JP4304908B2 - Game machine - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention belongs to the technical field of gaming machines in which a number of game balls corresponding to winnings are paid out as prize balls.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For example, there is a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine in which when a prize is established by a game, a number of game balls corresponding to the prize are paid out as prize balls. Winning or the like is an event that causes a prize ball, such as winning in a pachinko machine or a slot machine, establishment of a score in an arrange ball pachinko machine, or the like.
[0003]
In such a gaming machine, for example, a movable ornament may be attached to, for example, a center bonus or a prize winning device.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
A movable ornament in a conventional gaming machine is usually driven by, for example, a motor or a solenoid, and its operation timing and operation itself are regular.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention]
The gaming machine according to claim 1 is a payout device for paying out a number of game balls corresponding to the winning etc. as a winning ball when winning or the like is established by the game, and the winning ball paid out from the payout device from the upper plate discharge basket In a gaming machine including an upper dish that can be received, a part of the upper dish discharge bowl is protruded from the opening provided in one wall of the upper dish discharge bowl, and the prize ball passes through the upper dish discharge bowl. A sprocket that is rotated by contact , and the sprocket that projects inwardly from the upper dish discharge bowl and an other wall of the upper dish discharge bowl that faces the one wall have an interval at which the prize ball can move. The sprocket that does not obstruct the movement of the prize ball that passes through the interval regardless of whether the sprocket rotates or not, the cam that rotates together with the sprocket, and the urging force of the return spring force the head to the outer peripheral surface of the cam. pressed against the Is, has reached the front of the upper dish through the lower spheres ponds for storing game balls of the upper dish, the cam is reciprocated to rotate the upper tip with the said reciprocating drive A drive pin that moves in and out from the front surface of the plate, a lever that is mounted on the front surface of the upper plate and is moved by the tip of the drive pin that has moved forward, and a spring that returns the lever as the drive pin moves backward And a variable decorative body that changes its position or shape according to the movement of the lever by an internal mechanism provided therein, and the drive pin and the variable decorative body are not connected to each other. .
[0006]
The sprocket is rotated by contact with a prize ball passing through the upper dish discharge bowl, with a part protruding from the opening provided on one wall of the upper dish discharge bowl to the inside of the upper dish discharge basket. That is, the sprocket is given kinetic energy by the prize ball.
In addition, there is a space where the prize ball can move between the sprocket that protrudes inside the upper dish discharge bowl and the other wall of the upper dish discharge bowl that faces the wall from which it protrudes. Even if it is not, movement of the prize ball through the interval is not blocked.
[0007]
The cam rotates together with the sprocket, and the drive pin is driven to reciprocate when the head rotates against the outer peripheral surface of the cam by the urging force of the return spring and the cam rotates. The drive pin reaches the front surface of the upper plate through the lower side of the ball pond for storing the game ball on the upper plate. When the drive pin is driven to reciprocate by the rotation of the cam, the tip is raised with the reciprocating drive. Invade from the front of the dish .
The variable decorative body is mounted on the front surface of the upper plate, and includes a lever that is moved by the tip of the drive pin that has moved forward and a spring that returns the lever as the drive pin moves backward. The position or shape is changed according to the movement of the lever by the internal mechanism .
[0008]
Changing the position means that the whole or a part of the variable decorative body moves, for example, rotates, tilts, vibrates or moves up and down. Further, the position may be moved within an appropriate range (for example, reciprocal movement or circular movement).
Changing the shape may partially overlap with the change in position described above, but for example, changes such as expansion, contraction, expansion / contraction, bending, etc., and the whole may change as such or only a part May be changed.
[0009]
In any case, since the position or shape of the variable decorative body is changed indirectly by the prize ball (because the prize ball is a drive source), a motor, a solenoid, or the like as a drive source is not required. Further, since the variable decorative body operates when the prize ball is paid out, the operation timing is not regular. Also, the payout of the prize ball can be notified by the operation of the variable decorative body.
[0010]
The variable decorative body is mounted on the front surface of the upper plate, and if it is in this position, the variable decorative body has no possibility of affecting the game, and the decorative effect is enhanced because it is close to the player.
When the variable decorative body is attached to the front of the upper plate, there is a possibility that the player touches the hand and hinders the movement, but the drive pin and the variable decorative body are not connected, so the variable decorative body When the movement of the body is obstructed, the drive pin, cam or sprocket can be prevented from being affected.
