JP5097645B2 - Medal throwing device and medal game machine using the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a medal throwing device for a so-called arcade type game machine installed in a game center or the like, and a medal game machine using the same.

  Some arcade-type medal game machines are configured to throw out medals inserted into the game machine into a predetermined medal game field through a shooter (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The medal game machine disclosed in Patent Document 1 is configured such that a medal accommodated in a hopper is sent out to a shooter while standing up through a sending port (medal discharging unit 330, see FIG. 33 of the same document). ing. The shooter (discharge unit 410, see FIGS. 40 and 41 of the same document) includes a pair of left and right side walls and a bottom wall connected to them, so that the medal can be rolled in an upright position. . Further, the shooter has a base end that can be rotated around a vertical axis in front of the delivery port, and the player can change the throwing direction of medals from the shooter tip to the left and right. It has become.

  In the medal game machine of Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 14 of the present application, the width between the pair of side walls 92c and 92d is increased to some extent at the base end portion of the shooter 92. Thus, even when the shooter 92 is swung to the left or right with respect to the delivery port 91 (the base end side opening 92a of the shooter 92 is not directly facing the delivery port 91), the delivery port 91 and the shooter The medal m can be sent out from the delivery port 91 to the shooter 92 while preventing interference with the proximal end portion of the 92.

  However, in the configuration shown in FIG. 14, when the shooter 92 is shaken (the base end side opening 92 a is not directly facing the delivery port 91), the medal m that has exited from the delivery port 91. Becomes easier to contact the inner surface of the side wall 92c of the shooter 92 from an oblique direction. For this reason, the medal m is stalled by the contact, and the posture of the medal m when rolling in the shooter 92 is likely to be unstable. Therefore, the speed of the medal m when thrown from the tip of the shooter 92 is There is a risk of a significant reduction compared to a state where the shooter 92 is not shaken. Therefore, when the shooter 92 is swung, a disadvantage that the medal m cannot be thrown in the direction intended by the player may occur.

JP 2007-185205 A

  The present invention has been conceived under such circumstances, and provides a medal throwing apparatus and a medal game machine using the medal throwing apparatus capable of smoothly feeding medals to a rotatable shooter. That is the purpose.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following technical means.

  The medal throwing device provided by the first aspect of the present invention includes a shooter that throws a medal supplied from a supply port into a predetermined field from a discharge port, and a sending unit that sends a medal to the supply port. In the medal throwing device, the shooter includes a turning means that can turn the shooter in at least the left-right direction with respect to the sending means. A guide member for restricting the movement in the direction is provided, and the guide member is made of an elastic material, and a distal end portion is inserted into the supply port.

  According to such a configuration, even when the shooter is rotated and the shooter is swung to the left and right with respect to the delivery means, the guide member made of an elastic material is curved so as to follow the inner surface of the shooter as it goes toward the tip. Since it is deformed, the medal sent from the sending means is smoothly introduced into the shooter. Therefore, even if the throwing direction of the medal is changed by rotating the shooter left and right, there is no inconvenience that the medal stalls or the medal is jammed in the shooter. The medal can be thrown out conveniently in the direction.

  In a preferred embodiment, the sending means sends the medal upright to the supply port, and the shooter throws out the medal from the outlet while keeping the medal upright. According to such a configuration, the medal can be thrown out from the throwing port at an appropriate initial speed while appropriately rolling in the shooter.

  In a preferred embodiment, the shooter includes a first passage that causes the medal to roll obliquely downward by the action of gravity, and a second passage that gently connects to the first passage and causes the medal to roll obliquely upward. And the outlet provided at the distal end of the second passage is positioned lower than the supply port provided at the proximal end of the first passage. According to such a configuration, even when the direction of throwing out medals from the shooter is directed upward from the horizontal direction, the medals are thrown out from the outlet while smoothly rolling in the shooter. Thus, in combination with the provision of a guide member made of an elastic material, even if the throwing direction of the medal is changed by rotating the shooter left and right, the medal that rolls in the shooter unfairly stalls, Will not clog.

  In a preferred embodiment, the guide member is a pair of upright leaf springs having an interval through which medals delivered to the supply port can pass. According to such a configuration, as the shooter rotates, the upright leaf spring is smoothly curved along the inner surface of the shooter. Therefore, the shooter supply port is guided while more smoothly guiding the standing medal. Can be sent to.

  In a preferred embodiment, a medal slot for inserting medals, a hopper for storing medals inserted from the medal slot, and for transporting medals from the hopper to the sending means. A medal transport guide is further provided, and when a medal is inserted from the medal insertion slot, the medal is sent from the hopper to the shooter via the medal transport guide and the sending means. According to such a configuration, even when the distance from the medal slot to the shooter is relatively long, the medal can be thrown into the predetermined field without any inconvenience.

  In a preferred embodiment, operation means for receiving an operation input for rotating the shooter is provided, and the rotation means rotates the shooter according to the operation input. According to such a configuration, the operability of the shooter turning operation can be improved.

  In a preferred embodiment, there is provided a rotation restricting means for restricting the amount of rotation of the shooter within a predetermined angle range. According to such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the shooter from being shaken excessively with respect to the sending means, and it is possible to more accurately realize the smooth delivery of medals from the sending means to the shooter.

  The medal game machine provided by the second aspect of the present invention is a medal game machine having a game field in which a game using medals is performed, and the present invention for throwing medals into the game field. The medal throwing device according to the first aspect of the present invention is provided.

  In a preferred embodiment, the game field is provided with an inclined inclined surface and a chucker positioned on a lower side of the inclined surface, and the shooter is one of the inclined surfaces in plan view. A medal having an initial velocity in an oblique direction with respect to an area is thrown out, and the thrown medal is configured to collide and fall on the inclined plate surface, and the chucker collides with the inclined plate surface and falls. Has an opening that allows a medal to pass through.

  In a preferred embodiment, the game field is provided with a pusher field having a fixed plate and a movable plate that reciprocates on the fixed plate, and medals thrown out from the shooter pass through the inclined board surface. The medals supplied to the pusher field and placed on the fixed plate are dropped and paid out by the reciprocating motion of the movable plate.

