JP5726611B2 - Ball passage device and game machine equipped with this ball passage device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a ball passage device and a gaming machine including the ball passage device.

  Conventionally, in this type of gaming machine, a pachinko gaming machine described in Patent Document 1 below has been proposed. The pachinko gaming machine is provided with a pachinko ball rectifier having two rows of ball passages.

JP-A-9-173563

  By the way, according to the pachinko ball rectifier of the pachinko gaming machine, each game ball is merely guided along the direction of the path by each of the two rows of ball paths. In this case, if there are a large number of game balls entering each of the two rows of ball paths, these game balls may become clogged in each of the two rows of ball paths and may stay upward. There is.

  Therefore, in order to deal with the above-described problems, the present invention has been devised in the configuration of the passage to smoothly guide many game balls without causing clogging or staying upward. An object is to provide a passage device and a gaming machine including the ball passage device.

In solving the above-mentioned problems, the ball passage device according to the present invention is as described in claim 1.
It is formed in a longitudinal hollow shape from the upper side to the lower side so that the game ball can pass therethrough.

In the ball passage unit,
A main guide passage part (Ac) for receiving a game ball falling from above through the space part (Ab);
Along with the branch wall portion (92e) parallel to the main guide passage portion, the excess game balls are directed downward from the main guide passage portion due to excess of the received game balls in the main guide passage portion. A sub-guide passage portion (Ad) for receiving the guide,
The main guide passage part is
Of the two pairs of opposing wall portions (92c, 92d, 92f, 92e), it falls from above to at least one of the opposing wall portions (92c, 92d) facing in the width direction of the branch wall portion. Providing a protrusion that changes the falling direction of the game ball,
The protruding portion is inclined downward at a predetermined inclination angle in a direction away from the branch wall portion,
The space portion faces the inside of the wall portion so as not to retain the received game ball of the main guide passage portion in the wall portion facing the branch wall portion of the two pairs of facing wall portions. A protruding stepped wall (92z) is formed.

  According to such a configuration, the game ball falling through the space from above is received by the main guide passage portion. At this time, the game ball falling as described above is received by the main guide passage portion without being branched to the sub guide passage portion side. Here, when there are many game balls received by the main guide passage part, these game balls are accumulated and accumulated upward on the protrusion part of the main guide passage part.

  On the other hand, since the step wall portion protrudes in the space portion as described above, the game stays stacked on the lower edge portion of the other upper upper curved wall portion of the main guide passage portion in the space portion. The sphere is broken so as to be pushed out to the side of the auxiliary guide passage part by the stepped wall part and branches into the auxiliary guide passage part.

  Therefore, the game ball falling into the space portion can be sent into the main guide passage portion and the sub guide passage portion without causing a ball clogging in the space portion.

  Here, in the main guide passage part, the protrusion part is inclined downward at a predetermined inclination angle in a direction away from the branch wall part so as to change the falling direction of the game ball falling from above. It is provided as follows.

  Therefore, the game ball received by the main guide passage portion as described above is guided downward in the main guide passage portion while moving in the inclined direction along the protrusion portion while the drop direction is changed by the protrusion portion. Is done. This means that even if there are many game balls received in the main guide passage portion, the game balls are not clogged based on the predetermined inclination angle based on the above-mentioned shape of the protruding portion, so that the main guide passage does not occur. It means that it is guided smoothly in the department.

  According to the above, even if a large number of game balls stay in the ball passage device in a full state, the game balls staying below the ball passage device can, for example, pull out the game balls in the tray. Even if there are many game balls that fall into the space if they move downward, these game balls are guided by the main guide without causing clogging of the balls in the space based on the breaking action of the stepped wall in the space. The game balls that are sent to the passage portion and the sub-guide passage portion and stay in the main guide passage portion cause clogging in the protruding direction and the inclined direction of the protruding portion inside the main guide passage portion. It can move smoothly and be guided downward. Note that game balls staying in the auxiliary guide passage can be guided downward.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the ball passage device according to the first aspect,
The sub-guide passage is
The two pairs of opposing wall portions (92c, 92d, 92q, 92e) fall from above onto at least one of the opposing wall portions (92c, 92d) facing in the width direction of the branch wall portion. Providing a protrusion that changes the falling direction of the game ball,
The projecting portion is inclined downward at a predetermined tilt angle so as to be separated from the branch wall portion in a direction opposite to the projecting portion of the main guide passage portion.

  According to such a configuration, when the number of game balls received by the main guide passage portion increases, each game ball enters the sub guide passage portion under the action of breaking the step wall portion.

  Here, the projecting portion of the sub guide passage portion has a predetermined shape so as to change the falling direction of the game ball falling from above and away from the branch wall portion in the direction opposite to the projecting portion of the main guide passage portion. It is provided so as to be inclined downward at an inclination angle.

  Therefore, the game ball entering the sub guide passage portion as described above is guided downward while moving in the inclination direction of the projection portion while changing the falling direction by the projection portion in the sub guide passage portion. . This means that even if there are many game balls that are branched to the sub guide passage portion, the game balls are not clogged based on the predetermined inclination angle based on the shape of the protrusion of the sub guide passage portion. It means that smooth guidance is provided in the sub-guide passage.

  For this reason, under the above-described configuration of the sub-guide passage portion, the sub-guide passage portion can be guided downward smoothly and guided downward by the sub-guide passage portion without causing clogging.

  As a result, even if a large number of game balls stay in the ball passage device in a full state, the game ball staying below the ball passage device, for example, pulls out the game ball in the tray, Even if there are many game balls that fall into the space portion, the main guide passage portion does not cause clogging in the space portion due to the breaking action of the stepped wall portion in the space portion. In addition, the game balls that are sent to the auxiliary guide passage portion and stay in the main guide passage portion and the auxiliary guide passage portion are formed in the main guide passage portion and in the auxiliary guide passage portion. In the inclined direction, the ball can move smoothly and be guided downward without causing ball clogging. As a result, the function and effect of the invention of claim 1 can be further improved.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the ball passage device according to the first or second aspect, the protruding portion has a length in the inclination direction that is twice the outer diameter of the game ball. And a value smaller than 3 times.

  According to this, the game ball that exists above the main guide passage portion without being broken by the step wall portion in the space portion, and is broken by the step wall portion in the space portion and branches to the sub guide passage portion. The game balls can smoothly move in an inclined manner in the main guide passage portion and the sub guide passage portion together with the predetermined inclination angle without receiving a ball pressure from each other. As a result, the operational effect of the invention according to claim 1 or 2 can be further improved.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the ball passage device according to any one of the first to third aspects,
The branch wall portion of the space portion is located at a predetermined height above the lower edge portion of the projecting portion of the main guide passage portion at the lower edge portion (Z1) of the step wall portion. It is formed in the said wall part which opposes.

  As a result, even if the game balls are stacked and stay on the lower edge of the upper curved wall portion on the other side of the main guide passage portion in the space portion, the game balls are stacked above the lower edge portion of the step wall portion of the game balls. The game ball is collapsed so as to be pushed out to the side of the auxiliary guide passage by the stepped wall and branched into the auxiliary guide passage.

  Accordingly, the game ball falling into the space is sent into the main guide passage and the sub guide passage without causing the ball to be clogged in the space, and is blocked by the main guide passage and the sub guide passage. Can be guided downward without incurring. As a result, the operational effects of the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3 can be further improved.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the spherical passage device according to the fourth aspect,
The predetermined height is set to a value that is not less than the length of the protrusion in the inclination direction and not more than the sum of the inclination direction length and the outer diameter of the game ball.