[0011]
Some gaming machines discharge not only prize balls but also gaming balls as rental balls (for example, a type of pachinko machine called a CR machine). In that case, configurations and the prize balls paid out device for paying out the prize balls also serves as the rental sphere discharge device, but both devices have a separate configuration, the upper tray release gutter In either configuration as a path for Kashitama It is common to share. Therefore, in the gaming machine having such a configuration, the sprocket may be moved by a rental ball.
[0027]
Also, as in claim 2, in the gaming machine of claim 1, wherein, if a portion of the drive pin to the elastic body, even the effects of the constitution that does not connect the drive pin and the variable jewelry article of claim 1 Can be good. Examples of the elastic body include a spring and rubber.
[0028]
Gaming machine of claim 3, wherein, in claim 1 or 2 gaming machine according the Saratobira a structure to partially the Precision openable door shape with respect to the main body of the game machine And the sprocket, the cam and the drive pin are mounted on the dish door.
[0029]
In the case of a pachinko machine, the upper plate is a part of the plate door, and is usually detached from the main body side as the plate door is opened like a door. Therefore, when a variable decorative body is mounted on such an upper plate, it is desirable in terms of structure and manufacturing process to mount a mechanism related thereto, that is, a sprocket, a cam and a drive pin, to the plate door. Also, for example, when a sprocket or cam is arranged on the main body side and the remainder is arranged on the countersink side, there is a risk that misalignment, misalignment, etc. may occur with the opening and closing of the countersink, resulting in malfunction. By configuring as in claim 3 , such a problem does not occur.
[0030]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of examples of the present invention.
[0031]
【Example】
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pachinko machine 10 which is a kind of gaming machine. As shown in FIG. 1, the pachinko machine 10 includes a plastic main frame 12 and a plastic inner frame 16 hinged to the main frame 12 by a pair of upper and lower hinges 14. In addition, each part is supported by the middle frame 16. Although not shown in detail, a known CR unit 90 may be attached to the left side of the pachinko machine 10.
[0032]
The middle frame 16 holds a game board 22, and detailed illustration is omitted, but the game board 22 is provided with a substantially circular game area surrounded by guide rails as in the known game board. In the game area, various winning devices (having a winning opening), obstacle nails, windmills, etc. are arranged, and at the bottom is an out hole for discharging the game ball that has passed through the game area as an out ball Is provided.
[0033]
The front side of the game board 22 is covered with a window frame 24 and a glass plate 26 disposed on the back side of the window frame 24. Specifically, the glass plate 26 is substantially square, and a rectangular glass holding frame (not shown) that matches the outer peripheral shape of the glass plate 26 is mounted on the back side of the window frame body 24, and the glass plate 26 holds the glass. It is held by the frame and attached to the window frame body 24.
[0034]
The window frame body 24 is connected to the middle frame 16 via a hinge (not shown) arranged on the back side of the left side toward the window frame body 24, and can be opened and closed with the hinge as an axis. However, the window frame 24 is normally locked in a closed state as shown in the figure, and can be opened by operating the lock 27 provided on the inner frame 16. The lock 27 also functions to lock the middle frame 16 in a closed state with respect to the main body frame 12. Depending on the operation direction (clockwise, counterclockwise) of the lock 27, the window frame 24 or the middle frame 16 may be locked. The structure is unlocked.
[0035]
A circular window 28 is provided in the window frame body 24, and the game board 22 can be visually recognized from the window 28. A portion of the game board 22 that substantially corresponds to the inside of the window 28 is the above-described game area.
Below the window frame 24, the dish door 30 is connected to the middle frame 16 via a hinge (not shown) arranged on the back side of the left side toward the left side, and can be opened and closed with the hinge as an axis. Similarly to the window frame body 24, the dish door 30 is normally closed as shown in the figure, and the metal fittings arranged behind the dish door 30 are operated after the window frame body 24 is opened. If this is done, the dish door can be opened.
[0036]
The dish door 30 is provided with an upper dish 32, and an upper dish discharge basket 34 that opens to the inside of the main body of the pachinko machine 10 is opened inside the upper dish 32. The upper tray discharge bar 34 is connected to a payout device (not shown) via a payout passage (not shown), and the upper plate 32 receives the game ball discharged from the payout device. The upper tray 32 is also a launch ball supply tray for storing game balls to be supplied to a launcher (not shown), and the game balls in the upper tray 32 are transferred to the launcher as the launcher is operated. And leaked.