  Even in the medal game machine having the above configuration, the medal is properly thrown toward the game field while the shooter is rotated in the left-right direction while enjoying the advantages of the medal throwing device according to the first aspect of the present invention. can do.

  Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description given below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a medal game machine according to the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

  1 to 12 show an embodiment of a medal game machine according to the present invention. As clearly shown in FIG. 1, the medal game machine A of the present embodiment has a cylindrical showcase 11 mounted on the lower housing 10 and an upper cover 12 provided on the showcase 11. A medal game field MF and a center unit CU, which will be described later, are provided in the space surrounded by the showcase 11. A plurality of operation panel portions 13 are provided at equal intervals on the outer peripheral surface portion of the lower housing 10 so that the same number of persons (for example, eight people) as those operation panel portions 13 can play a game simultaneously. It has become. Each operation panel unit 13 includes an operation button 13A and an operation lever 13B used in a lottery game, which will be described later, as well as a detailed description of illustrations, but a medal depot for storing medals, a medal insertion slot Etc. are provided. A medal payout port 13 </ b> C for paying out a medal dropped from the medal game field MF is also provided at the back of the operation panel unit 13. A medal throwing mechanism 14 is provided inside the lower housing 10 on both the left and right sides of each operation panel unit 13. For example, a total of eight medal game fields MF are provided corresponding to each of the plurality of operation panel units 13.

  Although not shown in FIG. 1, the medal game machine A includes an image display device 2, a pusher field 3, a cruise lottery device 6, and further a center unit CU ( A microcomputer 9 for controlling the operation of each part such as the catcher lottery device 4 and the center lottery device 7) is mounted.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the medal game field MF is provided with an image display device 2 for executing an electronic game using a liquid crystal display or the like, and a pusher field 3.

  As clearly shown in FIG. 4, the image display device 2 is inclined so that its screen portion becomes lower as it goes to the near side (right side in the figure) as viewed from the player. The screen portion of the image display device 2 is covered with a glass plate 21 with the frame 20 interposed therebetween, and the front surface of the glass plate 21 is an inclined disk surface 21A. That is, the inclined board surface 21A is inclined so that the front side is at a low level. The inclined disk surface 21A is also provided with a plurality of pins 22 arranged in the horizontal direction and a plurality of pins 24 attached to the support member 23 and capable of reciprocating in the direction of the arrow Na in FIG. 3, which will be described later. To do. In the present embodiment, the surface of the support member 23 also constitutes a part of the inclined disk surface 21A.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a plurality of chuckers 26 are provided in the horizontal direction between the image display device 2 and the pusher field 3. The chucker 26 has a horizontally long opening 26 </ b> A that allows passage of medals in a posture substantially along the inclined surface 21 </ b> A of the glass plate 21. On the front surface of each chucker 26, a display unit 26B made of, for example, an LED is provided.

  The medal throwing mechanism 14 is for throwing medals m inserted by the player into the medal game field MF, and as shown in FIG. 5, a relatively large number of medals m can be stored. Hopper 141, a rotor 142 that is provided at the bottom of the hopper 141 and rotates to feed out the medals m in the hopper 141 one by one, a motor 143 for driving the rotor, and a medal paid out by the rotation of the rotor 142 An upright medal conveyance guide 144 for conveying m upward, and a medal shooter 145 for throwing out the medal m toward the inclined surface 21A of the medal game field MF are provided. The hopper 141 and the medal transport guide 144 are fixedly provided with respect to the lower housing 10. The medals m inserted from the medal insertion slot of the operation panel unit 13 are fed into the hopper 141 through a guide rail (not shown). The guide rail is provided with an insertion medal sensor (not shown) that detects the passage of the inserted medal m. When the insertion medal sensor detects the passage of the medal m, the detection signal is sent to the microcomputer 9. It is configured to be sent. Inside the medal transport guide 144, a plurality of medals m are always accommodated in a state of being in contact with each other.

  On the upper part of the medal transport guide 144, a sending means 144A for sending the medal m to the supply port 145a on the proximal end side of the medal shooter 145 is provided. As clearly shown in FIG. 6, the delivery means 144A has a pair of left and right upright vertical walls 144b and 144c. The interval between the inner surfaces of the vertical walls 144b and 144c is set to a necessary and sufficient interval so that the standing medal m can pass.

  In the medal throwing mechanism 14, when the rotor 142 rotates by a certain angle and one medal m in the hopper 141 is fed out to the medal transport guide 144, the medal m inside the medal transport guide 144 is pushed up, One medal m located at the head of the medals is sent out from the sending means 144A to the medal shooter 145. Further, the microcomputer 9 controls the driving of the motor 143 based on the detection signal of the medal m by the inserted medal sensor, thereby rotating the rotor 142 by the predetermined angle to obtain one medal m in the hopper 141. The medal conveyance guide 144 is fed out. With this configuration, when one medal m is inserted from the medal insertion slot, one medal m is sent from the medal sending means 144A to the medal shooter 145.

  The medal shooter 145 is for throwing the medal m in an upright posture while giving an initial speed. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the pair of left and right side walls 145c, 145d and the side walls 145c, 145d The bottom wall 145e connected to the bottom is provided as a basic structure, and the medal m fed through the supply port 145a is rotated obliquely downward by the action of gravity and accelerated, and the tip side medal outlet 145b. An upward rail portion 145G that rolls the medal m diagonally upward is gently connected. In the medal shooter 145, the distance between the side walls 145c and 145d at the base end portion is larger than the distance between the inner surfaces of the vertical walls 144b and 144c in the delivery means 144A. The medal m can be sent out from the sending means 144A to the medal shooter 145 even if it is swung (rotated) with respect to the sending means 144A by moving it. Further, the outlet 145b on the tip side of the medal shooter 145 is positioned lower than the supply port 145a. Thereby, the throwing direction of the medal m from the medal shooter 145 is directed upward from the horizontal direction.

