emitting means having a displaceable range relative to the vibration means.

Here, there are gaming machines such as pachinko machines in which the speaker and the light-emitting element are arranged side-by-side (see, for example, JP 2016-16088 A). However, the above-mentioned conventional gaming machines have a problem in that there is room for improvement in terms of light-emitting effects.

In more detail, in the conventional gaming machines mentioned above, light-emitting elements (LEDs, fluorescent lamps, discharge tubes, etc.) are placed behind the speaker to prevent the circuit board from being subjected to vibrations from the speaker, and the area where the speaker is placed is dark because light-emitting effects cannot be produced. In this case, the area in front of the gaming machine, where it is easily visible, where a brilliant effect can be produced is narrowed. In the first place, the size of gaming machines such as pachinko machines is roughly determined by standards, so securing an area for light-emitting effects is recognized as an important issue.

In contrast, with gaming machine R1, the light emitting means has a displaceable width relative to the vibration means, so the light emitting means can deflect the vibrations of the vibration device, and the light emitting means can be positioned closer to the vibration generating point of the vibration means. This allows the front area to be brightly visible regardless of the vibration generating point of the vibration means, which can be improved from the perspective of light emitting performance.

The vibration means is not limited in any way. For example, it may be an acoustic means configured to be able to output sound, or it may be an operating means with a built-in vibration device. In addition, it is not limited to a means capable of actively vibrating, and may be a means configured to be able to vibrate in response to a load of an external force (passively vibrating).

There are various types of acoustic means. For example, a vibrating membrane of a speaker, an outlet for discharging the back pressure of the vibration of a speaker, such as that found in a bass-reflex speaker, and a path connecting the vibrating part to the outlet are examples.

The vibration device may be a vibration device that uses rotational drive (e.g., a vibrator), or a vibration device that generates vibrations through linear drive (e.g., a voice coil motor).

The manner of close placement is not limited in any way, and may be any manner in which the light from the light emitting means can be seen by the player. For example, the light emitting means may be stacked on the vibration means, in which case the stacking direction may be the front-to-back direction, a direction that is inclined upward or downward from the front-to-back direction, or a direction that is inclined inwardly to the left and right from the left and right ends.

A gaming machine R2 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine R1, it has a plurality of the vibration means, and has a light-emitting substrate on which the light-emitting means is arranged, and the light-emitting substrate is arranged in a stack on the plurality of vibration means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine R1, gaming machine R2 tends to displace (vibrate, shift, etc.) the light-emitting substrate due to the vibrations caused when the vibration means outputs sound, which can change the presentation mode of the light-emitting means. By changing the vibration means that outputs sound, the displacement mode of the light-emitting substrate can be changed, so that the types (variations) of changes in the presentation mode of the light-emitting means can be increased.

The number of light-emitting substrates may be one or more. When there are multiple substrates, it is sufficient that at least one light-emitting substrate is stacked on the multiple vibration means. In this case, it is possible to provide a combination of light-emitting substrates that are displaced by vibrations generated by the vibration means and light-emitting substrates that are not displaced, thereby further increasing the variety of changes in the presentation mode of the light-emitting means.

A gaming machine R3 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine R2, a holding means for holding the vibration means is provided, the light-emitting substrate is not fixed to the holding means in the stacking direction, and the holding means is configured to generate a load in a direction that suppresses the displacement of the light-emitting substrate along the stacking direction.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine R2, gaming machine R3 can suppress the displacement of the light-emitting substrate and the displacement of the holding means.

The non-fixed state is not limited to the case where the light-emitting substrate and the holding means are not mechanically connected. For example, even if the light-emitting substrate and the holding means are connected with a screw, they can be said to be non-fixed if no fastening force is applied (for example, they are simply prevented from coming loose).

In addition, the expression "non-fixed" does not mean that large displacements are permitted. For example, by fixing two plate members that define the front-to-rear position of the light-emitting substrate to the holding means, the front-to-rear position of the light-emitting substrate is defined (the front-to-rear position is stable, and small vibrations are permitted), and by surrounding the substrate in a direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction with a frame-shaped member that is slightly larger than the shape of the light-emitting substrate, it is possible to suppress displacement in directions other than the front-to-rear direction (up-down, left-right).

This reduces the effect of vibrations generated by the vibration means on the light-emitting substrate compared to when the light-emitting substrate is fixed to the holding means in the same manner as the vibration means, thereby improving the positional stability of the light-emitting substrate.

A gaming machine R4 is characterized in that it is equipped with a first member and a second member arranged on both sides of the light-emitting substrate in the stacking direction in the gaming machine R2 or R3, a fixing means for fixing the first member and the second member to the holding means, and a regulating means for regulating the movement direction of the first member and the second member in the stacking direction, and the fixing means proceeds toward the holding means in a direction inclined with respect to the stacking direction.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines R2 and R3, gaming machine R4 has the advantage that the direction in which the first and second members are stacked does not coincide with the direction in which the fixing means advances, and the movement of the first and second members in the direction in which the fixing means advances is restricted, so that even if the fixing means loosens (even if some of the fixing means loosen), the displacement of the first and second members can be made smaller than the displacement of the fixing means.

This makes it easier to maintain the positional relationship between the first and second members. In other words, it is possible to prevent the first and second members from moving farther apart or closer together than expected.

Various modes of progression are exemplified. For example, a rod-shaped member may be inserted into a through hole, or a fastening screw may be fastened into a screw hole.

A gaming machine R5 is one of the gaming machines R2 to R4, characterized in that the light-emitting substrate has a first displacement region that is configured to be displaceable, and a second displacement region in which displacement is suppressed compared to the first displacement region.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines R2 to R4, gaming machine R5 can change the light emission pattern for each area of the light emission board when the light emission board is displaced due to the vibration of the vibration means.

By designing the light emission performance in the first displacement area and the light emission performance in the second displacement area in different ways, it is possible to achieve excellent performance effects. For example, by arranging a surface light emission means that produces a uniform light emission performance by surface emission as the first refraction means that receives and refracts the light irradiated from the first displacement area, while arranging an edge light emission means that totally reflects the light that enters from one end (edge) and emits it from the other end (edge) to show a high-brightness light to the player as the second refraction means that receives and refracts the light irradiated from the second displacement area, it is possible to produce novel light emission performances with different light emission modes (e.g., brightness) for each area.

The manner in which the displacement is suppressed is not limited in any way. For example, the manner in which the displacement is suppressed may be determined based on the positional relationship between the light emission substrate and the multiple vibration means, or may be determined based on the manner in which the light emission substrate is held.