[0037]
The payout device can pay out game balls as prize balls and game balls as rental balls. When a CR unit 90 is attached, the payout balls and payout balls are paid out (the prize ball payout device is rented). It is also a ball discharge device.) When a CR unit is not attached, only payout of a prize ball is performed (a prize ball payout device).
[0038]
Below the dish door 30, a lower dish 56 is fixed to the front side of the middle frame 16. Inside the lower plate 56, a lower plate discharge rod 58 that opens to the inside of the main body of the pachinko machine 10 is opened. The lower tray discharge bar 58 is connected to the payout device via the payout passage, and can accept the game balls discharged from the payout device. The payout passage is branched into the upper plate discharge bowl 34 side and the lower plate discharge bowl 58 side, and when the upper sphere discharge bowl 34 is filled with game balls (when the upper plate 32 is full), The structure is such that the game ball is guided to the discharge rod 58.
[0039]
An ashtray 63 is attached to the left side of the lower plate 56 and an operation dial 62 for operating the launching device is attached to the front side of the middle frame 16 on the right side.
The detailed structure of the dish door 30 is as shown in FIG. 2, and the upper dish 32 is provided with a ball pool 35 for storing game balls. Precisely, the ball pond 35 is formed between the member serving as the upper plate 32 and the back plate 36 of the plate door 30, and the bottom surface of the ball pond 35 is a gently sloping surface whose left side is high and right side is low in the figure. It is. For this reason, the game balls in the ball pond 35 flow to the right side, are narrowed down to one row at the tip, flow into the rectifier (not shown), and fire one by one from the rectifier in accordance with the operation of the launching device. Supplied on the rail, hit by the launcher and jumps into the game area.
[0040]
The upper dish discharge bar 34 is provided in a state of penetrating the back plate 36 and protrudes behind the back plate 36. When the tray door 30 is closed as shown in FIG. Is done.
An opening 37 a is provided on one (right side in the drawing) wall 37 of the upper dish discharge basket 34, and a part of the sprocket 39 protrudes from the opening 37 a to the inside of the upper dish discharge basket 34.
[0041]
The sprocket 39 is rotatable about the shaft 41. The sprocket 39 and the shaft 41 are fixed and rotate together. Although the shaft 41 is held by a bearing (not shown), this bearing is attached to the dish door 30, and the sprocket 39 and the shaft 41 are also indirectly attached to the dish door 30.
[0042]
Ten valley portions 39a are provided on the outer periphery of the sprocket 39. Depending on the rotational position of the sprocket 39, two to three valley portions 39a are located inside the opening 37a.
The valley portion 39a has an arc shape that substantially matches the outer peripheral surface of the game ball B, and allows a part of the game ball to easily enter and leave. The height of the opening 37a is smaller than the diameter of the game ball (for example, about 8 mm), and the thickness of the sprocket 39 is naturally smaller than that (about 3 mm in this embodiment). The sprocket 39 is disposed at a position corresponding to the equator of the game ball passing through the upper dish discharge rod 34, and the distance (maximum value) between the sprocket 39 and the wall 37 is also set to be less than the radius of the game ball. Therefore, the game ball does not enter the opening 37a or get caught between the sprocket 39 and the wall 37. However, the sprocket 39 can contact the game ball that has passed through the upper plate discharge bar 34, that is, the game ball that has been paid out from the payout device, and the sprocket 39 is rotated by the game ball that has come into contact (impact).
[0043]
Below the sprocket 39, a cam 43 having a shape in which each side of the equilateral triangle is replaced with an arc having one side as a radius is arranged, and the cam 43 is also fixed to the shaft 41 at the center. Therefore, the cam 43 rotates together with the sprocket 39. That is, the sprocket 39, the shaft 41, and the cam 43 that rotate together form a structure corresponding to a passive body. The sprocket 39 and the cam 43 may be integrated (corresponding to a passive body), and the shaft 41 may be configured not to rotate with them. The cam 43 may have another shape (structure).