  As described above, the medal shooter 145 is arranged so as to be rotatable in the left-right direction with respect to the sending means 144A. The planar arrangement thereof is as shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b). desirable. FIG. 6A shows a state in which the medal shooter 145 assumes the reference position so that the moving direction of the medal m in the projection unit 144A in plan view matches the moving direction of the medal m in the medal shooter 145 in plan view. FIG. 6B shows a state in which the movement direction of the medal m in the medal shooter 145 in the plan view is rotated to the right with respect to the movement direction of the medal m in the projection unit 144A in the plan view. As can be seen from these figures, even when the medal shooter 145 takes the rotational position as shown in FIG. 6B, the medal shooter 145 does not unduly interfere with the throwing means 144A. The medal shooter 145 taking the reference position) has a predetermined gap between the supply port 145a and the tip of the delivery means 144A.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a rotation mechanism 15 that rotates the medal shooter 145 is provided at the base end portion of the medal shooter 145. The rotation mechanism 15 includes a support shaft 151 that supports the medal shooter 145 so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis v1 positioned in the vicinity of the front of the delivery unit 144A, a motor 152 coupled to the support shaft 151, and two sensors. 153a and 153b, which are supported by the lower housing 10 via a cover member 150. The sensors 153a and 153b are disposed around the support shaft 151, and include, for example, a photo interrupter. A detected piece 154 detected by the sensors 153a and 153b is attached to the support shaft 151. The sensors 153a and 153b detect the operation end of the rotation operation of the support shaft 151. In the embodiment, the medal shooter 145 rotates around the vertical axis v1 as described above. However, the rotation center of the medal shooter 145 is not limited to vertical, but tilts forward, backward, left and right. It may be. In short, the rotation direction of the medal shooter 145 may include the left-right direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the sending means 144 </ b> A of the medal transport guide 144 is provided with a pair of leaf springs 146 spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. More specifically, the pair of leaf springs 146 are erected by appropriate means such as screws (not shown) such that the base ends thereof are along the inner surfaces of the vertical walls 144b and 144c of the delivery means 144A. It is connected. The tip of the leaf spring 146 is inserted between the side walls 145c and 145d through the supply port 145a of the medal shooter 145. The leaf spring 146 can be easily elastically deformed, and is an example of a guide member in the present invention.

  When the medal shooter 145 takes the reference position as shown in FIG. 6A, the pair of leaf springs 146 are in a natural state and extend into the medal shooter 145 with a predetermined interval. The medals m to be sent pass between the pair of leaf springs 146 and are sent straight to the supply port 145a of the medal shooter 145.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6B, when the medal shooter 145 takes the rotation position, the one leaf spring 146 is bent and deformed in contact with the inner surface of the side wall 145c according to the rotation amount of the medal shooter 145. Therefore, the inner surface of the leaf spring 146 that is deformed to bend serves as a guide for smoothly changing the traveling direction of the medal m to the left and right with respect to the sending direction by the sending means 144A. Such a role is similarly exerted regardless of the rotation amount of the medal shooter 145. Here, even if the medal m comes into contact with the leaf spring 146 on the right side in the drawing, the leaf spring 146 is easily bent, so that the rolling of the medal m is inhibited by the leaf spring 146. There is nothing. As described above, a fixed gap is provided between the sending means 144A and the medal shooter 145. However, since a fixed initial speed is given to the sending of medals from the sending means 144A, the medal m has no gap. And is sent into the medal shooter 145. It should be noted that an auxiliary bottom wall that is positioned below the pair of leaf springs 146 and does not interfere with the supply port 145a of the medal shooter 145 in a suitable portion of the sending means 144A in the gap between the sending means 144A and the medal shooter 145. By providing (not shown), the delivery of the medal m from the sending means 144A to the medal shooter 145 becomes smoother.

  The microcomputer 9 drives the motor 152 in accordance with the operation of the operation lever 13B by the player, and rotates the medal shooter 145 around the support shaft 151 (vertical axis v1). Further, the microcomputer 9 controls the driving of the motor 152 based on the detection signals from the sensors 153a and 153b, whereby the medal shooter 145 is detected by the sensor 153b from the position where the detected piece 154 is detected by the sensor 153a. It can be reciprocated within a certain angle range to the position. Note that the microcomputer may automatically drive the motor 152 and repeat the rotation of the medal shooter 145 regardless of the operation by the player.

  As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 7, a restricting member 25 that guides the dropping of medals into the opening 26 </ b> A is provided near the upper portion of the chucker 26. As shown in FIG. 4, the restricting member 25 is a bar that is disposed at a predetermined interval in a posture substantially parallel to the inclined disk surface 21A. As shown in FIG. 7, the restricting member 25 is detachably attached to a pair of left and right support plates 27. The support plate 27 is formed with a long hole 27a extending in a direction (depth direction) approaching or separating from the inclined disk surface 21A. Thereby, the attachment position of the regulating member 25 with respect to the inclined disk surface 21A can be adjusted in the depth direction. In addition, although the regulating member 25 of this embodiment is supported by a pair of support plates 27, it is not limited to this. For example, the regulating member 25 may be supported (cantilevered) by a single support plate.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a plurality of pins 24 are provided in the vicinity of the upper side of the restricting member 25 so as to be arranged in the horizontal direction via the support member 23. These pins 24 are arranged at the same pitch as the arrangement of the chucker 26, and are projected to the front side of the inclined disk surface 21A. The support member 23 is slidable in the direction of the arrow Na in FIG. 3, and as shown in FIG. 7, a groove 23 a extending in the vertical direction is formed at the end of the support member 23. A roller 29a provided at an eccentric position of the rotating plate 29 rotated by the motor 28 is fitted in the groove 23a. With this configuration, when the motor 28 is driven, the support member 23 and the plurality of pins 24 supported by the support member 23 are reciprocated in the left-right direction (the direction of the arrow Na in FIGS. 3 and 6) of the inclined disk surface 21A. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a plurality of pins 22 are provided in the vicinity of the upper portion of the pins 24 so as to be arranged in the horizontal direction. These pins 22 are supported by the frame body 20 and are erected so as to protrude toward the front side of the inclined disk surface 21A, and are arranged at a constant pitch so that the medals m can pass between the adjacent pins 22. Has been. In addition, the number of such pins 22 and 24 and the pitch of arrangement | positioning can be changed suitably, and may be provided in the whole inclined board surface, and does not need to be.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when the medal m provided with the initial speed is thrown out while rolling in the medal shooter 145 by the action of gravity while standing, the medal m draws a mountain-shaped parabola. After gently flying in the air, it collides with the inclined surface 21A. Since the medal throwing device 14 is arranged at the left and right positions of the medal game field MF, the medal m thrown from the medal shooter 145 as described above maintains a standing state and is given rotation. It collides with the inclined board surface 21A from diagonally forward in plan view. At this time, the medal m is bounced on the inclined disk surface 21A, but due to the peripheral edge of the medal m colliding with the inclined disk surface 21A, the behavior of the medal m after being bounced is the reaction from the inclined disk surface 21A. In response to the force, a rotational force in the left-right direction is also added.