For example, in the positional relationship between multiple vibration means and the light-emitting substrate, in an area that is equidistant from each vibration means, the influence from one vibration means may be offset by the influence from the other vibration means, thereby suppressing displacement.

A gaming machine R6 is any one of the gaming machines R1 to R5, and is equipped with a fastening screw for fastening and a facing portion arranged to face the head of the fastening screw, and is arranged so that the head of the fastening screw and the facing portion can come into contact with each other when the fastening screw becomes loose.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines R1 to R5, gaming machine R6 has the advantage that the opposing portion regulates the progress of the fastening screw, making it possible to prevent the fastening relationship from deteriorating further if the fastening screw becomes loose.

There are various examples of how to respond after a fastening screw becomes loose. For example, if a fastening screw becomes loose, the loosening may be detected electrically, or the opposing portion may be formed on the surface of the vibration device so that if the fastening screw becomes loose, an abnormal noise is generated when the device is vibrated, allowing the user to become aware of the loosening. Alternatively, the device may be configured so that the loosened portion is repaired during regular maintenance without providing a special notification.

A gaming machine R7 is any one of the gaming machines R1 to R6, and is provided with a first member and a second member arranged on either side of the light-emitting substrate, and a connecting means fastened to the first member and the second member, and is configured in such a way that deformation in a direction intersecting the connecting direction occurs more easily than deformation in the connecting direction connecting the first member and the second member.

Here, if the connecting means is configured in a manner that allows easy deformation in the connecting direction, the distance between the connecting positions will change in both directions, expanding and contracting, resulting in cyclical beneficial and unfavorable effects, which is undesirable.

In contrast, gaming machine R7 has the same effect as any of gaming machines R1 to R6, and in addition, the connecting means deforms in a direction intersecting the connecting direction, so that the distance between the connecting positions can be changed only in the direction of narrowing, and a load can be preferentially generated in the direction of pressing the first member and the second member against each other.

This allows the load in the direction in which the first and second members are pressed against each other to be increased only in situations in which the connecting means is deformed (for example, situations in which a load is generated on the connecting means). Therefore, while the load in the opposing direction of the first and second members is normally set low, the load in the direction in which the first and second members are pressed against each other can be increased only when the light-emitting substrate is likely to shake due to vibrations caused by the vibration means, thereby suppressing shaking of the light-emitting substrate.

The manner in which deformation easily occurs in a given direction is not limited in any way. For example, the shape of the connecting means may be formed in such a way that the thickness differs in each direction, or the magnitude of the load acting on the connecting means may be configured to change in each direction.

The manner in which the load in the direction of pressing against each other is changed is not limited in any way. For example, a drive device that displaces either the first member or the second member may be provided. In this way, the load in the direction of pressing the first member and the second member against each other can be changed at any timing by controlling the drive device.

Gaming machine R8 is one of the gaming machines R1 to R7, characterized in that the vibration means is configured to be able to change the direction of vibration between a first direction along the displaceable width and a second direction intersecting the first direction.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines R1 to R7, gaming machine R8 can configure multiple types of effects of the vibration of the vibration means on the light-emitting means.

<Technical concept behind the side lighting method. Edge light travels to the sides and back of the component>
A gaming machine S1 comprising a light emitting means configured to be able to emit light, and a light guiding means capable of guiding light, the light guiding means comprising a first light guiding means that guides the light irradiated from the light emitting means in a first manner, and a second light guiding means that guides the light irradiated from the light emitting means in a manner different from the first manner.

Now, there are gaming machines such as pachinko machines that are configured so that LED light enters from the edge of a plate-shaped member and exits from the surface of the plate-shaped member (see, for example, JP 2015-159875 A). However, the above-mentioned conventional gaming machines have a problem in that there is room for improvement in terms of the presentation effect of the light-emitting presentation.

In more detail, when light-emitting effects are produced using an LED board made from a flat plate, as in the conventional gaming machines described above, the price of the board can be reduced, which helps to keep costs down, but it is difficult to achieve a three-dimensional light-emitting effect at the same time.

In other words, the effect of the presentation tends to be reduced by differences in the light emission characteristics (brightness, intensity, brightness, etc.) between positions close to the LED and those far from it. To solve this problem, it would be possible to increase the number of LEDs in areas where the light emission characteristics tend to be weak (dark), but in that case, the number of LED elements required for the presentation would increase relative to the area of the LED board, resulting in an impediment to cost reduction. Therefore, it was inevitable to choose between improving the presentation effect and reducing costs.

In contrast, according to the gaming machine S1, the light-guiding means is configured to be able to guide the light from the light-emitting means in different ways, so that even if the distance based on the light-emitting means is different, it is possible to prevent the performance effect from decreasing (changing). Therefore, it is possible to improve the performance effect of the light-emitting performance while reducing costs.

The light guide means may take a variety of forms. For example, it may be a light-transmitting member made of a colorless or colored transparent material, a member that emits light from a surface in a nearly uniform manner like frosted glass, a white member formed by hardening a milky white resin or the like, a member that allows light to pass through gaps similar to a screen door or a shoji screen, a member that projects a display onto the member itself similar to a translucent liquid crystal, or any other form of member.

A gaming machine S2 is characterized in that the light guide means in the gaming machine S1 is configured so that the way the light is emitted changes in stages in response to differences in distance from the light emitting means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine S1, gaming machine S2 can achieve an effect in which the curved surface is illuminated uniformly (evenly) even if the substrate on which the light-guiding means is arranged is formed from a flat plate, and the light-guiding means is configured in the shape of a plate that forms a curved surface.

A gaming machine S3, which is a gaming machine S1 or S2, is provided with a storage means for storing the light emitting means, and a light emitting board on which the light emitting means is arranged, the storage means supporting the light emitting board, a support means to which the light guiding means is fixed at least at a first position, and a shielding means configured to be able to shield the space between the light guiding means and a player, the first position being located outside the outline of the shielding means.

In the gaming machine S3, in addition to the effects of the gaming machines S1 and S2, the fixing in the first position can be loosened while the shielding means is still attached, so the position of the light guiding means relative to the support means can be easily adjusted. This makes it easier to repair misalignment between the light emitting means and the light guiding means, improving maintainability.

The manner in which the shielding means shields is not limited in any way. For example, the shielding means may be configured to block the light guiding means so that the player cannot touch it, but can still see it, or the light guiding means may be configured so that the player cannot touch or see it.

When the first positions are formed in multiple locations, all of the first positions may be arranged outside the outer shape of the shielding means, or at least one of the multiple first positions may be arranged outside the outer shape of the shielding means.