  Thereby, the effect of the invention of claim 4 can be further improved.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the ball passage device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects,
The stepped wall portion is formed at the protruding end surface (Z2) so as to protrude from the inner surface of the wall portion of the space portion toward the branch wall portion by a thickness less than half of the outer diameter of the game ball. It is characterized by.

  Thereby, as described above, the game balls stacked on the upper side of the lower edge portion of the stepped wall portion can be more reliably pushed out by the stepped wall portion toward the sub guide passage portion side, and as a result, the claim 1 can be broken. The effect of the invention as described in any one of -5 can be achieved more reliably.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, a gaming machine according to the present invention
A gaming machine body (Ba) formed by assembling the game board (10) to the body frame (BF);
A front door (FD) supported to be openable and closable by the gaming machine body;
A ball tank (61) provided on the back side of the main body frame for storing a plurality of game balls;
A ball payout device (73) for paying out game balls supplied from the ball tank via the upper ball passage (61, 62);
A ball tray (51, 52) projecting to the front side of the lower part of the main body frame or the front door;
The ball passage device (90) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a game ball paid out from the ball payout device is supplied between the ball payout device and the ball receiving plate to the ball receiving plate. Prepare.

  According to this, it is possible to provide a gaming machine that can achieve the operational effects of the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

  According to the present invention, even if a large number of game balls stay in the ball passage device in a full state, the game balls staying below the ball passage device, for example, pull out the game balls in the tray. Thus, even if there are many game balls that fall into the space portion if they move downward, these game balls are not mainly clogged in the space portion due to the breaking action of the stepped wall portion in the space portion. The game balls that are sent to the guide passage portion and the sub-guide passage portion and stay in the main guide passage portion cause clogging in the shape and inclination direction of the protruding portion inside the main guide passage portion. It can move smoothly and be guided downward. Note that game balls staying in the auxiliary guide passage can be guided downward.

  In addition, the code | symbol in the bracket | parenthesis of each said means shows a corresponding relationship with the specific means as described in embodiment mentioned later.

1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a pachinko gaming machine to which the present invention is applied as seen from the upper left diagonally front side. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the pachinko gaming machine of FIG. 1 as seen from the diagonally upper left rear side. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the gaming machine main body of the pachinko gaming machine shown in FIG. 1 together with the upper plate and the lower plate when viewed obliquely from the upper left side. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing the upper plate of FIG. 3 as viewed from the upper left side. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing the ball discharge unit of FIG. 3 as viewed obliquely from the upper left side. FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view showing the ball tank unit of FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the ball dispensing unit of FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing the vertical path unit of FIG. 2 as viewed from the obliquely upper rear side. FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing the vertical path unit of FIG. 2 as viewed from the obliquely lower rear side. It is an expansion perspective view which shows the internal structure of the vertical path | pass unit of FIG. It is an expansion perspective view which shows the internal structure of the vertical path | pass unit of FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing the ball path unit of FIG. 2 in a state seen from the diagonally upper right front. FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing the ball path unit of FIG. 2 as viewed obliquely from the lower left rear side. FIG. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view showing an internal configuration of the ball passage unit of FIG. 2 as viewed from the front side. FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing the ball path unit of FIG. (A) is sectional drawing which follows the aa line illustration in FIG. 14, (b) is sectional drawing which follows the ab line illustration in FIG. It is an expansion perspective view which shows the horizontal type | formula channel | path unit of FIG. 2 in the state seen from diagonally upper right front with the internal structure. It is an enlarged plan view for demonstrating operation | movement of the scattering prevention mechanism in the horizontal type | formula channel | path unit of FIG. 17 based on the closed state of a front door. It is a principal part longitudinal cross-sectional view for demonstrating operation | movement of the scattering prevention mechanism in the horizontal channel | path unit of FIG. 17 based on the closed state of a front door. It is an enlarged plan view for demonstrating operation | movement of the scattering prevention mechanism in the horizontal type | formula channel | path unit of FIG. 17 based on the open state of a front door. It is a principal part longitudinal cross-sectional view for demonstrating operation | movement of the scattering prevention mechanism in the horizontal type | formula channel | path unit of FIG. 17 based on the open state of a front door. It is principal part sectional drawing for demonstrating operation | movement of the full tank sensor in the vertical path | pass unit of FIG. It is principal part sectional drawing for demonstrating operation | movement of the full tank sensor in the vertical path | pass unit of FIG. It is a schematic perspective view for demonstrating the path | route of the game ball which moves over an upper plate and a lower plate through a passage unit. It is a schematic perspective view for demonstrating the path | route of the game ball which moves from the introduction part to the main guide passage part in the ball passage unit of FIG. FIG. 26 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining a state in which a large number of game balls move in the main guide passage portion in the ball passage unit of FIG. 25. FIG. 27 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining a state in which a game ball branches from the main guide passage portion to the sub guide passage portion and starts moving in the ball passage unit of FIG. 26. FIG. 28 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining a state in which a game ball is branched and moved from a main guide passage portion to a sub guide passage portion in the ball passage unit of FIG. 27.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 and 2 show an embodiment of a pachinko gaming machine to which the present invention is applied. The pachinko gaming machine is erected on an island in a pachinko hall as a kind of gaming machine. is there. This pachinko gaming machine is constituted by a machine casing PF, a gaming machine main body Ba, and a front door FD. The pachinko gaming machine is erected on an island in the pachinko hall via the machine casing PF. .

  Here, the gaming machine main body Ba is supported by the machine frame PF together with the front door FD so as to be opened and closed in the front-rear direction. In FIG. 1, the illustrated vertical direction and the illustrated horizontal direction correspond to the vertical direction and the horizontal direction (diagonal left front direction and diagonal right rear direction) of the pachinko gaming machine, and the illustrated vertical direction (diagonal right front direction and diagonal direction). (Left rear direction) corresponds to the front-rear direction of the pachinko gaming machine.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the front door FD includes a front frame FD1 and a window glass FD2 that is fitted into a hollow portion of the front frame FD1. Moreover, the front door FD includes an upper plate 51 as shown in any of FIGS. 1 to 3, and the upper plate 51 opens upward as shown in FIG. 1. The front door FD is formed so as to protrude forward from the lower part of the front surface.

  Thus, the upper tray 51 is supplied with each game ball from the ball passage unit 100 (described later) or a lending payout device (not shown) at the entrance 51a (see FIG. 4), and is supplied to the tray 51b. The game balls stored in this manner are aligned in a line, and the game balls thus aligned are sequentially set to 1 under the turning operation of the handle H (see FIG. 1). Each is supplied to a ball feeder (not shown) so as to be sent to a ball launcher (not shown) (see FIG. 3).

  The upper plate 51 receives a game ball from an outlet 102b (see FIG. 17) of a ball passage unit 100, which will be described later, at another inlet 51c, and passes from the outlet 51e to the lower plate 52 through the passage 51d. (See FIG. 4). In addition, the said ball | bowl launching device launches the game ball sent from the said ball | bowl feeder toward the guide channel | path 13 (refer FIG. 3) of the guide rail 20. As shown in FIG.

  The front door FD includes a lower plate 52, and the lower plate 52 is provided below the upper plate 51 and below the front door FD. The lower plate 52 stores game balls from the auxiliary guide passage portion Ad (described later) of the passage unit 90. In addition, the lower plate 52 stores game balls from the outlet 51e of the upper plate 51, and removes the stored balls in the upper plate 51 in accordance with a ball removal operation from the upper plate 51 by the player. (Not shown). The lower plate 52 is provided with a lid member (not shown) that is opened by a player's operation, and the lid member collects the game balls stored in the lower plate 52 with the opening. The ball can be removed and transferred to a counting ball storage box or the like.