  As a result, the medal m bounces while ramping the inclined disk surface 21A and falls while changing the posture, and eventually hits the pin 22 and the pin 24 and further changes the course. In addition, the medal m given the initial speed by the action of gravity does not rebound excessively when it collides with the inclined disk surface 21A, but falls while bounces appropriately along the inclination of the inclined disk surface 21A. Then, the traveling direction of the medal m is regulated by the regulating member 25 immediately before the chucker 26. When the medal m passes behind the regulating member 25, the posture of the medal m is adjusted so as to be substantially along the inclined plate surface 21A, and most of the medal m enters the chucker 26 through the opening 26A. On the other hand, when the medal m passes through the front side of the restricting member 25, the medal m falls from the front side of the chucker 26 without entering the chucker 26.

  The initial speed of the medal m thrown out from the medal shooter 145 is desirably an initial speed that does not jump over the inclined disk surface 21A, and the vertical collision position with respect to the inclined disk surface 21A may be set in any manner. Further, the medal shooter 145 does not necessarily need to be thrown out with the medal m facing upward as in the embodiment, and the medal shooter 145 obliquely with respect to any region of the inclined surface 21A in plan view. Just throw out m.

  Each chucker 26 is configured such that the passage of the medal m is detected by a sensor (not shown) provided therein, for example. The predetermined chucker 26 is displayed as an LED on the display unit 26B. When the medal m thrown out from the medal shooter 145 enters the predetermined chucker 26, a prize is awarded, and the microcomputer 9 is, for example, an electronic game developed on the image display device 2 or a game using the chucker 26 (predetermined game). ). The predetermined chucker 26 displayed by the LED is appropriately changed with time, for example. An example of the electronic game is a roulette game displayed on the image display device 2. In addition, as a game using the chucker 26, for example, there is a game that is “winning” when a predetermined number of medals are awarded to the LED-displayed chucker 26. The lottery game in the catcher lottery apparatus 4 is configured to be executed according to the result of the predetermined game. As shown in FIG. 4, both the medal m that has entered the chucker 26 and the medal m that has not entered the chucker 26 fall on the pusher field 3. Note that the game effect according to the result of the predetermined game is not limited to the acquisition of the right of the lottery game in the catcher lottery apparatus 4 as described above, but also includes a simple payout of a predetermined number of medals m.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pusher field 3 has a movable plate 31 overlaid on a fixed plate 30, and the movable plate 31 is driven by a motor (not shown) at a constant stroke with an arrow in FIG. It is a well-known thing comprised so that reciprocation as shown may be performed. When the movable plate 31 moves forward, when a plurality of medals m placed on the fixed plate 30 are pressed against each other toward the front of the fixed plate 30, the leading edge 30a of the fixed plate 30 The medal m is dropped into the drop groove 32 on the near side. The reciprocating movement of the movable plate 31 is configured to be repeatedly executed at all times. Instead, the movable plate 31 is operated intermittently in accordance with, for example, a game result executed in the image display device 2. It does not matter if you let them. The medal m dropped into the dropping groove 32 is paid out to a medal detention part (not shown) on the operation panel part 13 through a medal payout outlet 13B via a known medal paying mechanism (not shown) having a hopper device for the medal m. It is supposed to be. Balls b1 acquired by the catcher lottery device 4 are scattered on the fixed plate 30 according to the progress of the game, for example. The ball b1 moves forward as the medal on the fixed plate 30 is pushed forward, and eventually falls into the drop groove 32. To the side of the pusher field 3, the medal m is paid out on the fixed plate 30 or the movable plate 31 when a predetermined result is obtained in an electronic game executed in the image display device 2 or a lottery game in the croon lottery device 6. For this purpose, a medal payout exit 33 is provided. A medal recovery port 301 is provided on both sides of the fixed plate 30 and the medal m that has entered the medal recovery port 301 is recovered in a predetermined medal storage unit (not shown).

  In the present embodiment, the medal game field MF is provided with a fixed rail 51 and a movable rail 52 for conveying and throwing the ball b1 acquired by the catcher lottery device 4 described later into the pusher field 3. At the upper end of the fixed rail 51, a tray 51a for placing a ball b1 picked up by a catcher 42, which will be described later, is provided. At the lower end of the fixed rail 51, there is a hole 51b for dropping the ball b1 to the base end of the movable rail 52. Is provided. The movable rail 52 is used to distribute the throwing position of the ball b1 on the pusher field 3, and its base end is connected to an output shaft of a motor (not shown) so that a certain angle about a predetermined vertical axis is obtained. It can be rotated within the range. A hole 52a for dropping the ball b1 is provided at the tip of the movable rail 52.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the center unit CU includes a catcher lottery device 4, a center lottery device 7, a main display 8, and a medal payout mechanism (not shown). In the present embodiment, the lottery game executed by the center lottery device 7 is a lottery for obtaining a jackpot (hereinafter referred to as SJP (super jackpot)) from which a maximum of thousands of medals m are paid out.