Gaming machine S4 is characterized in that in gaming machine S3, the light-emitting substrate is not fixed to the support means and the light-guiding means, the light-guiding means is in the shape of a long plate, and the first position is located at the end of the light-guiding means in the long direction.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine S3, gaming machine S4 has a long plate shape and the first position is located at the end in the long direction, so that misalignment of the light guiding means can be easily corrected by loosening the fixation of the first position and applying a load in the short direction of the light guiding means.

In more detail, by compensating for the misalignment of the light guiding means by deforming the light guiding means in the short direction or by slipping due to the application of a strong load, the misalignment of the light guiding means can be easily repaired even when the fixation is loosened at only one end in the long direction while the fixation is maintained at the other end.

In addition, in the case of a support mode in which the light-emitting substrate is pressed against the support means by the light-guiding means, the degree to which the light-emitting substrate is supported by the support means can be weakened as the light-guiding means flexes. Therefore, even without removing the light-guiding means from the support means, the degree of support of the light-emitting substrate can be weakened by loosening the fixation at the first position and causing the light-guiding means to flex and deform, and in this state, a load can be applied to the light-emitting substrate to correct the positional deviation of the light-emitting substrate.

The adjustment range of the position adjustment is not limited in any way. For example, the adjustment range may be such that the portion of the light guide means that is the target of irradiation from the external shape of the light emitting means disposed on the light emitting substrate is mechanically restricted so as not to be completely out of position when viewed in the direction of irradiation (small adjustment range), or the position of the light guide means may be adjusted to a position where the portion of the light guide means that is the target of irradiation from the external shape of the light emitting means is completely out of position when viewed in the direction of irradiation (large adjustment range) based on a design that ensures a large adjustment range in advance.

In this case, the light emitting means and light guiding means have the same structure, but the appearance of the light emitting effect visible during the same effect can be changed. In this case, for example, when preparing gaming machines of the same configuration for play with different playability (for example, when constructing gaming machines with different specifications), the appearance of the light emitting effect can be changed by adjusting the position of the light guiding means without making major changes to the mechanical configuration of each part, thereby reducing the burden (for example, costs) associated with manufacturing the gaming machine.

The non-fixed state is not limited in any way. For example, any state other than the state of being fixed by a fastening device such as a fastening screw may be generally expressed as non-fixed. Also, the end is an expression intended to avoid being limited to the end. In other words, it is sufficient that the first position is located at a position including the periphery of the longitudinal end.

Gaming machine S5 is characterized in that, in gaming machine S3 or S4, the shielding means is fixed to the support means, the light guiding means and the shielding means are provided with a misalignment prevention unit configured to reduce the misalignment of the relative positions as the distance between them is shortened, and the misalignment prevention unit is provided with a fixing part to the support means.

Here, it is necessary to connect electrically conducting wiring to the light emitting substrate, and since any misalignment or chipping of the wiring will directly affect the malfunction of the light emitting means, it is preferable to configure the light emitting substrate and the support means so that misalignment does not easily occur in order to prevent this.

Considering the presentation effect, it is preferable that the light guiding means does not easily become misaligned with the light emitting substrate, and if misalignment does occur, it is easy to realign it, and it may be better to have it held on the supporting means side. On the other hand, if misalignment occurs between the light guiding means and the shielding means, there is a risk that the light guiding means and the shielding means will collide, which may result in a poor appearance, and it may be better to have it held on the shielding means side.

Because the shielding means is a part that the player can touch, it is preferable to fix it to the base support means in terms of strength. As such, there were various types of support expected for each means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine S3 or S4, gaming machine S5 has an anti-misalignment mechanism that makes it easy to align the light-guiding means and the shielding means when assembling them without directly fixing them together, and also makes it easier to maintain the positional relationship between the light-guiding means and the shielding means during play.

The form of the misalignment prevention portion is not limited in any way. For example, it may be a convex and concave portion of the same shape that can be fitted together, or the shape of the convex and concave portion that can be fitted together may be invariable along the assembly direction, or it may be composed of a convex shape that tapers toward the mating member and a concave shape that expands toward the mating member.

In any one of the gaming machines S1 to S5, the light guide means comprises a main body, a separated extension portion extending from the main body to a side away from the light emitting means, and an opposing extension portion extending toward the light emitting means with a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the outer shape of the extension portion, and the light emitting means comprises a total reflection light emitting portion arranged in such a manner that light incident on the opposing extension portion is totally reflected. Gaming machine S6.

The gaming machine S6 can prevent the light emitted from the total reflection light emitting portion from entering any part other than the opposing extension portion, so that the boundaries between the separated extension portion and the opposing extension portion and the other parts can be clearly defined, making it possible to execute an effect in which the state of the light is changed (the light is separated) at a short width boundary.

The manner in which total reflection occurs is not limited in any way. For example, it can be specified by the positional relationship between the light guiding means and the light emitting means, the direction of the irradiated light, the width of the irradiated light, the material and shape of the light guiding means, and combinations of these.

In the gaming machine S6, the light guide means includes a covering portion that covers the light-emitting substrate, and a frame portion that forms the outer shape of the covering portion and is formed from a frame shape similar to the outer shape of the light-emitting substrate, and the opposing extension portion extends from the covering portion and is connected to the frame portion. Gaming machine S7.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine S6, gaming machine S7 allows light to enter the frame from the joint, improving the effect of the light-emitting effects of the frame, and the opposing extensions function as reinforcing ribs to improve the strength of the light-guiding means.

With this, if the frame portion is extended to the rear of the light-emitting means along the direction of the light emitted from the light-emitting means, it is possible to create an effect in which the opposite side to the light emission direction is illuminated.

In the gaming machine S7, the opposing extension portion is formed in an elongated shape along the covering portion, is connected to the frame portion at one end in the longitudinal direction, and is separated from the frame portion at the other end. Gaming machine S8.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine S7, gaming machine S8 can configure an end portion that allows light to enter the frame portion in the longitudinal direction and an end portion where the entrance is restricted, based on the design of the opposing extension portion, thereby improving the design freedom of the light-emitting effects that use the frame portion.

A gaming machine S9, in any one of gaming machines S6 to S8, is characterized in that the light emitting means is arranged at the projection position of the facing extension portion and the separated extension portion, and the smaller the inclination angle of the tip shape of the separated extension portion with respect to the light irradiation direction, the closer the light emitting means is arranged to the edge of the cross-sectional shape of the facing extension portion and the separated extension portion.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines S6 to S8, the gaming machine S9 can provide a lighting effect without giving the player a sense of discomfort, even if the tip shape of the separated extension part is inclined with respect to the plane of the light-emitting substrate, while keeping the light-emitting intensity of the light-emitting means constant. In other words, the entire cross-sectional shape of the separated extension part can be illuminated to the same degree.