  As shown in FIG. 2 or 3, the gaming machine main body Ba includes a main body frame BF which is a so-called inner frame, and a game board 10, and the game board 10 is fitted in a hollow portion of the main body frame BF. Yes. The gaming machine main body Ba is supported by the main body frame BF so as to be opened and closed in the front-rear direction by the machine frame PF.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the gaming machine main body Ba is provided with a guide rail 20, and this guide rail 20 is along a front surface 11 (hereinafter, also referred to as a “board surface 11”) of the game board 10 along an outer peripheral portion thereof. It is assembled in an arc shape. The guide rail 20 includes an inner rail portion 21 and an outer rail portion 22, and the inner rail portion 21 is assembled to the board surface 11 of the game board 10 along the outer rail portion 22 on the inner peripheral side thereof. ing.

  Here, the guide rail 20 forms a game area 12 on the board surface 11 of the game board 10 inside the inner rail part 21 and the outer rail part 22. Further, the guide passage 13 is formed between the inner rail portion 21 and the outer rail portion 22 of the guide rail 20 so as to guide the game ball launched from the ball launching device into the game area 12.

  The gaming machine main body Ba includes a center structure, a group of game nails, a windmill, an attacker, a start chucker, an electric tulip, a normal winning opening device, and a through gate (both not shown). The nail group, the windmill, the attacker, the start chucker, the electric tulip, the normal winning opening device, and the through gate are assembled in a distributed manner on the board surface 11 of the game board 10 in the game area 12.

  The gaming machine main body Ba includes an image display, a main control device, a sub-control device, a payout control device, and a power supply circuit device (both not shown), and the image display is located inside the center structure. And is inserted into the central opening of the game board 11. The above-described main control device, sub-control device, payout control device, and power supply circuit device are assembled to the game board 10 from the back surface 14 (see FIG. 3) side, and the main control device is connected to the electric power of the pachinko gaming machine. General control of the system. The sub-control device controls effect display by the image display. The payout control device controls the operation of a ball payout device 72 (described later) of a ball payout unit 70 (described later). The power supply circuit device supplies power to the above-described main control device, sub control device, payout control device, and other circuits. The main control device, the sub control device, the payout control device, and the power supply circuit device are respectively indicated by reference numeral 30 in FIG.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the gaming machine main body Ba includes a ball discharge unit 40, and this ball discharge unit 40 is assembled to the lower part of the game board 10 from the back side of the board surface 11. . Here, the ball discharge unit 40 collects all the game balls that have been launched into the game area 12 to become winning balls or out balls during the game by the pachinko gaming machine, and discharges them to the outside of the pachinko gaming machine. In addition, after the hall is closed, based on the ball removal operation, the game balls (ball removal balls) remaining as prize balls for the pachinko gaming machine are collected and discharged to the outside of the pachinko gaming machine. . In FIG. 5, reference numeral 41 denotes a collective box portion that collects game balls to be discharged and discharges them from the discharge port (not shown), and reference numeral 42 denotes the out port 15 (FIG. 3) of the game area 12. An out-ball entrance that communicates is shown, and reference numeral 43 denotes a seat portion on which a part of the ball passage unit 100 (described later) is mounted.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the gaming machine main body Ba includes a ball payout system BS. The ball payout system BS is a game area 12 during a game by the player on the pachinko gaming machine. When a game ball that rolls and falls inside the various winning holes, a process of paying out the game ball as a prize ball to the player is performed.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the ball payout system BS includes a ball tank unit 60, a ball payout unit 70, a vertical type, which are sequentially arranged from the upper part to the left edge on the back surface of the main body frame BF of the gaming machine main body Ba. A passage unit 80, a ball passage unit 90, and a ball passage unit 100 are provided.

  The spherical tank unit 60 is disposed on the upper part of the main body frame BF. The spherical tank unit 60 includes a tank 61 and both rectifying paths 62 and 63 as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 4, or FIG. It is configured.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the tank 61 opens upward at the upper end opening thereof, and the tank 61 pays out game balls replenished by a game ball supply device (not shown). Store as. Both the rectifying paths 62 and 63 are disposed on the left side of the tank 61 on the upper side of the main body frame BF from the back side, and the both rectifying paths 62 and 63 are game balls stored in the tank 61. Are rectified in two rows and supplied to the ball dispensing unit 70 (see the directions shown by the broken arrows a and b shown in FIG. 6).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the ball payout unit 70 is arranged from the back side so as to be along the upper left edge of the main body frame BF so as to be connected to both the rectifying paths 62 and 63 of the ball tank unit 60. . As shown in FIG. 7, the ball payout unit 70 includes both inlet passages 71 and 72, a ball payout device 73, both outlet passages 74 and 75, and both ball discharge passages 76 and 77.

  In the ball dispensing unit 70, both inlet paths 71 and 72 are connected to both rectifying paths 62 and 63 of the ball tank unit 60. Further, both the inlet passages 71 and 72 are provided with a lid member 78, and the lid member 78 plays a role of opening and closing the upper ends of the both ball removal passages 76 and 77 as follows.

  In other words, the lid member 78 closes the upper ends of both ball removal passages 76 and 77 during normal times (including during game play). Accordingly, both inlet passages 71 and 72 form both ball payout passages for guiding the game balls supplied from both rectifying passages 62 and 63 toward the ball payout device 73. Further, the lid member 78 is rotated at the time of ball removal operation after the hall is closed, and opens the upper end portions of both ball removal passages 76 and 77. Along with this, both inlet passages 71 and 72 form both ball removal passages for guiding the respective game balls supplied from the rectification passages 62 and 63 toward both ball removal passages 76 and 77.

  Both ball removal passages 76 and 77 discharge each game ball guided from both inlet passages 71 and 72 to the back side of the gaming machine main body Ba.

  The ball payout device 73 is disposed on the left side of the both inlet passages 71 and 72 in the ball payout unit 70. The ball payout device 73 includes a step motor 73a and a step motor 73a as shown in FIG. Front and rear both-side payout cams 73c and 73d, which are coaxially supported via a drive shaft 73b, are provided.

  Here, the drive shaft 73 b is coaxially supported by the output shaft of the step motor 73 a and extends toward the rear of the game board 10. Of the front and rear both-side payout cams 73c and 73d, the front-side payout cam 73c is coaxially supported at an intermediate portion in the axial direction of the drive shaft 73b between the step motor 73a and the rear-side payout cam 73d. ing. The rear-side payout cam 73d is coaxially supported at the rotation base portion, behind the front-side payout cam 73c, at an axially intermediate portion of the drive shaft 73b. In the present embodiment, the rear payout cam 73d has an axial direction of the drive shaft 73b so that a predetermined phase angle difference (for example, 45 °) differs from the front payout cam 73c at the payout timing of the game ball. It is supported by an intermediate part.

  Accordingly, the front and rear both-side payout cams 73c and 73d rotate in the same direction as the stepping motor 73a rotates in the counterclockwise direction shown in FIG. 7, and from both inlet passages 71 and 72 as both ball payout passages. Each game ball to be guided is intermittently sent one by one to both exit paths 74 and 75 side.

  Both outlet passages 74 and 75 are disposed to extend obliquely downward to the left from the ball dispensing device 73 in the ball dispensing unit 70, and both outlet passages 74 and 75 are both dispensing cams of the ball dispensing device 73. Each game ball sent out by each rotation from 72c, 72d is guided to the vertical path unit 80 side.