  The catcher lottery device 4 is for performing a lottery to pick up or grab the ball b1 by an input operation of the player, and includes a catcher driving unit 41, a catcher 42, and a rotary table 43. . On the rotary table 43, a plurality of balls b1 are placed.

  The catcher driving unit 41 includes a linear rail 411 that supports the catcher 42, a rotating mechanism 412 that rotates the linear rail 411, and a linear moving mechanism 413. One end of the straight rail 411 is rotatable about a rotation shaft 121 provided near the center of the upper cover 12, while a roller 411 A provided at the other end is near the periphery of the upper cover 12. It travels on the arc rail 122 provided in the. The rotation mechanism 412 having such a configuration is driven by a motor (not shown). The linear movement mechanism 413 is for linearly moving the catcher 42 along the longitudinal direction of the linear rail 411, and includes a slide member 414 that can slide in the longitudinal direction of the linear rail 411. The catcher 42 is suspended from the slide member 414 via an expansion / contraction shaft 415, and a motor for performing an expansion / contraction operation of the expansion / contraction shaft 415 is provided inside the slide member 414. The slide member 414 is driven through a pulley and a belt by a motor (not shown), for example.

  The catcher 42 has a pair of opening and closing holding claws 421 for holding the ball b1, and a motor for opening and closing the holding claws 421 is provided inside the catcher 42. The catcher 42 stands by directly above the tray 51a when the game is not being executed. In the present embodiment, one set of the catcher 42 and the catcher driving unit 41 is provided for every two adjacent medal game fields MF.

  The rotary table 43 has an annular shape in plan view, and an upper surface portion thereof is a flat ball mounting surface 43a. The ball mounting surface 43a is provided with a plurality of dimples 43b. Further, the rotary table 43 is provided with an upright wall 43c erected upward so as to surround the periphery of the ball mounting surface 43a. As shown in FIG. 9, the dimple 43b is spherical, and its radius of curvature is larger than the radius of curvature of the ball b1. The depth of the dimple 43b is set to be relatively small, about 1/10 of the diameter of the ball b1. Thus, in a state where the ball b1 is fitted in the dimple 43b, even if the rotary table 43 rotates at a constant speed, the ball b1 does not come out of the dimple 43b, and the movement of the ball b1 with respect to the ball mounting surface 43a is not caused. Be regulated. These dimples 43 b are regularly arranged along the circumferential direction of the rotary table 43. The distance between the dimples 43b is such that the ball b1 can pass through, so that the ball b1 can pass between the two adjacent dimples 43b even when the ball b1 is fitted. ing. Further, the diameter of the dimple 43b may be appropriately changed for each row along the circumferential direction.

  The rotary table 43 configured as described above is supported so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis with respect to the lower casing 10 and is rotated by the microcomputer 9 controlling a motor (not shown).

  The plurality of balls b1 are composed of two or more types having different attributes. The attributes of the ball b1 are apparently distinguishable, and in the present embodiment, for example, there are three types of attributes color-coded red, blue, and yellow. Further, an IC tag (not shown) is built in the ball b1, and the attribute of the ball b1 can be identified by reading the IC tag with a reading sensor.

  In the present embodiment, the number of medals to be paid out when the SJP lottery is won in the center lottery device 7 is set to be different according to the attribute type of the ball b1. That is, the number of medals to be paid out at the time of SJP winning is defined in correspondence with the color of the ball b1. The medal payout number is, for example, different from the initial value of 1000 for red, 500 for blue, and 500 for yellow, and is added according to the number of medals inserted into the medal game field MF by each player. Is set. Specifically, a value obtained by multiplying the number of inserted medals by a predetermined coefficient is added. Here, the added value is not constant for all colors and may be different. For example, the coefficient of each color is adopted so that the added value is maximized for the display value of the number of medals paid out. Further, when SJP winning occurs, the medal payout number corresponding to the color related to SJP winning is reset to the initial value. The number of medals to be paid out for each color is displayed on the main display 8, for example.

  The catcher 42 is adapted to operate according to the operation of the operation lever 13B and the operation button 13A of the operation panel unit 13. For example, when the right of lottery in the catcher lottery device 4 is generated, the player operates the operation lever 13B at an arbitrary timing, so that the catcher 42 (slide member 414) is moved to a desired position within a range in which the linear rail 411 is reciprocally rotated. It can be moved to (for example, on the circumference of the aimed ball b1). By pressing the operation button 13A at this position, as shown in FIG. 10, the telescopic shaft 415 is automatically sent out and the catcher 42 is lowered. At this time, the holding claw 421 is in an open state. Then, when the catcher 42 comes into contact with the ball mounting surface 43a of the rotary table 43, the contact is detected by a sensor, and the holding claw 421 is closed after the catcher 42 is lifted up a little (see FIG. 11). Thereby, during the operation of closing the holding claw 421, the holding claw 421 does not come into contact with the rotary table 43 and is not dragged, and an extra load is not applied to the telescopic shaft 415 or the like. Here, if the ball b1 is in a position where it is sandwiched between the holding claws 421, the ball b1 can be scooped up. Next, the catcher 42 is pulled up and the turning mechanism 412 and the linear movement mechanism 413 are operated to return the catcher 42 to the standby position (directly above the tray 51a). Next, the holding claw 421 is opened. These series of operations are controlled by the microcomputer 9.

  When the ball b1 is acquired by the catcher lottery device 4, the ball b1 is thrown onto the pusher field 3 via the fixed rail 51 and the movable rail 52. When the ball b1 falls from the drop groove 32, an attribute of the ball b1 is read by the reading sensor (not shown) below the drop groove 32, and then a lottery game is executed in the cruising lottery device 6. The ball b1 from which the attribute has been read is returned onto the rotary table 43 via a lift mechanism (not shown).