＜Technical concept of the top light emitting means. The key point to change the way it lights up depending on the distance from the light emitting means＞
A gaming machine T1 comprising a light emitting means configured to be capable of emitting light and a light receiving means capable of receiving light, the light receiving means comprising a first light receiving means that receives light irradiated from the light emitting means in a first manner, and a second light receiving means that receives light irradiated from the light emitting means in a manner different from the first manner.

Now, there are gaming machines such as pachinko machines that are configured so that LED light enters from the edge of a planar member and exits from the surface of the planar member (see, for example, JP 2015-159875 A). However, the above-mentioned conventional gaming machines have a problem in that there is room for improvement in terms of the presentation effect of the light-emitting presentation.

In more detail, when light-emitting effects are produced using an LED board made from a flat plate, as in the conventional gaming machines described above, the price of the board can be reduced, which helps to keep costs down, but it is difficult to achieve a three-dimensional light-emitting effect at the same time.

In other words, the effect of the presentation tends to be reduced by differences in the light emission characteristics (brightness, intensity, brightness, etc.) between positions close to the LED and those far from it. To solve this problem, it would be possible to increase the number of LEDs in areas where the light emission characteristics tend to be weak (dark), but in that case, the number of LED elements required for the presentation would increase relative to the area of the LED board, resulting in an impediment to cost reduction. Therefore, it was inevitable to choose between improving the presentation effect and reducing costs.

In contrast, according to gaming machine T1, the light receiving means is configured to be able to receive light from the light emitting means in different ways, so that even if the distance based on the light emitting means is different, it is possible to prevent the performance effect from decreasing (changing). Therefore, it is possible to improve the performance effect of the light emitting performance while reducing costs.

The light receiving means may take a variety of forms. For example, it may be a light-transmitting member made of a colorless or colored transparent material, a member that emits light from a surface in a nearly uniform manner like frosted glass, a white member formed by hardening a milky white resin or the like, a member that allows light to pass through gaps similar to a screen door or a shoji screen, a member that projects a display onto the member itself similar to a transmissive liquid crystal, or any other form of member.

Gaming machine T2 is characterized in that, in gaming machine T1, the light receiving means is configured so that the way it is illuminated changes in stages in response to differences in distance from the light emitting means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine T1, gaming machine T2 can produce an effect in which the curved surface is illuminated uniformly (evenly) even if the substrate on which the light receiving means is arranged is formed from a flat plate, and the light receiving means is configured in the shape of a plate forming a curved surface.

A gaming machine T3, which is a gaming machine T1 or T2, is provided with a storage means for storing the light emitting means and a light emitting board on which the light emitting means is arranged, the storage means is provided with a partitioning means for partitioning an area disposed opposite one surface of the light emitting board, and the light receiving means is configured so that the way it is illuminated changes for each area partitioned by the partitioning means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines T1 and T2, gaming machine T3 has a partitioning means frame positioned at the boundary where the way the light receiving means is illuminated changes, which reduces the sense of discomfort felt by the player when the way the light receiving means is illuminated changes suddenly. This makes it possible to improve the effect of the light-emitting effects using the light-emitting boards, even when the number of light-emitting boards is small.

A gaming machine T4 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine T3, the partitioning means supports the light-emitting substrate from a direction opposing the biasing force applied to the light-emitting substrate, thereby aligning the light-emitting substrate.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine T3, gaming machine T4 can facilitate the alignment of the light-emitting substrate and the partitioning means, making assembly easier, and can prevent the light-emitting substrate and the partitioning means from becoming misaligned during use.

Gaming machine T5 is characterized in that in gaming machine T3 or T4, the partitioning means has a through hole formed corresponding to the shape of the light emitting portion arranged on the light emitting substrate, and the light receiving means has an insertion portion that is inserted into the through hole.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines T3 and T4, gaming machine T5 can narrow the distance between the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit without being affected by the dimensions of the partitioning means, making it easier to totally reflect the light that enters the insertion part, and preventing a decrease in the intensity of the light emitted from the light-emitting unit.

A gaming machine T6, in which the partitioning means is drilled in accordance with the shape of the light-emitting portion arranged on the light-emitting substrate, has a non-insertion through hole that does not receive the insertion portion, and the non-insertion through hole is formed in such a manner that the opening becomes larger the further it is away from the light-emitting substrate, and is abutted on the light-receiving means from the opposite side of the light-emitting substrate with a surface.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine T5, gaming machine T6 can be configured as a through hole into which the insertion part is not inserted, allowing the light emitted from the light emitting part to be emitted at a wide angle, and by narrowing the gap between the light receiving means, light leakage can be suppressed.

Gaming machine T7 is one of gaming machines T1 to T6, characterized in that the cross-sectional outer shape of the light receiving means is larger on the side farther from the light emitting means than on the side closer to the light emitting means.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines T1 to T6, gaming machine T7 can enlarge the area in which the player can see the light through the light receiving means compared to the area in which the light emitting means is formed.

Gaming machine T8 is characterized in that, in gaming machine T7, the light receiving means includes a light conducting section extending from the light emitting means side and a cut-out boundary surface section intersecting the light conducting section, and the cut-out boundary surface is disposed at a position where the front-rear surface section in the extension direction of the light conducting section is shorter than the inclined surface section.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine T7, gaming machine T8 makes it easier to make the thickness of the light conducting section uniform, even when the light receiving means is formed in such a way that the outer shape of the cross section becomes larger as it approaches the front, and even when a cut-out boundary surface portion is formed. This makes it easier to maintain total reflection along the extension direction of the light conducting section.

Gaming machine T9 is characterized in that, in gaming machine T7 or T8, the light receiving means has a light conducting section that extends from the light emitting means side, and the light conducting section is formed in a line shape that includes the base end of the insertion section.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines T7 and T8, gaming machine T9 makes it easier to visually recognize the light emitted from the LED of the light-emitting means as a line of light (a mixture of light from point light sources), reducing the feeling of a point light source without increasing the number of LEDs installed.

<Points that are configured with two inclined fastening directions>
Gaming machine U1 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine having a first means and a second means fixed to the first means by a fixing means, the fixing means comprises a first fixing means that generates a fixing force in a first direction, and a second fixing means that generates a fixing force in a second direction that is inclined with respect to the first direction.

Here, there are gaming machines such as pachinko machines in which the front frame is formed by combining multiple structures with fastening screws inserted in the front-rear direction (see, for example, JP 2016-41185 A). However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, the shape of the structures is regulated by the arrangement of the fixing means, which reduces the degree of freedom in designing the structures.