  In FIG. 7, the broken line arrow a corresponds to the broken line arrow a shown in FIG. 6, and the path from the broken line arrow a to the broken line arrow c is when the entrance path 71 serves as a ball payout path. The guide route of the game ball of is shown. In FIG. 7, the broken line arrow b corresponds to the broken line arrow b shown in FIG. 6. In the path from the broken line arrow b to the broken line arrow d, the entrance path 72 also functions as a ball payout path. The guide route of the game ball at the time is shown.

  A path from the broken line arrow a to the broken line arrow e indicates a path of a game ball (ball-out ball) passing through the ball-out path 76 when the entrance path 71 serves as a ball-out path. The path from the broken line arrow b to the broken line arrow f indicates the path of a game ball (ball-out ball) that passes through the ball-out path 77 when the entrance path 72 also functions as a ball-out path.

  The vertical path unit 80 is disposed from the back side along the left edge of the main body frame BF of the gaming machine main body Ba so as to be connected to the ball payout unit 70. As shown in FIG. 8 or FIG. 9, both ball guide passages 81 and 82 and a ball removal passage 83 are provided in parallel with each other. In FIG. 8, broken line arrows c, d, e, and f correspond to broken line arrows c, d, e, and f shown in FIG.

  Of the both ball guide passages 81 and 82, as shown in FIG. 10, the ball guide passage 81 is downwardly meandering between the inlet portion 81a and the outlet portion 81b while meandering in the front-rear direction without bending in the left-right direction. The ball guide passage 81 is connected to the outlet path 74 of the ball dispensing unit 70 at the inlet portion 81a. Thus, the ball guide passage 81 guides the game ball supplied from the outlet path 74 of the ball dispensing unit 70 in a meandering manner from the inlet portion 81a to the outlet portion 81b (indicated by the broken arrow c in FIG. 10). (See the route from to the dashed arrow g.)

In addition, as shown in FIG. 11, the ball guide passage 82 is bent rightward from the inlet portion 82a between the inlet portion 82a and the outlet portion 82b, and then extends downward while meandering in the front-rear direction. The ball guide passage 82 is connected to the outlet path 75 of the ball dispensing unit 70 at the inlet portion 82a. Thus, the ball guide passage 82 guides the game ball supplied from the outlet path 75 of the ball dispensing unit 70 in a meandering manner from the inlet portion 82a to the outlet portion 82b (from the broken arrow d in FIG. 11). (Refer to the route to the dashed arrow h.)
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10 or FIG. 11, the both ball guide passages 81 and 82 are partitioned by the partition wall 84 except for the respective outlet portions 81 b and 82 b, and substantially the same spherical passage along the partition wall 84. It is formed into a shape.

  The ball removal passage 83 is connected to each of the ball removal passages 76 and 77 of the ball dispensing unit 70 at the respective inlet portions 83a and 83b. Further, the ball removal passage 83 discharges the game balls from both the ball removal passages 76 and 77 from both the inlet portions 83a and 83b through the outlet portion 63c (from the broken arrows e and f in FIG. 8 or FIG. 9). (See path to dashed arrow i). In addition, the ball extraction passage 83 joins between both the inlet portions 83a and 83b and the outlet portion 63c.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the ball passage unit 90 is disposed so as to be connected to the vertical passage unit 80 along the left edge portion of the main body frame BF of the gaming machine main body Ba. The spherical passage unit 90 includes a casing 91. The casing 91 is configured by forming a left casing member A and a right casing member B on the left and right sides so as to be parallel to each other in the vertical direction (FIG. 12). reference).

  The left casing member A is formed with a ball guide passage 92 (see any one of FIGS. 12 to 14) in the inside thereof, and the ball guide passage 92 is formed on the left and right side walls facing each other in the left casing member A. The portions 92c and 92d (see any of FIGS. 12 to 14) and the left and right side wall portions 92q and 92f (see any of FIGS. 12 to 14) facing each other are formed in a hollow shape as described later. . The front and rear side walls 92c and 92d and the left and right side walls 92q and 92f are also peripheral wall portions of the left casing member A.

  Here, the ball guide passage 92 is connected to both outlet portions 81b and 82b of the vertical passage unit 80 at the upper inlet portion 92a thereof. The upper inlet portion 92a has an opening shape that can receive the game balls from both outlet portions 81b and 82b of the vertical passage unit 80 side by side (shown by broken arrows g shown in FIGS. 12 and 14). , H).

  As shown in FIG. 12 or FIG. 14, the ball guide passage 92 includes the introduction portion Aa having the above-described upper inlet portion 92a, the space portion Ab, the main guide passage portion Ac, the sub guide passage portion Ad, and both the rectifying passage portions Ae. , Af.

  The introduction portion Aa is an upper curved wall portion 92b (hereinafter also referred to as a front upper curved wall portion 92b; see FIGS. 12 and 16A) of the front side wall portion 92c, and both upper curved wall portions 92b ( Hereinafter, it is also referred to as a rear upper curved wall portion 92b (see FIGS. 13 and 16B), and includes an upper wall portion of the left side wall portion 92q and an upper wall portion of the right side wall portion 92f.

  Here, the front upper curved wall portion 92b of the front side wall portion 92c has a substantially semi-elliptical cross section that protrudes forward so as to be inclined downward at a predetermined guide inclination angle from the left side to the right side (FIG. 16A). Reference). On the other hand, the rear upper curved walls 92b of the rear curved wall 92d are substantially rearwardly convex in a cross section of four minutes so as to incline at the predetermined guiding inclination angle in the same direction as the front upper curved wall 92b. One elliptical shape (see FIG. 16B) is formed. Note that the predetermined guide inclination angle described above is such that each game ball introduced from the inlet portion 92a into the introduction portion Aa has a lower opening in the introduction portion Aa without causing clogging in the introduction portion Aa. The angle is set so as to be smoothly guided toward the portion (described later).

  Thus, the introduction part Aa smoothly moves the game balls entering from the upper inlet part 92a to the right under the predetermined guide inclination angle, and drops them into the space part Ab from the lower opening part. As shown in FIG. 14, the lower opening of the introduction portion Aa is located between the left boundary portion of the rear upper curved walls 92b of the introduction portion Aa and the corresponding portion of the front upper curved wall portion 92b. Is formed so as to open into the space Ab on the right side of the left boundary portion.

  The space Ab is formed in the ball guide passage 92 between the introduction portion Aa, the main guide passage portion Ac, and the sub guide passage portion Ad. The space Ab is a front upper curved wall in the front side wall portion 92c. The flat wall portion formed below the portion 92b, the flat wall portion formed below the rear upper curved wall portion 92b in the rear side wall portion 92d, and the left and right side wall portions 92q and 92f with respect to these both flat wall portions The corresponding wall portion is formed in a rectangular hollow shape in the longitudinal section. Accordingly, the space Ab opens at the upper end opening thereof into the introduction portion Aa through the lower opening, and the lower opening of the space Ab includes the main guide passage portion Ac and the lower opening. It opens in the sub guide passage part Ad through each upper end opening.

  Thus, the space Ab is allowed to enter each of the game balls falling from the lower opening of the introduction portion Aa so as to be stored therein and to be dropped into the upper end opening of the main guide passage portion Ac as described later. .

  Further, as shown in FIG. 14, the space Ab has a stepped wall portion 92 z for breaking the ball, and the step wall portion 92 z is directly above a main guide passage portion Ac (described later) in the space portion Ab. In the right side wall portion 92f of the ball guide passage 92, the wall portion constituting the upper right side wall portion of the space Ab is projected toward the left side wall portion 92q.