  As shown in FIG. 3, the Kroon lottery apparatus 6 is for performing a physical lottery using the ball b <b> 2, and rotates in the center of the lottery board 61 on which the ball b <b> 2 rolls and the lottery board 61. And two discs 62 and 63 which are arranged in the vertical direction. The upper disk 62 is formed with a plurality of (six in this embodiment) winning holes 62 a for receiving the balls b <b> 2 at a constant pitch, and the lower disk 63 has holes 63 a for the disk 62. Between the position shifted from the hole 62a and the position where the hole 63a overlaps with the winning hole 62a, relative movement is possible by about a half pitch of the arrangement pitch of the holes 63a. In the present embodiment, for example, one winning hole 62 a serves as a right acquisition (winning) for proceeding to the SJP lottery in the center lottery device 7, and the other five winning holes 62 a are provided by the medal payout outlet 33. The predetermined number of medals are paid out and the electronic game in the image display device 2 is stepped up.

  At the time of lottery in the cruising lottery device 6, the microcomputer 9 drives a motor (not shown) so that the disks 62 and 63 are rotated in a fixed direction with the positional relationship between the winning hole 62a and the hole 63a being shifted. Here, for example, a one-way clutch (not shown) is engaged with the disk 62, and the disk 62 is rotated following the rotational drive of the disk 63. Then, the ball b2 at the standby position is automatically released onto the lottery board 61. When the ball b2 enters one of the winning holes 62a, the ball b2 is supported on the upper surface of the disk 63, and is temporarily held in a state of being about half of the winning hole 62a. Here, which winning hole 62a the ball b2 enters is detected by a sensor (not shown), and the process proceeds to the next development according to the winning hole 62a. Next, for example, only the disk 63 is slightly rotated backward, and the hole 63a overlaps with the winning hole 62a, whereby the ball b2 falls from the hole 63a. The dropped ball b2 is returned to the standby position again by a lift mechanism (not shown), for example.

  As shown in FIG. 12, the center lottery device 7 is for performing a physical lottery (SJP lottery) using the ball b3, and includes a rolling field 71 on which the ball b3 rolls, a rail 72, , An inclined field 73 and a winning table 74 are provided. These portions denoted by reference numerals 71 to 74 are supported by the central casing 70, and the central casing 70 is supported so as to be rotatable around the vertical axis with respect to the lower casing 10.

  The rolling field 71 has a hole 71a formed in the center, and has a funnel shape that becomes lower as it goes toward the center. The rail 72 rolls the ball b3 dropped from the hole 71a in a spiral shape and drops it to the back of the inclined field 73 through the hole 72a at the lower end. The inclined field 73 has an inclined surface that becomes lower toward the front side, and is configured to guide the ball b3 to the opening 73c on the front side while playing a bounce portion 73b stretched with rubber, for example. In addition, a rotating board 73a in which rubber is stretched is provided in the center of the inclined field 73, and the rotating board 73a is appropriately rotated around a vertical axis with respect to the inclined surface. As a result, the ball b3 dropped through the rail 72 is repelled by the rotating board 73a and moves irregularly. The winning table 74 has a plurality (20 in this embodiment) of pockets 74a arranged along a predetermined circumference, and is inclined so as to become lower toward the front side. The winning table 74 is supported with respect to the central housing 70 so as to be rotatable around a predetermined tilt axis while maintaining the tilt posture. Adjacent pockets 74a are separated by a vertical wall, and when the ball b3 passes through the opening 73c of the inclined field 73, it enters one of the pockets 74a.

  The award content corresponding to each pocket 74a is displayed on the outer periphery of the pocket 74a. In the present embodiment, for example, of the 20 pockets 74a, 1 is SJP winning, 5 is a predetermined number of medals paid out other than SJP, 4 is the right to win the lottery by the catcher lottery device 4, and 10 are not , Assigned as. The state where the ball b3 enters the pocket 74a is detected by, for example, an optical sensor (not shown). For example, outside the pocket 74a, a sensor for detecting the pocket 74a in which the ball b3 is stored, a sensor for detecting the reference position of the winning table 74, and the amount of rotation of the pocket 74a from the reference position of the winning table 74 The microcomputer 9 can grasp which pocket 74a contains the ball b3 based on detection signals from these sensors.

  At the time of lottery in the center lottery device 7, the central casing 70 controls the motor (not shown) by the microcomputer 9 so that the tilt direction of the tilt field 73 or winning table 74 faces the front direction of the player who performs the SJP lottery. It is rotated appropriately. The winning table 74 is appropriately rotated by the microcomputer 9 controlling a motor (not shown). Then, the ball b3 at the standby position is released to the rolling field 71. The ball b3 rolls on the rolling field 71, the rail 72, and the inclined field 73, passes through the opening 73c, and enters one of the pockets 74a. Here, the sensor detects which pocket 74a the ball b3 has entered, and an award corresponding to the pocket 74a is given to the player. Next, for example, the winning table 74 is rotated about half a round, and the pocket 74a containing the ball b3 is disposed in the upper back, whereby the ball b3 is dropped and collected in the central housing 70. The collected ball b3 is returned to the standby position again by a lift mechanism (not shown), for example.

  The medal payout mechanism is for paying out the medal m on the medal game field MF of the corresponding player after the lottery game (SJP lottery) in the center lottery device 7 is completed. Although not shown in detail in the drawings, the medal payout mechanism is stored on the back side of the main display 8 at normal times, for example, and is extended downward to be directly below the medal game field MF when paying out medals. It is configured to form. At the time of paying out medals, medals m are supplied onto the medal transport path from bowls (not shown) provided at both upper ends of the main display 8.

  Next, the operation of the medal game machine A will be described.

  As described above with reference to FIG. 6, the medal game machine A of the present embodiment includes a pair of leaf springs 146 that are inserted into the medal shooter 145 through the supply port 145a from the sending means 144A. As a result, even if the medal shooter 145 is swung to the left and right with the aim of winning a prize at the chucker 26, the leaf spring 146 is bent and deformed along the inner surface of the side wall 145c (145d) of the medal shooter 145 toward the tip. The medal m sent out from the means 144A is smoothly introduced into the medal shooter 145. Therefore, even if the throwing direction of the medal m on the left and right from the medal shooter 145 is changed, the medal m does not stall in the medal shooter 145, and the medal m is thrown in the direction intended by the player. can do.