For example, when a fastening screw is inserted in the front-rear direction through the fixing means, it is not possible to place a light-emitting component such as an LED in a position that interferes with the fastening screw in a front view in a cross section through which the fastening screw is inserted. In other words, the area in which the fixing means can be placed effectively coincides with the limit position of the external shape of the light-emitting component, so the size of the structure is limited to the position in which the fixing means can be placed.

In other words, the shape of the support plate that supports the light-emitting substrate from the back side needs to be larger than the light-emitting substrate to accommodate the fixing means, so the size of the light-emitting substrate is limited by the size of the area in which the support plate can be placed.

In contrast, with the gaming machine U1, the insertion direction of the fastening screws that secure the fixing means is configured as a first direction and a second direction that are inclined toward each other, so that a wider presentation area can be secured for the player to view compared to when all the fixing means are inserted along the front-to-rear direction.

A gaming machine U2 is characterized in that the fixing means in the gaming machine U1 has an outer surface that has a first surface formed along the first direction and a second surface formed along the second direction.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine 1, gaming machine U2 has an outer surface that is formed along the direction of the fixing force applied to the fixing means, so even if the outer surface is about to be deformed by an external force, it is possible to generate sufficient resistance and suppress deformation of the outer surface.

A gaming machine U3 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine U1 or U2, at least one of the fixing points of the fixing means is provided with a suppression means for suppressing a decrease in the fixing force.

Here, if the first means and the second means are made of a resin molded product and the resin mold used for production has a single pull-out direction, the first direction or the second direction, which are inclined relative to each other, will be inclined to the pull-out direction, and there is a risk that the fixing force of the first or second fixing means corresponding to the inclined side will be weakened.

In contrast, with gaming machine U3, in addition to the effects of gaming machines U1 and U2, the suppression means can suppress the decrease in the fixing force, so the fastening screws used to fasten the fixing means can be common parts.

The configuration of the suppression means is not limited in any way. For example, it may be a loosening prevention means that prevents the fixation from loosening, or a loosening prevention means that, if loosening occurs, restricts further loosening.

Gaming machine U4 is characterized in that the suppression means in gaming machine U3 is equipped with a notification means capable of notifying of a fixing failure of the fixing means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine U3, gaming machine U4 has an alarm means for notifying the user of improper fastening of the fastening means, allowing for early detection of loosening of the fastening screws.

The configuration of the notification means is not limited in any way. For example, it may be an electrical notification means such as a detection means such as a sensor, or it may be a structural means that causes a change in appearance. Examples of structural means include a transmission change means that changes the transmission strength of vibrations generated inside the gaming machine to the outside of the gaming machine, a light effect change means that blocks light emitted from the inside and creates a shadow that can be seen from the outside, and a vibration notification means that makes contact with the vibrating part of the vibration device to generate an abnormal sound or intensify the vibration to alert the player.

Gaming machine U5 is any one of the gaming machines U2 to U4, and is characterized in that it has a third means disposed between the first means and the second means, and the third means is disposed between the first surface and the second surface.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines U2 to U4, the gaming machine U5 allows the first and second means to generate resistance forces in multiple directions as component directions of the fixing force of the fixing means, making it easier to hold the third means safely.

The configuration of the third means is not limited in any way. For example, the third means may be configured so that the first means side is visible to the player, but the second means side is not visible to the player. In this case, by making the side where the distance between the first surface and the second surface widens the first means side and the side where the distance narrows the second means side, it is possible to narrow the area occupied by the configuration on the side that is not visible while ensuring a wide area that is visible to the player.

A gaming machine U6 is characterized in that it is equipped with a fourth means disposed on the opposite side of the third means across the first surface of the gaming machine U5, and the first surface is formed at an angle with respect to the front-to-rear direction.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine U5, gaming machine U6 allows the area occupied by the third means and the area occupied by the fourth means to interfere with each other when viewed from the front, ensuring a large area in which the third means and the fourth means can be placed.

Gaming machine U7 is one of the gaming machines U1 to U6, characterized in that the first fixing means and the second fixing means are arranged in pairs with a predetermined distance between them.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines U1 to U6, the gaming machine U7 has a first fixing means and a second fixing means that are arranged in pairs with a predetermined distance between them, so that deformation along the direction in which the fixing force is generated in one fixing means can be prevented from occurring in the other fixing means. In other words, deformation in a direction that intersects with the direction in which the fixing force is generated can be suppressed, so that loosening of the fixing means can be prevented.

Gaming machine Z1 is characterized in that in any of gaming machines A1 to A8, B1 to B3, C1 to C3, D1 to D6, E1 to E4, F1 to F6, G1 to G6, H1 to H7, I1 to I6, J1 to J5, K1 to K7, L1 to L3, M1 to M5, N1 to N5, O1 to O5, P1 to P9, Q1 to Q11, R1 to R8, S1 to S9, T1 to T9, U1 to U7, 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 A8, B1 to B3, C1 to C3, D1 to D6, E1 to E4, F1 to F6, G1 to G6, H1 to H7, I1 to I6, J1 to J5, K1 to K7, L1 to L3, M1 to M5, N1 to N5, O1 to O5, P1 to P9, Q1 to Q11, R1 to R8, S1 to S9, T1 to T9, and U1 to U7. 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 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 a combination of a pachinko machine and a slot machine in any of gaming machines A1 to A8, B1 to B3, C1 to C3, D1 to D6, E1 to E4, F1 to F6, G1 to G6, H1 to H7, I1 to I6, J1 to J5, K1 to K7, L1 to L3, M1 to M5, N1 to N5, O1 to O5, P1 to P9, Q1 to Q11, R1 to R8, S1 to S9, T1 to T9, U1 to U7. 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, in which the variation of the identification information is started due to the operation of a start operating means (e.g., an operating lever), the dynamic display of the identification information is stopped due to the operation of a stop operating means (e.g., a stop button) or after a predetermined time has passed, and the definitive identification information at the time of stopping is a specific identification information as a necessary condition, the gaming machine uses balls as a gaming medium, and is configured so that a predetermined number of balls are required to start the dynamic display of the identification information and a large number of balls are paid out when the special gaming state is generated."