  Here, the stepped wall portion 92z is located at a predetermined height from the lower edge portion of the rear middle curved wall portion 92j (described later) of the main guide passage portion Ac at the inclined lower edge portion Z1. The protruding end surface Z2 of the stepped wall portion 92z protrudes from the inner surface of the wall portion constituting the upper right side wall portion of the space Ab in the right side wall portion 92f by a predetermined thickness. The inclined lower edge portion Z1 is formed so as to incline from the inner surface of the right side wall portion 92f to the upper left side (see FIG. 14).

  Thereby, even if each game ball is stacked in the space Ab above the lower edge portion of the rear middle curved wall portion 92j of the main guide passage portion Ac, the stepped wall portion 92z is stacked in this manner. Of these, without breaking the game balls located on the lower side of the inclined lower edge portion Z1, the game balls stacked above the inclined lower edge portion Z1 are broken and smoothly moved to the side of the auxiliary guide passage portion Ad (described later). It plays a role of branching.

  In the present embodiment, the predetermined height is equal to three of the game balls in a state in which the game balls are stacked on the lower edge portions of the rear middle curved walls 92j of the main guide passage portion Ac. When game balls are arranged in an upper right direction from the upper end portion of the branch wall portion 92e (described later) to the inclined lower edge portion Z1, the game balls fall on the three game balls from the lower opening of the introduction portion Aa. The height is such that the game ball can be smoothly branched to the auxiliary guide passage portion Ad side. The height may be a value that is equal to or greater than the predetermined length of the lower edge of the rear middle curved walls 92j and equal to or smaller than the sum of the length in the tilt direction and the outer diameter of the game ball.

    The predetermined thickness is coupled with the predetermined height between the inclined lower edge portion Z1 and a corresponding portion of the lower edge portion of the rear middle curved wall portion 92j directly below the inclined lower edge portion Z1. It is set to a value (a value that is less than half of the outer diameter of the game ball) so that the game ball stacked on the upper side of the game ball can be pushed to the side of the auxiliary guide passage portion Ad without being broken. . For example, the predetermined thickness is a value within a range of less than 5.5 (mm) and 3 (mm) or more.

  As shown in FIG. 14, the main guide passage portion Ac and the sub guide passage portion Ad both extend downward from the space portion Ab in parallel with each other with the branch wall portion 92e as a boundary wall portion. Has been. The main guide passage portion Ac and the sub guide passage portion Ad have substantially the same opening area at their upper end openings.

  The main guide passage portion Ac is disposed in the right side portion of the left casing member A so as to be positioned below the lower opening portion of the introduction portion Aa through the space portion Ab at the upper end opening portion thereof. For this reason, the main guide passage portion Ac receives the game ball falling through the space Ab from the lower opening of the introduction portion Aa at the upper end opening. The auxiliary guide passage portion Ad is disposed on the left side of the main guide passage portion Ac via the branch wall portion 92e, and corresponds to the width of the auxiliary guide passage portion Ad (the distance between the branch wall portion 92e and the left side wall 92q). Is equal to the width of the main guide passage portion Ac (corresponding to the distance between the branch wall portion 92e and the right side wall 92f).

  In the present embodiment, the introduction part Aa is inclined downward from the left side to the right side as described above. Therefore, the game ball entering the introduction part Aa has both its own weight and the falling speed. Then, it smoothly moves to the right along the lower inner surface of the introduction portion Aa and falls from the lower opening portion of the introduction portion Aa toward the upper end opening portion of the main guide passage portion Ac.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 14, the lower opening of the introduction part Aa may face not only the upper end opening of the main guide path part Ac but also the upper end opening of the sub guide path part Ad. The game ball from the lower opening of the introduction part Aa always falls toward the upper end opening of the main guide passage part Ac. In the present embodiment, the game ball from the lower opening of the introduction portion Aa falls toward the upper end opening of the main guide passage portion Ac in the vicinity of the upper end t of the branch wall portion 92e.

  Further, the main guide passage portion Ac is also referred to as middle both curved wall portions 92h and 92m (hereinafter, also referred to as front middle and both curved wall portions 92h and 92m, corresponding to the right middle wall portion of the front side wall portion 92c. FIG. 12 and FIG. 16 (a)), both middle curved walls 92j and 92g (hereinafter, also referred to as rear middle curved walls 92j and 92g) corresponding to the right middle wall of the rear side wall 92d. b)), and the middle wall portion of the right side wall portion 92f and the middle wall portion of the branch wall portion 92e opposed thereto.

  Here, the front middle side curved wall portions 92h and 92m of the front side wall portion 92c are vertically connected to each other so as to incline downward at a predetermined guide inclination angle from the branch wall portion 92e to the right side wall portion 92f. Is formed. In the present embodiment, the predetermined guide inclination angle is set to an angle within a range of 10 ° to 15 °, for example. In addition, the lengths in the inclination direction of both the front middle curved walls 92h and 92m are set to values larger than twice the outer diameter of the game ball and smaller than three times. Further, the predetermined front-rear width (the width direction of the branch wall 92e) of the front middle curved walls 92h, 92m is preferably larger than the outer diameter of the game ball and not more than 1.5 times the outer diameter. It is good to set to the value of. These settings are based on the following grounds.

  That is, in order to supply as many game balls that are sequentially paid out from the ball payout unit 70 toward the upper plate 51 as smoothly as possible, the game balls that fall into the main guide passage portion Ac receive a mutual ball pressure. It is necessary to prevent the occurrence of a situation where a ball is blocked. From such a viewpoint, as described above, the predetermined guide inclination angle is set to, for example, an angle within a range of 10 ° to 15 °, and each of the front and middle curved wall portions 92h and 92m has a length in each inclination direction. The length is set to a predetermined inclination direction length, for example, a value larger than twice the outer diameter of the game ball and smaller than three times, and a predetermined front-rear direction of the front and middle curved walls 92h, 92m. The width is preferably set to a value larger than the outer diameter of the game ball and not more than 1.5 times the outer diameter.

  The predetermined guide inclination angle is not limited to an angle within a range of 10 ° to 15 °, and may be an angle that can smoothly guide the game ball in the inclination direction of the front and middle curved walls 92h and 92m. That's fine. Further, the predetermined inclination direction length and the predetermined front-rear direction width are a value larger than twice the outer diameter of the game ball and smaller than three times and larger than the outer diameter of the game ball, respectively. The value is not limited to a value of 1.5 times or less, and may be any value that is unlikely to generate a ball pressure between adjacent game balls in combination with the predetermined guide inclination angle.

  Further, of the front middle curved walls 92h and 92m, the front middle curved wall 92h is formed in a semi-elliptical longitudinal section convex outward (front) (FIGS. 12 and 16 (a)). )reference). Therefore, the front middle curved wall portion 92h faces the rear middle curved wall portions 92j and 92g in a concave shape with the boundary portion as the center. This means that the front middle curved wall portion 92h faces a concave shape on the spherical passage surface.

  Further, the front middle curved wall portion 92m is formed in an elliptical shape with a quarter longitudinal section convex outward (front side) (see FIGS. 12 and 16B). For this reason, the front middle curved wall portion 92m faces the rear middle curved wall portion 92g in a concave shape with the lower portion as the center. This means that the front middle curved wall portion 92m faces the front middle curved wall portion 92h in a concave shape on the spherical passage surface.

  On the other hand, the rear middle curved walls 92j and 92g of the rear side wall 92d are connected to each other so as to incline downward from the branch wall 92e to the right side wall 92f at the predetermined guide inclination angle. Is formed. In addition, the lengths of the rear middle curved walls 92j and 92g in the inclination direction are set to the predetermined inclination direction lengths, respectively.