  In the present embodiment, since the upward rail portion 145G is provided on the tip side of the medal shooter 145, the medal m thrown out from the medal shooter 145 is in a period until it collides with the inclined disk surface 21A. Move to draw a Yamagata parabola. Since the leaf spring 146 is inserted into the medal shooter 145, the medal m thrown from the medal shooter 145 draws almost the same parabola even when the throwing direction from the medal shooter 145 is changed on the left and right. The medal m can be thrown out in the direction intended by the player.

  In the present embodiment, when the player inserts a medal m through the medal insertion slot of the operation panel unit 13, the medal m is sent from the hopper 141 to the medal shooter 145 through the medal transport guide 144 and the sending means 144A. It is configured to be. According to such a configuration, even when the distance from the medal slot to the medal shooter 145 is relatively long, the medal m can be quickly thrown into the medal game field MF.

  In the present embodiment, the medal shooter 145 is rotated by driving the motor 152 in accordance with the operation of the operation lever 13B by the player. According to such a configuration, the operability of the rotation operation of the medal shooter 145 can be improved.

  Further, the rotation amount of the medal shooter 145 is regulated so as to be within a predetermined angle range by the sensors 153 a and 153 b of the rotation mechanism 15 and the detected piece 154. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the medal shooter 145 from being excessively shaken with respect to the sending means 144A, and to smoothly and smoothly deliver the medal m from the sending means 144A to the medal shooter 145. Can do.

 In the present embodiment, the attachment position of the restriction member 25 with respect to the inclined disk surface 21A of the restriction member 25 can be adjusted in the depth direction. For this reason, for example, if the regulating member 25 is displaced away from the inclined board surface 21, the passing rate of the medal m to the back of the regulating member 25 can be increased. As a result, the winning rate of the medal m with respect to the chucker 26 is increased. Can be raised. On the contrary, if the regulating member 25 is displaced so as to approach the inclined board surface 21A, the winning rate of the medal m with respect to the chucker 26 can be lowered. Thus, by changing the position of the restricting member 25, the winning rate of the medal m with respect to the chucker 26 can be appropriately changed. In addition, when the facilities where the medal game machine A is installed are different, the size of the medal m to be used may be different. Even in such a case, by adjusting the position of the restricting member 25, it is possible to eliminate the variation in the winning rate of the chucker 26 due to the difference in the size of the medal m. In addition, you may make it adjust the attachment position of the control member 25 by moving the control member 25 supported by the long hole 27a to the depth direction with the drive force of a motor. Moreover, although the attachment position with respect to 21 A of inclined board surfaces of the control member 25 can be adjusted in the depth direction by the elongate hole 27a, it is not limited to this. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which a plurality of pairs of holes for supporting the regulating member 25 are provided in the support plate so that the distance from the inclined disk surface 21A is different, and the holes for supporting the regulating member can be selected alternatively. Furthermore, the number, arrangement, shape, and size of the regulating member 25 are not limited to the above embodiment.

  Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. The specific configuration of each part of the medal game machine according to the present invention can be variously modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

  In the above embodiment, the medal shooter 145 is configured to include the upward rail portion 145G on the tip side so that the throwing direction of the medal m is higher than the horizontal direction, but the shape of the shooter is limited to this. It is not something. For example, it is good also as a structure provided only with the rail part which inclines below at linear form. That is, as the shooter of the present invention, the medal throwing direction may be lower than the horizontal direction. In addition, the medal field in which medals are thrown out by the medal shooter 145 is not limited to the embodiment, and may take any form.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 13 as a reference, the medal shooter 145 may be one that receives a medal from the sending means 144A and rolls it on its straight path with its own weight. When the present invention is applied to the medal shooter in FIG. 13, for example, the shooter 145 shown in FIG. 5 is configured to linearly extend obliquely downward from the supply port 145a to the outlet 145b.

  Also in the medal game field MF, as shown in FIG. 13, a transparent medal transport plate 210 that is rotatable about a horizontal axis is provided above the pusher field 300, and this medal transport plate 210 is substantially omitted. At the timing of the horizontal state, the medal m may be thrown onto the medal transport plate 210 by aiming at any one of the plurality of laterally arranged chuckers 260 arranged in the back thereof. . The image display device 200 is disposed above the chucker 260. For example, when a medal passes the chucker 260 instructed by the display of the image display device 200, for example, a predetermined number of medals are placed on the pusher field 300. Various events occur, such as paying out or being given the right to move to a game to win a larger prize.

  In the configuration shown in FIG. 13, the medal insertion device 14 has a medal shooter 145 ′ for rolling on the medal conveying plate 210 by giving an initial speed while standing the medal m through a medal sending mechanism (not shown). The medal shooter 145 ′ is turnable in the left-right direction by a dial provided on an operation panel (not shown). Thus, the player can freely select the direction in which the medal m given the initial speed is thrown from the tip of the medal shooter 145 ′, for example, by aiming at a specific chucker 260. Both the medal m that has entered the chucker 260 and the medal m that has not entered the chucker 260 fall on the pusher field 300. The pusher field 300 is configured such that a movable plate 310 is superimposed on a fixed plate 320, and the movable plate 310 reciprocates with a constant stroke by driving a motor (not shown). When the movable plate 310 moves forward, when a plurality of medals m placed on the fixed plate 320 are pressed against each other toward the front of the fixed plate 320, the leading edge 330 of the fixed plate 320 The medal m falls to the front lower side. The medal m dropped from the fixed plate 320 is paid out to the medal detention unit on the operation panel unit through the medal payout port.

  The sending means 144A and the medal shooter 145 may be configured so that the medal is slid in a laid state in addition to being rolled in a standing state. That is, the shape, size, length, and the like of the medal shooter 145 are not limited to the present embodiment, and may be within a range in which medals thrown out from the throwing port do not exceed the inclined board surface.