10. Pachinko machines (amusement machines)
11 Outer frame (second support means)
12 Inner frame (receiving means)
13 Game board (game means)
14 Front frame (closing means)
14d2 Auxiliary protrusion (part of recess)
17 Upper plate (part of the receiving plate)
50 Lower plate (part of the receiving plate, part of the game ball holding portion)
68 Return ball prevention member (one-way obstruction means)
81 Third pattern display device (display means)
145, 9145, 10145 Foul ball passage (foul ball passage)
159 Opening/closing regulation section (closing regulation section)
173 Long cover member (part of the eliminating means)
178 Inverted cup portion (part of the arrangement means, first means, intrusion prevention portion, part of the elimination means)
180 Binding movable member (part of arrangement means, second means, support means)
300, 2300, 3300, 4300, 5300, 6300, 7300
Operation device 310, 2310, 3310, 4310 Tilting device (tilting means, operation means, first means)
311gL, 3311gL Left detection piece (part of the striking discrimination means, part of the position difference detection means, part of the movement direction determination means)
311gR Right side detection piece (part of the striking discrimination means, part of the end detection means, part of the position difference detection means, part of the movement direction determination means)
312a1 Operation surface (part of the operation means)
314 Shaft (shaft rod)
315 Torsion spring (biasing means)
324L Left side detection sensor (part of the striking discrimination means, part of the position difference detection means, part of the movement direction determination means)
324R Right side detection sensor (part of the repeat discrimination means, part of the end detection means, part of the position difference detection means, part of the movement direction determination means)
330 Upper frame member (part of storage means)
331 Opening (first opening)
332 Upper bearing part (part of support part)
340, 5340, 6340 Driving device (driving means, first driving means)
341 Main body member (part of friction member)
341f LED device (light emitting means)
343 Transmission shaft (part of transmission means)
343a Cylindrical member (part of transmission means)
343b Transmission gear (part of the driving means, part of the releasing means)
343b2 Clutch portion (engagement teeth)
343c Movable clutch (part of the transmission means, part of the release means)
343c2 Clutch portion (engagement teeth)
343d Coil spring (biasing means)
344, 6344, 7344 Disc cam (part of transmission means, part of terminal means, part of release load means)
344c Engagement rib (part of release load means)
344d Connecting pin (protruding portion)
345 Arm member (part of transmission means, part of termination means)
346, 2346, 7346 Release member (part of the maintaining means, part of the first means, part of the friction member)
347, 7347 Rotating claw member (part of the retaining means, part of the first means)
352 Voice coil motor (second driving means, repulsion means)
410 Upper frame member (support fastening means)
451 Speaker (acoustic means)
453 Speaker connection wire (passing member)
460 Front assembly (first means)
464 Wire passage recess (part of opening)
467 Passage forming rib (bending means, protruding portion)
480 Rear assembly (second means)
481Ha Auxiliary protrusion (part of opening)
484 Wire pressing convex part (part of opening)
487 Passage forming rib (bending means, protruding portion)
500 Right panel unit (performance means)
500L Left weight plate unit (first means)
500R Right weight plate unit (second means)
510 Support plate portion (connection means)
512a LED (light irradiation means)
531b, 531c Support hole (part of connecting portion)
532 inclined rib portion (contact means)
540 Light guiding member (third means, light guiding means)
551b Protruding portion (part of connecting portion)
600: Board surface support device (state change means)
620 Rotating front claw member (proximity means)
640 Rotational claw member (contact means)
801 Supporting substrate (base member)
802 Petal (part of the second displacement means)
804 Central motor (driving means)
830 Rotating plate (first displacement means)
851 Central shaft member (shaft means)
880 loose fitting device (third displacement means)
2062c Foul ball passage (Foul ball passage)
2347 Rotating plate member (part of the retaining means)
2348 Slide claw member (part of retaining means)
2888 Regulating portion (resistance means)
4321d Upper detection sensor (detection sensor)
4321e Lower detection sensor (detection sensor)
5320 Lower frame member (part of the support frame)
5344 Disc cam (part of transmission means, part of terminal means, part of release load means, cam member)
5400 Vibration device (vibration means, repulsion means)
5411 Drive motor (low water resistance part)
5412 Weight member (vibration part, part of repulsion means)
5420 Flexible member (part of support means, repulsion means)
5430 Housing member (receiving means, part of repulsion means, part of support frame)
6344L1, 6344R1: Disc member (first rotating member)
6344L2, 6344R2 Ring member (second rotating member)
7344L1, 7344R1 Disc member (part of transmission means, part of termination means)
7344L3, 7344R3 Engagement member (release load means)
8320 Lower frame member (part of storage means)
8326a First through hole (part of the second opening)
8326b Second through hole (part of the second opening)
8326c Third through hole (part of the second opening)
9142a Right inclined surface (part of the ball ejection section)
9150, 10150 Sheet metal member (one-way obstruction means, load means)
9145b, 10145c Notch (part of recess)
10014 Front frame (part of first support means, part of holding means)
10014a Metal body (part of holding means)
10145d Rolling plate portion (regulating means)
10310 Swing operation member (part of the operation means, part of the operation part)
10321 Left front cover (part of first supporting means)
10322 Right front cover (part of first supporting means)
10330 Inner case member (part of abutment means, part of main body)
10340 Lever member (part of connecting part)
10366 Vibration device (part of vibration means)
6400 Lower tray unit (part of the game ball holding section)
6413: protruding portion 6414: recessed portion 6427: resin member (shock damping means)
6451 Main body (part of receiving recess)
6455 Right side reinforcement rib (part of receiving recess)
6456 Left side reinforcement rib (part of receiving recess)
6510 Upper cover member (part of connecting means)
6520 Optical transmission unit (part of light receiving means)
6521b Light receiving protrusion (part of the first light receiving means, part of the insertion part)
6521d Light passage hole (part of the second light receiving means)
6521e Main body tube part (part of the light conducting part)
6522 Flange part (punched boundary surface)
6540 Partition unit (part of light receiving means, part of first means, part of fixing means)
6545 Post-guiding fastening portion (part of the fastening means, second fastening means or first fastening means)
6547c Protruding rib (part of the restraining means)
6548 Transparent covering member (part of suppression means)
6550 Plate guide unit (part of second means, part of fixing means)
6552 Extension plate part (part of outer surface)
6554a Screw-in portion (part of the fixing means, first fixing means or second fixing means)
6555 Back side fastening portion (part of fastening means, first fastening means or second fastening means)
6558 Light receiving member (part of light receiving means)
6560 Partitioning member (first member, part of first means, part of storage means, part of partitioning means)
6562a Enlarged hole (part of non-through hole)
6562b Direct hole (part of through hole)
6565 Large diameter cylindrical portion (part of the restricting means)
6570 Illumination board (part of light-emitting means, part of light-emitting board)
6574a Edge light emitting part (part of the light emitting means)
6574b Surface light emitting part (part of light emitting means)
6580 Back support member (second member, part of first means, part of storage means)
6610 Acoustic device (part of vibration means, part of notification means, part of fourth means)
6621 Anti-slip plate part (part of the opposing part, part of the suppression means, part of the notification means)
6622 Contact avoidance recess (part of the opposing part, part of the suppression means, part of the notification means)
6710 Base member (part of the storage means)
6720 Illumination board (part of light-emitting means, part of light-emitting board, part of third means)
6730 Light receiving member (part of light guiding means)
6731 Light receiving surface portion (part of the second light guiding means, part of the main body portion, covering portion)
6732 Inner extension part (part of frame)
6733 Outer extension (part of frame)
6734 Long rib (part of first light guiding means, opposing extension part)
6735 Fin (part of first light guiding means, separated extension part)
6736 Insertion hole (part of support means)
6737 Fitting part (part of the misalignment prevention part)
6740 Flat plate member (part of the containing means, part of the shielding means)
6750 Curved plate member (part of the storage means, part of the shielding means)
6751a Decorative protrusion (part of the misalignment prevention part)
6760 Cover member (part of the containing means, part of the shielding means)
6802L Fastening part (part of the support part)
6802R Insertion hole (part of support)
18830 Illumination board (part of light emitting means)
D1a: Edge light emitting portion (part of the total reflection light emitting portion)
D23: streak-like portion D24: end streak-like portion (part of streak-like portion)
E1 Notification device (detection means)
FC detection switch (part of the detection means)
P1a Deformation section (deformation section)
Rm1: inner edge (part of interference means)
S52 Termination area (occupied area)
SL2 S-shaped path (bend)
V13, V14 gap