  Further, of the rear middle curved walls 92j and 92g, the rear middle curved wall 92j has an elliptical shape with a quarter cross section that protrudes outward (rear side) (see FIG. 16B). The rear middle curved wall portion 92g is formed in a semi-elliptical longitudinal section that protrudes outward (rear side). Here, the lower middle edge portion of the front middle curved wall portion 92h and the upper edge portion of the front middle curved wall portion 92m are connected to each other as a connection edge portion, and the central portion in the vertical direction of the rear middle curved wall portion 92g. The lower edge portion of the rear middle curved wall portion 92j and the upper edge portion of the rear middle curved wall portion 92g are connected to each other as upper and lower portions of the front middle curved wall portion 92h. Opposite the center of the direction.

  This means that the front middle curved wall 92h faces the connecting edges of the rear middle curved walls 92j and 92g in a concave shape, and the rear middle curved wall 92g is both front middle curved walls. This means that the connecting edges of 92h and 92m are opposed to each other in a concave shape. In other words, the front middle curved wall portion 92h faces the connecting edges of the rear middle curved walls 92j and 92g in a concave shape on the spherical passage surface, and the rear middle curved wall 92g This means that the spherical passage faces the connecting edges of the front and middle curved walls 92h and 92m in a concave shape.

  The sub guide passage portion Ad is a middle both curved wall portion 92s, 92w (hereinafter, also referred to as a front middle side curved wall portion 92s, 92w corresponding to the left middle wall portion of the front side wall portion 92c. FIG. 12 and FIG. 16). a)), and both middle curved walls 92r and 92u (hereinafter also referred to as rear middle curved walls 92r and 92u corresponding to the left middle wall of the rear side wall 92d. FIG. 13 and FIG. 16B). See), and the middle wall portion of the left side wall portion 92q and the middle wall portion of the branch wall portion 92e opposed thereto.

  Here, the front middle side curved wall portions 92s and 92w of the front side wall portion 92c are vertically connected to each other and are inclined downward from the branch wall portion 92e to the left side wall portion 92q at the predetermined guide inclination angle. It is formed as follows. Further, the lengths in the inclination direction of the front middle curved walls 92s and 92w are set to the predetermined inclination direction length.

  Of the front middle curved walls 92s and 92w, the front middle curved wall 92s is formed in a semi-elliptical longitudinal section (see FIG. 16A) that protrudes outward (front). The front middle curved wall portion 92w is formed in an elliptical shape with a quarter cross section convex outward (front side) (see FIGS. 12 and 16A).

  On the other hand, the rear middle curved walls 92r and 92u of the rear side wall 92d are connected to each other so as to incline downward from the branch wall 92e to the left wall 92q at the predetermined guide inclination angle. Is formed. In addition, the lengths of the rear middle curved walls 92r and 92u in the inclination direction are set to the predetermined inclination direction length.

  Further, of the rear middle curved walls 92r and 92u, the rear middle curved wall 92r has an elliptical quarter section (see FIG. 16B) that protrudes outward (rear). The rear middle curved wall portion 92u is formed in a semi-elliptical vertical cross section (see FIG. 16B) that protrudes outward (rear side).

  Here, the lower edge portion of the front middle curved wall portion 92s and the upper edge portion of the front middle curved wall portion 92w are connected to each other as a connecting edge portion, and the central portion in the vertical direction of the rear middle curved wall portion 92u. The lower edge portion of the rear middle curved wall portion 92r and the upper edge portion of the rear middle curved wall portion 92u are connected to each other as upper and lower portions of the front middle curved wall portion 92s. Opposite the center of the direction.

  This means that the front middle curved wall 92s faces the connecting edges of the rear middle curved walls 92r and 92u in a concave shape, and the rear middle curved wall 92u This means that the connecting edges of 92s and 92w are opposed to each other in a concave shape. In other words, the front middle curved wall 92s faces the connecting edges of the rear middle curved walls 92r and 92u in a concave shape on the spherical passage surface, and the rear middle curved wall 92u is It means that the spherical passage surface faces the connecting edge portions of the curved front wall portions 92s and 92w in a concave shape.

  In addition, the lower edge portion of the rear middle curved wall portion 92r is set to be lower by a predetermined length than the upper end portion t of the branch wall portion 92e at the width direction end portion on the branch wall portion 92e side. ing. This is to make it difficult for the game ball branched to the auxiliary guide passage portion Ad to return to the main guide passage portion Ac.

  On the other hand, the lower edge portions of the rear middle curved wall portions 92j of the main guide passage portion Ac are branched walls at the lower edge portion of the rear middle curved wall portion 92r at the width direction end portion on the branch wall portion 92e side. It is set so as to be positioned lower than the end in the width direction on the side of the portion 92e by a predetermined length. As described above, the game ball that has dropped from the lower opening portion of the introduction portion Aa onto the lower edge portions of both the rear and middle curved wall portions 92j of the main guide passage portion Ac enters the sub guide passage portion Ad side. This is in order not to let them.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, each curved wall part which forms a part of structure of the main guide passage part Ac and the sub guide passage part Ad becomes a longitudinal cross-section semi-ellipse shape or a quarter ellipse shape. Based on the following grounds.

  That is, when the main guide passage portion Ac and the sub guide passage portion Ad are configured to linearly guide the game balls in the vertical direction, each game ball falls linearly in the vertical direction and the main ball is dropped. There is a risk of clogging of the balls in the guide passage portion Ac and the sub guide passage portion Ad.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, as described above, each curved wall portion forming a part of the configuration of the main guide passage portion Ac and the sub guide passage portion Ad has a semi-elliptical longitudinal section or a quarter elliptical shape. Therefore, the inner surface of each curved wall portion changes in a curved shape in the vertical direction. For this reason, each game ball falling into the main guide passage portion Ac and the sub guide passage portion Ad moves downward along one of the inner surfaces (ball passage surfaces) of each curved wall portion, and each lower edge portion thereof It is guided in any inclination direction of the curved wall.

  Thereby, each game ball falling in the main guide passage portion Ac and the sub guide passage portion Ad moves downward along the inner surface (ball passage surface) of each curved wall portion. Then, it is decelerated properly. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate clogging of each game ball in the main guide passage portion Ac and the sub guide passage portion Ad. For this reason, each curved wall portion forming a part of the configuration of the main guide passage portion Ac and the sub guide passage portion Ad has a longitudinal semi-elliptical shape or a quarter elliptical shape.

  In the present embodiment, the horizontal opening width of the main guide passage portion Ac (the horizontal width between the branch wall portion 92e and the right wall portion 92f) is the horizontal width of the lower opening portion of the introduction portion Aa. The horizontal width of the space Ab and the vertical length of the space Ab are set to be smaller. This is for making it harder to generate the ball clogging of the main guide passage portion Ac and the sub guide passage portion Ad.

  Among the rectifying passage portions Ae and Af, the rectifying passage portion Ae includes a vertical wall portion 92n corresponding to the lower right side wall portion of the front side wall portion 92c, and a vertical wall portion 92k corresponding to the lower right side wall portion of the rear side wall portion 92d, The lower wall portion of the right side wall 92f and the lower wall portion of the branch wall portion 92e facing the right wall 92f are configured.

  Here, both the vertical wall portions 92n and 92k extend downward while inclining so as to approach each other from the front middle curved wall portion 92h and the rear middle curved wall portion 92g. The lower wall portion of 92f extends downward while inclining so as to approach the lower wall portion of the branch wall portion 92e. This means that the rectifying passage portion Ae is formed in a converging shape so as to have a rectangular cross section that is narrower downward.