  The guide member having elasticity is not limited to the plate spring 146 as in the above-described embodiment, and any other plate may be used as long as it can be easily elastically deformed with the rotation of the medal shooter 145. You may comprise by a shape member or a thin wire. In the above embodiment, the guide member is connected along the inner surface of the vertical wall of the delivery means 144A. Instead, the guide member is connected along the outer surface of the vertical wall of the delivery means 144A. Also good. The guide member may be integrated with the vertical wall of the delivery means 144A, or may be supported by another support member.

  The rotation restricting means for restricting the rotation amount of the medal shooter 145 is not limited to the configuration using the photosensor as in the above embodiment, and other types of sensors such as a magnetic sensor are used. Or a configuration using a contact type limit switch may be adopted.

  The rotating means for rotating the medal shooter 145 may transmit the rotational power of the motor 152 to the support shaft using a pulley, a wire, a belt, or the like. Further, without using the rotational power of the motor 152, the rotational power applied by the player operating the operating means such as a dial may be transmitted to the support shaft using a pulley, a wire, a belt, or the like.

  The size, shape, and length of the leaf spring 146 and the amount of insertion into the shooter can be appropriately changed according to the shooter shape, medal shape, and delivery form (standing or lying).

  The sending means 144A may roll a medal by gravity from above and send it toward the supply port of the shooter.

  Furthermore, regarding the medal game machine, it is important that the medal throwing direction by the medal throwing mechanism 14 is oblique with respect to the inclined board surface 21A in a plan view. The position of the exit mechanism 14 in the game field is not limited, and may be located, for example, in front of the inclined board surface 21A.

  Further, as the inclined surface 21A, by using an image display device equipped with a pressure-type or capacitance-type touch panel on its surface, an image, a character, or a region that is displayed on the image display device and changes variously is directly displayed. A game where a medal is thrown at a target to generate a “winning” or arbitrary input signal when the medal collides with such an image, character, or area, and various events are triggered by this. Development becomes possible, and interest as a medal game machine of a new sense is born.

1 is an overall external view of an embodiment of a medal game machine according to the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the electrical structure of the medal game machine shown in FIG. It is a schematic front view which shows the structural example of the medal game field of the medal game machine shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view of the configuration shown in FIG. 3. It is a perspective view which shows the schematic structural example of a medal | token throwing apparatus. It is a cross-sectional view which shows the relationship between a sending means and a shooter, (a) represents the state where the shooter is not shaken, and (b) represents the state where the shooter is shaken. It is a principal part perspective view for demonstrating the action | operation of a movable pin. It is a principal part perspective view of the medal game machine shown in FIG. It is principal part sectional drawing of FIG. It is a principal part front view for demonstrating the action | operation of a catcher. It is a principal part front view for demonstrating the action | operation of a catcher. It is a principal part perspective view of the medal game machine shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the other structural example of a medal game field and a shooter. It is a cross-sectional view for explaining a medal throwing device of a conventional medal game machine.

Explanation of symbols

A medal game machine m medal MF medal game field (field)
v1 Vertical shaft 13B Operation lever 14 Medal throwing mechanism (medal throwing device)
141 Hopper 144 Medal transport guide 144A Sending means 144b, 144c Vertical wall 145 Medal shooter (shooter)
145a Supply port 145b Outlet 145c, 145d Side wall 145e Bottom wall 145F Downward rail portion (first passage)
145G upward rail (second passage)
146 Leaf spring (guide member)
152 motor

Claims (10)

A shooter that throws medals supplied from the supply port into a predetermined field from the outlet,
Sending means for sending medals to the supply port;
In a medal throwing-out device comprising: a turning means that enables the shooter to turn at least in the left-right direction with respect to the sending means;
The delivery means includes a guide member that regulates the lateral movement of the medal delivered to the supply port with respect to the traveling direction,
The medal throwing device, wherein the guide member is made of an elastic material, and a tip end portion is inserted into the supply port.   The medal throwing device according to claim 1, wherein the sending means sends the medal to the supply port in a standing state, and the shooter throws the medal from the throwing port while maintaining the medal in a standing state. The shooter includes a first passage that causes the medal to roll obliquely downward by the action of gravity, and a second passage that gently connects to the first passage and causes the medal to roll obliquely upward,
The medal throwing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the throwing port provided at a distal end portion of the second passage is positioned lower than the supply port provided at a proximal end portion of the first passage. .   The medal throwing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the guide member is a pair of upright leaf springs having an interval through which a medal delivered to the supply port can pass. A medal slot for inserting medals, a hopper for storing medals inserted from the medal slot, and a medal transport guide for transporting medals from the hopper to the sending means are further provided. ,
The medal is sent out from the hopper to the shooter via the medal transport guide and the sending means when the medal is inserted from the medal slot. The medal throwing device described in 1. An operation means for receiving an operation input for rotating the shooter;
The medal throwing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the rotating means rotates the shooter according to the operation input.   The medal throwing device according to claim 6, further comprising a rotation restricting unit that restricts a rotation amount of the shooter within a predetermined angle range. A medal game machine having a game field where a game using medals is performed,
A medal game machine comprising the medal throwing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a medal is thrown into the game field. The game field is provided with an inclined inclined surface and a chucker positioned on the lower side of the inclined surface.
The shooter is configured to throw out a medal having an initial velocity in an oblique direction with respect to any region of the inclined board surface in a plan view, and the thrown medal collides with the inclined board surface and falls. And
The medal game machine according to claim 8, wherein the chucker has an opening that allows a medal that falls by colliding with the inclined board surface to pass. The game field is provided with a pusher field having a fixed plate and a movable plate that reciprocates on the fixed plate.
The medals thrown out from the shooter are supplied to the pusher field via the inclined board surface,
The medal game machine according to claim 9, wherein a medal placed on the fixed plate is dropped and paid out by a reciprocating motion of the movable plate.

Images