[0044]
A disc-shaped head 45 a of the drive pin 45 is brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the cam 43. The drive pin 45 passes through the inside of the dish door 30 (below the basin 35) and reaches the front surface 32a of the upper dish 32 (see FIG. 3). The drive pin 45 is supported by two sliding bearings 47a and 47b and can reciprocate in the axial direction. Further, a coil spring 49 loosely fitted to the drive pin 45 is disposed in a compressed state between the sliding bearing 47 a and the head 45 a, and the head 45 a is arranged on the outer periphery of the cam 43 by the biasing force of the coil spring 49. It is pressed against the surface. For this reason, when the cam 43 rotates together with the sprocket 39, the head 45a, that is, the drive pin 45 is driven to reciprocate, and the tip of the drive pin 45 appears and disappears from the front surface 32a of the upper plate 32. The drive pin 45 and the coil spring 49 constitute a transmission mechanism.
[0045]
The coil spring 49 is a return spring for preventing the head 45a of the drive pin 45 from moving away from the cam 43, and the urging force is sufficient to perform its function, but the rotation of the sprocket 39 and the cam 43 It is a weak spring that hardly inhibits
[0046]
As shown in FIG. 3, a variable decorative body (a mermaid doll in the example of FIG. 3) 50 is attached to the front surface 32 a of the upper plate 32 at a position corresponding to the tip of the drive pin 45. In the present embodiment, the variable decorative body 50 is attached by screws (not shown) from the inside of the upper plate 32, and is appropriately selected and used from among those exemplified below in the manufacturing stage. In addition, the variable decorative body 50 can be replaced by disassembling the tray door 30 even after manufacture (after installation in the amusement store).
[0047]
The variable decorative body 50 is in a form that harmonizes with the design of the gaming machine (pachinko machine in this example), game content, manufacturer, etc., for example, a decorative picture (so-called cell picture) of the game board 22 or a character displayed on the symbol display device or It is desirable to make a character such as a maker of a gaming machine into a three-dimensional doll or the like, but it may be a model of machinery (for example, a robot, an automobile, an aircraft, a ship, etc.).
[0048]
The outer shell portion of the variable decorative body 50 is configured to be movable in whole or in part, and an internal mechanism for moving the movable portion of the variable decorative body 50 by being driven by the tip of the drive pin 45 inside the illustration (not shown). For example, an insulator or the like is provided.
The variable decorative body 50 (hereinafter also referred to as a mermaid 50) of this embodiment has a flexible and elastically deformable plastic (for example, soft polyvinyl chloride) as the outer shell, and the trunk portion of the mermaid 50 is made of a hard plastic (for example, ABS). ) Is supported by the base plate. Since the base plate is fixed to the front surface 32a of the upper plate 32, the body portion cannot be moved, but the tail portion 50a is not fixed and can be deformed up and down or front and back within the range of its elastic deformation.
[0049]
The mermaid 50 includes a crank-shaped lever that is moved by the tip of the drive pin 45 that has moved forward, a spring that returns the lever as the drive pin 45 moves backward, and the mermaid 50 according to the movement of the lever. An internal mechanism for changing (deforming) the tail portion 50a up and down, for example, is provided. The internal mechanism is also supported by the base plate.
[0050]
The pachinko machine 10 of the present embodiment is configured in the same manner as a known pachinko machine except for the configuration described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 (portion from the sprocket 39 to the mermaid 50). A game is performed in the same manner as above. And if a winning occurs with the game, the corresponding prize ball is paid out.
[0051]
When the prize ball hits the sprocket 39 as it passes through the upper dish discharge rod 34, the sprocket 39 is rotated. Accordingly, the cam 43 is also rotated, so that the drive pin 45 is reciprocated by the cam 43 and the coil spring 49. As a result, when the tip of the drive pin 45 protrudes from the front surface 32a of the upper plate 32, the tail 50a of the mermaid 50 is raised by the tip of the drive pin 45 that has advanced, and when the drive pin 45 is retracted, the tail 50a is lowered. .
[0052]
Since the timing and strength at which the prize ball passing through the upper plate release rod 34 collides with the sprocket 39 is not fixed, the timing, rotation amount, rotation speed, etc. of the sprocket 39 are not determined. For this reason, although the tail 50a of the mermaid 50 changes up and down as shown in FIG. 3 (b) as the prize ball is paid out, the timing, change amount, change speed, etc. are irregular. However, since some of the prize balls hit the sprocket 39 and rotate, if the prize balls are paid out, even if the tail 50a of the mermaid 50 moves even slightly, the action of the mermaid 50 can notify the prize balls being paid out.
[0053]
If the number of prize balls is small (for example, about 3), there is a possibility that none of the prize balls will hit the sprocket 39. Although it cannot be said that the tail 50a moves, the tail 50a of the mermaid 50 moves almost certainly if the number of prize balls is larger than that (for example, 10 or 15).