  This is due to the disturbance of the movement of the game ball by dropping each game ball in a curved shape back and forth while being displaced in a curved shape in relation to the shape of each opposing curved wall portion in the main guide passage portion Ac. In view of the possibility of causing ball clogging in the rectifying passage portion Ae, by configuring the rectifying passage portion Ae as described above, each game ball is moved in the width direction by two to smoothly move downward. This is because they are rectified so as to be lined up and moved downward from the outlet portion 92p (see symbol j in FIG. 13).

  Note that the width of the rectifying passage portion Ae (corresponding to the interval between the lower wall portion of the right side wall 92f and the lower wall portion of the branch wall portion 92e) is set somewhat larger than twice the outer diameter of the game ball. ing.

  On the other hand, the rectifying passage portion Af includes a vertical wall portion 92x corresponding to the lower left side wall portion of the front side wall portion 92c, a vertical wall portion 92v corresponding to the lower left side wall portion of the rear side wall portion 92d, a lower wall portion of the left side wall 92q, and It is configured with a lower wall portion of the opposing branch wall portion 92e.

  Here, both the vertical wall portions 92x and 92v are respectively extended downward while being inclined so as to approach each other from the front middle curved wall portion 92w and the rear middle curved wall portion 92u. Further, the lower wall portion of the left side wall 92q extends downward while inclining so as to approach the lower wall portion of the branch wall portion 92e. This means that the rectifying passage portion Af is formed in a constricted shape so as to have a rectangular cross section that becomes narrower downward.

  This is due to the disturbance of the movement of the game ball by dropping the game ball downward while displacing the game ball back and forth in relation to the shape of each opposing curved wall portion in the sub guide passage portion Ad. Considering the possibility of ball clogging in the passage portion Af, the rectifying passage portion Af is configured as described above so that each game ball is arranged in the width direction two by two in order to smoothly move downward. This is to rectify and move the outlet 92y downward (see symbol k in FIG. 13).

  The width of the rectifying passage portion Af (corresponding to the interval between the lower wall portion of the left side wall 92f and the lower wall portion of the branch wall portion 92e) is set to be somewhat larger than twice the outer diameter of the game ball. ing.

  The casing member B is formed with a ball passage 93 (see any one of FIGS. 12 to 15) inside the vertical passage unit 80 at the upper end opening thereof. An inlet portion 93a connected to the outlet portion 83c is provided, and the inlet portion 93a has an opening shape necessary for passing a single game ball.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 15, the ball removal passage 93 has a horizontal passage 93 b and a vertical passage 93 c, and the horizontal passage 93 b extends from the inlet portion 93 a to the right along the introduction portion Aa of the casing 91. It extends in a direction (a direction away from the right side wall 92f in the right direction in FIG. 15).

  The vertical passage 93c is bent and extended from the extending end of the horizontal passage 93b downward along the right side wall 92f. Here, the vertical passage 93c is formed in a meandering shape in the front-rear direction downward from the extending end of the horizontal passage 93b, and an outlet 93d is formed in the lower opening of the vertical passage 93c. Has been.

  According to the ball passage 93 configured as described above, a game ball entering the inlet portion 93a from the outlet portion 83c of the vertical passage unit 80 is moved from the upper end i to the lower end portion m along the broken line arrow shown in FIG. And escapes downward from the outlet portion 93d.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the ball passage unit 100 is disposed in the front-rear direction so as to be connected to the ball passage unit 90 at the lower left edge of the main body frame BF of the gaming machine main body Ba. As shown in FIG. 17, the spherical passage unit 100 has a longitudinal hollow casing 100a, and the casing 100a is formed to be stepped downward toward the front side. In FIG. 17, the casing 100 a of the ball passage unit 100 is drawn with its upper wall omitted for convenience.

  In the casing 100a, a main guide passage portion 101, a sub guide passage portion 102, a ball removal guide passage portion 103, and a ball scattering prevention mechanism 106 are formed. These main guide passage portion 101, sub guide passage portion 102, and The ball removal guide passage portion 103 is formed in a stepped shape from the upper side to the lower front side so as to extend in parallel with each other in the casing 100a. Here, the main guide passage portion 101 is formed in parallel between the auxiliary guide passage portion 102 and the ball removal guide passage portion 103, and the main guide passage portion 101 and the auxiliary guide passage portion 102 are formed as a partition wall portion. The main guide passage portion 101 and the ball removal guide passage portion 103 are separated from each other by a partition wall portion 105.

  Further, the main guide passage portion 101 is formed as an inlet portion 101a so as to be connected to the outlet portion 92p of the main guide passage portion Ac of the ball passage unit 90 at the upper end opening thereof. The lower end opening is formed as an outlet 101b (see FIG. 17). The auxiliary guide passage portion 102 is formed as an inlet portion 102 a so as to be connected to the outlet portion 92 y of the auxiliary guide passage portion Ad of the ball passage unit 90 at the upper end opening thereof, and the lower end of the auxiliary guide passage portion 102. The opening is formed as an outlet 102b (see FIG. 17). The ball removal guide passage 103 is formed as an inlet portion 103a so as to be connected to the outlet portion 93d of the ball passage 93 of the ball passage unit 90 at the upper end opening thereof. The lower end opening of the portion 103 is formed as an outlet portion 103b (see FIG. 17).

  Thus, according to the ball passage unit 100, the main guide passage portion 101 moves the game ball from the outlet portion 92p of the main guide passage portion Ac of the ball passage unit 90 toward the outlet portion 101b from the inlet portion 101a. At 17, guidance is provided from the starting end j to the terminating end n along the broken arrow in the figure. The auxiliary guide passage portion 102 has a game ball from the outlet portion 92y of the auxiliary guide passage portion Ad of the ball passage unit 90 directed toward the outlet portion 102b from the inlet portion 102a toward the outlet portion 102b. Guide from k to the end p. Further, the ball removal guide passage portion 103 is arranged so that the game ball from the outlet portion 93d of the ball passage passage 93 of the ball passage unit 90 is directed from the inlet portion 103a to the outlet portion 103b along the broken line arrow shown in FIG. Guide from the start end m to the end q.

  The ball scattering prevention mechanism 106 is provided in the front end portion of the casing 100a. The ball scattering prevention mechanism 106 includes a longitudinal tilting member 106a and a drive lever 106b.

  The longitudinal tilting member 106a is supported at the lower edge thereof so as to be tiltable in the front-rear direction at the front lower end portion of the casing 100a. The longitudinal tilting member 106a is connected to the outlet portion 101b of the main guide passage portion 101 and The left and right side hollow portions are formed so that the outlet portion 102b of the auxiliary guide passage portion 102 can be opened in the outlet portions 101b and 102b at positions corresponding to the front side thereof. The hollow portions have the same opening shapes as the opening shapes of the outlet portion 101b of the main guide passage portion 101 and the outlet portion 102b of the sub guide passage portion 102, respectively.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 18 or FIG. 19, the longitudinal tilting member 106 a is left and right in a state where the front wall portion is tilted to the both outlet portions 101 b and 102 b side at the left and right hollow portions. The hollow portions on both sides are opened inside the outlet portions 101b and 102b.

  Accordingly, each game ball guided from the main guide passage portion 101 through the outlet portion 101b sequentially moves through the right hollow portion of the longitudinal tilting member 106a toward the upper plate 51, and the sub guide passage portion. Each game ball guided from 102 through the exit portion 102b sequentially moves toward the lower plate 52 through the left hollow portion of the longitudinal tilting member 106a.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 17, FIG. 20, or FIG. 21, the longitudinal tilting member 106a is tilted forward from both outlet portions 101b and 102b so that the front wall portions of the left and right hollow portions are positioned in the vertical direction. Then, each rear wall part of the said left-right hollow part is made to oppose both exit part 101b, 102b.