Gaming machine Z3 is a combination of a pachinko machine and a slot machine in any of gaming machines A1 to A8, B1 to B3, C1 to C3, D1 to D6, E1 to E4, F1 to F6, G1 to G6, H1 to H7, I1 to I6, J1 to J5, K1 to K7, L1 to L3, M1 to M5, N1 to N5, O1 to O5, P1 to P9, Q1 to Q11, R1 to R8, S1 to S9, T1 to T9, U1 to U7. In particular, the basic configuration of the combined gaming machine is "a gaming machine equipped with a 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 generates a special gaming state advantageous to the player, with the necessary condition that the definitive identification information at the time of stopping is a specific identification information, and 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 gaming state is generated."
＜Other＞
Among gaming machines such as pachinko machines, there are gaming machines in which LED light enters from the end of a plate-shaped member and exits from the surface (for example, Patent Document 1: JP 2015-159875 A).
However, the above-mentioned conventional gaming machines have a problem that there is room for improvement in terms of the presentation effect of the light-emitting effects. This technical idea has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a gaming machine that provides good presentation effects of the light-emitting effects.
<Means>
In order to achieve this objective, the gaming machine of technical idea 1 comprises a light emitting means configured to be able to emit light and a light receiving means capable of receiving light, the light receiving means comprising a first light receiving means that receives the light irradiated from the light emitting means in a first manner, and a second light receiving means that receives the light irradiated from the light emitting means in a manner different from the first manner.
The gaming machine according to Technical Concept 2 is the gaming machine according to Technical Concept 1, wherein the light receiving means is configured so that the way of illumination changes stepwise in response to differences in distance from the light emitting means.
The gaming machine of technical idea 3 is a gaming machine described in technical idea 1 or 2, which comprises a storage means for storing the light-emitting means and a light-emitting substrate on which the light-emitting means is arranged, the storage means comprising a partitioning means for partitioning an area positioned opposite one side of the light-emitting substrate, and the light-receiving means is configured so that the way it is illuminated changes for each area partitioned by the partitioning means.
＜Effects＞
According to the gaming machine described in Technical Concept 1, the effect of the light emission can be improved.
According to the gaming machine described in Technical Concept 2, in addition to the effect achieved by the gaming machine described in Technical Concept 1, the light emission mode can be changed stepwise in accordance with the positional relationship based on the light emitting means.
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 presentation range can be effectively divided.
<Code>
10. Pachinko machines (amusement machines)
11 Outer frame (second support means)
12 Inner frame (receiving means)
13 Game board (game means)
14 Front frame (closing means)
14d2 Auxiliary protrusion (part of recess)
17 Upper plate (part of the receiving plate)
50 Lower plate (part of the receiving plate, part of the game ball holding portion)
68 Return ball prevention member (one-way obstruction means)
81 Third pattern display device (display means)
145, 9145, 10145 Foul ball passage (foul ball passage)
159 Opening/closing regulation section (closing regulation section)
173 Long cover member (part of the eliminating means)
178 Inverted cup portion (part of the arrangement means, first means, intrusion prevention portion, part of the elimination means)
180 Binding movable member (part of arrangement means, second means, support means)
300, 2300, 3300, 4300, 5300, 6300, 7300
Operating device
310, 2310, 3310, 4310 tilting device (tilting means, operating means, first means)
311gL, 3311gL Left detection piece (part of the striking discrimination means, part of the position difference detection means, part of the movement direction determination means)
311gR Right side detection piece (part of the striking discrimination means, part of the end detection means, part of the position difference detection means, part of the movement direction determination means)
312a1 Operation surface (part of the operation means)
314 Shaft (shaft rod)
315 Torsion spring (biasing means)
324L Left side detection sensor (part of the striking discrimination means, part of the position difference detection means, part of the movement direction determination means)
324R Right side detection sensor (part of the repeat discrimination means, part of the end detection means, part of the position difference detection means, part of the movement direction determination means)
330 Upper frame member (part of storage means)
331 Opening (first opening)
332 Upper bearing part (part of support part)
340, 5340, 6340 Driving device (driving means, first driving means)
341 Main body member (part of friction member)
341f LED device (light emitting means)
343 Transmission shaft (part of transmission means)
343a Cylindrical member (part of transmission means)
343b Transmission gear (part of the driving means, part of the releasing means)
343b2 Clutch portion (engagement teeth)
343c Movable clutch (part of the transmission means, part of the release means)
343c2 Clutch portion (engagement teeth)
343d Coil spring (biasing means)
344, 6344, 7344 Disc cam (part of transmission means, part of terminal means, part of release load means)
344c Engagement rib (part of release load means)
344d Connecting pin (protruding portion)
345 Arm member (part of transmission means, part of termination means)
346, 2346, 7346 Release member (part of the maintaining means, part of the first means, part of the friction member)
347, 7347 Rotating claw member (part of the retaining means, part of the first means)
352 Voice coil motor (second driving means, repulsion means)
410 Upper frame member (support fastening means)
451 Speaker (acoustic means)
453 Speaker connection wire (passing member)
460 Front assembly (first means)
464 Wire passage recess (part of opening)
467 Passage forming rib (bending means, protruding portion)
480 Rear assembly (second means)
481Ha Auxiliary protrusion (part of opening)
484 Wire pressing convex part (part of opening)
487 Passage forming rib (bending means, protruding portion)
500 Right panel unit (performance means)
500L Left weight plate unit (first means)
500R Right weight plate unit (second means)
510 Support plate portion (connection means)
512a LED (light irradiation means)
531b, 531c Support hole (part of connecting portion)
532 inclined rib portion (contact means)
540 Light guiding member (third means, light guiding means)
551b Protruding portion (part of connecting portion)
600: Board surface support device (state change means)
620 Rotating front claw member (proximity means)
640 Rotational claw member (contact means)
801 Support substrate (base member)