[0054]
Further, when the pachinko machine 10 also discharges a rental ball, the mermaid 50 can be driven by the rental ball. Normally, lending balls are discharged as 100 yen (25 at present) as one unit, so that the tail 50a of the mermaid 50 moves almost certainly.
Normally, the upper plate discharge bowl 34 is located immediately after the game ball discharged from the payout device falls in the vertical direction and changes its direction in the horizontal direction, so the flow velocity of the game ball passing there is large and strong. The tail 50a of the mermaid 50 can be driven sufficiently.
[0055]
In either case, the mermaid 50 changes its shape using the game ball passing through the upper dish discharge basket 34 as a drive source, so that a motor, solenoid, or the like as the drive source is not required.
Since the shape of the mermaid 50 attached to the front surface of the upper plate 32 that can be easily seen by the player is changed by the prize ball, the impact on the player is great and the decoration effect is also good.
[0056]
The sprocket 39 and the cam 43, which are passive bodies, are rotated by a prize ball (and a rental ball) to reciprocate the drive pin 45, and the mermaid 50 is deformed by the drive pin 45. Therefore, the structure is simple and publicly known. This can be realized by a combination of machine elements.
Since the mechanism for driving the mermaid 50 such as the sprocket 39, the cam 43, and the drive pin 45 is all attached to the dish door 30, it is suitable in terms of structure and manufacturing process. Along with this, there is no risk of misalignment and malfunction.
[0057]
Since the mermaid 50 is in a place where the player can easily touch the hand, there is a possibility that the player may inhibit the movement by suppressing the mermaid 50, but in that case, the sprocket 39 only stops rotating. Therefore, no particular failure occurs.
The drive pin 45 is divided into two parts and connected with a coil spring (harder than the coil spring 49 and capable of sufficiently transmitting the driving force to the mermaid 50), or a similar coil spring is attached to the tip of the drive pin 45. And if it is set as the structure which gives a driving force to the mermaid 50 via the coil spring, when the mermaid 50 is suppressed, it can prevent that an excessive force acts on the mermaid 50 and the drive pin 45. FIG. The same effect can be expected even when rubber or the like is used instead of the coil spring.
[0058]
As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described according to the Example, this invention is not limited to this example.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pachinko machine according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of a dish door.
FIG. 3 is a front view of a dish door.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 Pachinko machines (game machines)
22 Game board 30 Dish door 32 Upper dish (dish)
34 Top plate discharge bowl 39 Sprocket (passive body)
41 axis (passive body)
43 cam (passive body)
45 Drive pin (transmission mechanism)
49 Coil spring (transmission mechanism)
50 Variable decorative body 56 Lower plate (dish)
B game ball

Claims (3)

A game provided with a payout device that pays out a number of game balls corresponding to the winning or the like as winning balls when a winning or the like is established by the game, and an upper plate that receives the winning balls paid out from the payout device from the upper plate discharge bowl In the machine
A sprocket that is partly protruded from an opening provided in one wall of the upper dish discharge bowl and is rotated by contact with a prize ball passing through the upper dish discharge bowl , The prize ball can be moved between the sprocket protruding inside the dish discharge bowl and the other wall of the upper dish discharge bowl facing the one wall, and the sprocket may not rotate. And a sprocket that does not block the movement of the prize ball through the interval ,
A cam that rotates together with the sprocket;
The head is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the cam by the urging force of the return spring , reaches the front surface of the upper plate through the lower side of the ball pond for storing the game ball of the upper plate, the cam A driving pin that reciprocates when rotating and causes the tip to protrude from the front surface of the upper plate with the reciprocating driving ;
An internal mechanism that includes an insulator mounted on the front surface of the upper plate and moved by the tip of the drive pin that has moved forward, and a spring that returns the lever as the drive pin moves backward. And a variable decorative body that changes the position or shape according to the movement of the insulator ,
The gaming machine, wherein the driving pin and the variable decorative body are not connected . The gaming machine according to claim 1,
A gaming machine characterized in that a part of the drive pin is an elastic body . In the gaming machine according to claim 1 or 2,
A tray door that is a structure that can be opened and closed in a door shape with respect to the main body of the gaming machine and has the upper plate as a part thereof,
A gaming machine , wherein the sprocket, the cam, and the driving pin are attached to the dish door .

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