802 Petal (part of the second displacement means)
804 Central motor (driving means)
830 Rotating plate (first displacement means)
851 Central shaft member (shaft means)
880 loose fitting device (third displacement means)
2062c Foul ball passage (Foul ball passage)
2347 Rotating plate member (part of the retaining means)
2348 Slide claw member (part of retaining means)
2888 Regulating portion (resistance means)
4321d Upper detection sensor (detection sensor)
4321e Lower detection sensor (detection sensor)
5320 Lower frame member (part of the support frame)
5344 Disc cam (part of transmission means, part of terminal means, part of release load means, cam member)
5400 Vibration device (vibration means, repulsion means)
5411 Drive motor (low water resistance part)
5412 Weight member (vibration part, part of repulsion means)
5420 Flexible member (part of support means, repulsion means)
5430 Housing member (receiving means, part of repulsion means, part of support frame)
6344L1, 6344R1: Disc member (first rotating member)
6344L2, 6344R2 Ring member (second rotating member)
7344L1, 7344R1 Disc member (part of transmission means, part of termination means)
7344L3, 7344R3 Engagement member (release load means)
8320 Lower frame member (part of storage means)
8326a First through hole (part of the second opening)
8326b Second through hole (part of the second opening)
8326c Third through hole (part of the second opening)
9142a Right inclined surface (part of the ball ejection section)
9150, 10150 Sheet metal member (one-way obstruction means, load means)
9145b, 10145c Notch (part of recess)
10014 Front frame (part of first support means, part of holding means)
10014a Metal body (part of holding means)
10145d Rolling plate portion (regulating means)
10310 Swing operation member (part of the operation means, part of the operation part)
10321 Left front cover (part of first supporting means)
10322 Right front cover (part of first supporting means)
10330 Inner case member (part of abutment means, part of main body)
10340 Lever member (part of connecting part)
10366 Vibration device (part of vibration means)
6400 Lower tray unit (part of the game ball holding section)
6413 Protruding part
6414 Concave shape part
6427 Resin member (shock damping means)
6451 Main body (part of receiving recess)
6455 Right side reinforcement rib (part of receiving recess)
6456 Left side reinforcement rib (part of receiving recess)
6510 Upper cover member (part of connecting means)
6520 Optical transmission unit (part of light receiving means)
6521b Light receiving protrusion (part of the first light receiving means, part of the insertion part)
6521d Light passage hole (part of the second light receiving means)
6521e Main body tube part (part of light conducting part)
6522 Flange part (punched boundary surface)
6540 Partition unit (part of light receiving means, part of first means, part of fixing means)
6545 Post-guiding fastening portion (part of the fastening means, second fastening means or first fastening means)
6547c Protruding rib (part of the restraining means)
6548 Transparent covering member (part of suppression means)
6550 Plate guide unit (part of second means, part of fixing means)
6552 Extension plate part (part of outer surface)
6554a Screw-in portion (part of the fixing means, first fixing means or second fixing means)
6555 Back side fastening portion (part of fastening means, first fastening means or second fastening means)
6558 Light receiving member (part of light receiving means)
6560 Partitioning member (first member, part of first means, part of storage means, part of partitioning means)
6562a Enlarged hole (part of non-through hole)
6562b Direct hole (part of through hole)
6565 Large diameter cylindrical portion (part of the restricting means)
6570 Illumination board (part of light-emitting means, part of light-emitting board)
6574a Edge light emitting part (part of the light emitting means)
6574b Surface light emitting part (part of light emitting means)
6580 Back support member (second member, part of first means, part of storage means)
6610 Acoustic device (part of vibration means, part of notification means, part of fourth means)
6621 Anti-slip plate part (part of the opposing part, part of the suppression means, part of the notification means)
6622 Contact avoidance recess (part of the opposing part, part of the suppression means, part of the notification means)
6710 Base member (part of the storage means)
6720 Illumination board (part of light-emitting means, part of light-emitting board, part of third means)
6730 Light receiving member (part of light guiding means)
6731 Light receiving surface portion (part of the second light guiding means, part of the main body portion, covering portion)
6732 Inner extension part (part of frame)
6733 Outer extension (part of frame)
6734 Long rib (part of first light guiding means, opposing extension part)
6735 Fin (part of first light guiding means, separated extension part)
6736 Insertion hole (part of support means)
6737 Fitting part (part of the misalignment prevention part)
6740 Flat plate member (part of the containing means, part of the shielding means)
6750 Curved plate member (part of the storage means, part of the shielding means)
6751a Decorative protrusion (part of the misalignment prevention part)
6760 Cover member (part of the containing means, part of the shielding means)
6802L Fastening part (part of the support part)
6802R Insertion hole (part of support)
18830 Illumination board (part of the light emitting means)
D1a: Edge light emitting portion (part of the total reflection light emitting portion)
D23 Muscle-like part
D24 End striated part (part of striated part)
E1 Notification device (detection means)
FC detection switch (part of the detection means)
P1a Deformation section (deformation section)
Rm1: inner edge (part of interference means)
S52 Termination area (occupied area)
SL2 S-shaped path (bend)
V13, V14 gap

Claims (3)

The present invention includes a light emitting means configured to be capable of emitting light, and a light receiving means configured to be capable of receiving light,
The light receiving means includes a first light receiving means for receiving the light irradiated from the light emitting means in a first manner;
A gaming machine comprising: a second light receiving means for receiving the light irradiated from the light emitting means in a manner different from the first manner. The gaming machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the light receiving means is configured so that the way it is illuminated changes in stages in response to differences in distance from the light emitting means. The light emitting device includes a housing means for housing the light emitting means, and a light emitting substrate on which the light emitting means is disposed,
the container means includes a partition means for partitioning an area disposed opposite one surface of the light emission substrate,
3. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the light receiving means is configured so that the manner in which the light is lit varies for each of the areas defined by the defining means.

Images