  Thereby, each game ball guided from the main guide passage portion 101 through the outlet portion 101b is prevented from moving to the upper plate 51 by the rear wall portion of the right-side hollow portion of the longitudinal tilting member 106a, Each game ball guided from the guide passage portion 102 through the outlet portion 102b is prevented from moving to the lower plate 52 by the rear wall portion in the left hollow portion of the longitudinal tilting member 106a.

  As shown in FIG. 18 or FIG. 20, the drive lever 106b is supported at the front left end of the casing 100a so as to be pivotable in the front-rear direction. It extends rightward from its base end. The drive lever 106b is connected to the left end of the longitudinal tilting member 106a at its extended end.

  As a result, the drive lever 106b is rotated rearward by the front door FD (the closing operation of the front door FD) against the elasticity of the spring member (not shown) as shown in FIG. 17 or FIG. By rotating backward so as to be pushed into the front end portion of the casing 100a, as shown in FIG. 19, the longitudinal tilting member 106a is made to have both outlet portions 101b as described above with reference to its lower edge portion. , 102b. This means that the drive lever 106b opens the left and right hollow portions of the longitudinal tilting member 106a into the outlet portions 101b and 102b as described above by rotating to the rear side.

  Further, the drive lever 106b receives the elasticity of the spring member, and as shown in FIG. 20, the front end of the casing 100a is rotated forward by the front door FD (opening operation of the front door FD). 21. As shown in FIG. 21, by rotating to the front side so as to be pushed out from the part, the longitudinal tilting member 106a is moved to the front wall part of the left and right hollow parts as described above with reference to the lower edge part. Is tilted forward from both outlet portions 101b and 102b so as to be positioned in the vertical direction. This means that the drive lever 106b is caused to turn to the front side so that the left and right hollow portions of the longitudinal tilting member 106a are opposed to both outlet portions 101b and 102b at the respective rear wall portions as described above. Means.

  According to the ball scattering prevention mechanism 106 configured as described above, each game ball from the main guide passage portion 101 and the sub guide passage portion 102 is kept while the front door FD is closed during the game by the pachinko gaming machine. , Respectively, sequentially move toward the upper plate 51 and the lower plate 52. Further, in this state, when an employee in the hall opens the front door FD, each game ball from the main guide passage portion 101 and the sub guide passage portion 102 moves to the upper plate 51 and the lower plate 52. Be blocked. For this reason, each game ball from the main guide passage portion 101 and the sub guide passage portion 102 does not scatter from the pachinko gaming machine to the hall passage or the like.

  Further, the gaming machine main body Ba is provided with a full tank detection device comprising a full sensor 110 and a control circuit (not shown). The full sensor 110 is connected to the vertical passage unit 80 as shown in FIGS. It is provided as follows.

  The full tank sensor 110 includes a normally open type micro switch, and the full tank sensor 110 includes a tilt lever 111 and a sensor main body 112 (a switch main body 112 of the micro switch).

  Here, in the full tank sensor 110, the sensor main body 112 has a boundary between the two ball guide passages 81 and 82 so as to be located within both intermediate portions of the two ball guide passages 81 and 82 of the vertical passage unit 80. It is fitted into an opening (hereinafter also referred to as a boundary opening) formed in the intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction of the wall. In the present embodiment, the full sensor 110 is maintained in the OFF state as the movable protrusion of the sensor body 112 protrudes forward. Further, the full sensor 110 is maintained in the ON state in accordance with the displacement of the movable protrusion into the sensor body 112. The movable protrusion turns off the switch part built in the sensor main body 112 (corresponding to turning off the full sensor 110) as it protrudes forward. Further, the movable protrusion turns on the switch portion of the sensor body 112 (corresponding to turning on the full sensor 110) in accordance with the displacement into the sensor body 112. The movable protrusion is assembled in the sensor main body 112 so as to be displaceable from the front side and to protrude from the sensor main body 112 to the front side.

  As shown in FIG. 22 or FIG. 23, the tilting lever 111 is supported by the pin 113 at the upper end portion in the boundary opening portions of the both ball guide passages 81 and 82 at the base end portion thereof. Is extended downward along the front surface of the sensor body 112 within the boundary opening from the base end.

  Thus, the tilt lever 111 is pushed forward by the movable protrusion of the sensor main body 112 at the intermediate portion in the extending direction, and the boundary between the both ball guide passages 81 and 82 as shown in FIG. Located in the opening surface of the opening. At this time, the full sensor 110 is in an off state.

  Further, when the game ball is guided downward in either of the both ball guide passages 81 and 82, when the game ball is accumulated near the tilt lever 111, the tilt lever 111 is moved by the pushing surface 111a. The accumulated game ball is pushed toward the sensor body 112 and tilts so as to push the movable protrusion into the sensor body 112 (see FIG. 23).

  Accordingly, the full sensor 110 is turned on. This is because the game balls are accumulated in the path from the inside of the upper plate 51 to the vicinity of the tilting lever 111 in the ball guide passage 81 (hereinafter also referred to as a full tank determination path), or the game balls are sequentially The full tank sensor 110 is turned on only when it accumulates in the path from the inside of the upper plate 52 to the vicinity of the tilting lever 111 in the ball guide passage 82 (hereinafter also referred to as a full tank determination path). By maintaining for a predetermined time, the full state of the game ball is detected.

  The control circuit constitutes a part of the payout control device, and the control circuit determines whether or not the game ball has accumulated in the both full tank determination paths based on the detection output of the full sensor 110. With the determination that it has accumulated, it is determined that the tank is full.

  In the present embodiment configured as described above, it is assumed that the pachinko gaming machine is in a playable state. At this time, the ball tank unit 60 is in a state where a large number of game balls are stored from the tank 61 to both the rectifying paths 62 and 63. The ball dispensing unit 70 closes the upper end portions of both the ball removal passages 76 and 77 by the lid member 78. Further, since the door FD is in the closed state, the ball scattering prevention mechanism 106 allows the game balls to escape from the outlet portions 101b and 102b of the ball passage unit 100 by the longitudinal tilting member 106a. In addition, it is assumed that a large number of game balls are stored in the upper plate 51. Further, it is assumed that game balls are stored from the upper plate 51 to the ball launching device.

  Thus, when the player sequentially fires the game balls by operating the handle H in the pachinko gaming machine, the game balls pass between the inner rail portion 21 and the outer rail portion 22 of the guide rail 20 to play the game. Guided into region 12.

  When each game ball is guided in this way and wins one of the above-mentioned various winning holes, a winning detection signal from a detection switch (not shown) is input to the main board, and a payout instruction is issued from the main board to the payout control board. The command is transmitted, and the payout control board outputs a drive control signal for causing the ball payout device 73 of the ball payout unit 70 to perform a predetermined operation in accordance with the payout instruction command.

  Then, in the ball dispensing device 73, the step motor 73a rotates according to the drive control signal, and the front and rear both-side dispensing cams 73c, 73d rotate by the predetermined angle in the counterclockwise direction shown in FIG. Along with this, a predetermined number of game balls enter the ball dispensing unit 70 from both the inlet passages 71 and 72 through the both rectifying channels 62 and 63 from the ball tank unit 60, and the ball dispensing device 73 It is sequentially sent as a winning ball from both outlet passages 74 and 75 to the vertical passage unit 80 by the front and rear both-side payout cams 73c and 73d.

  Thereafter, the prize balls sent from the outlet passages 74 and 75 in this way are guided by the both ball guide passages 81 and 82 of the vertical passage unit 80, and the ball passages from the outlet portions 81b and 82b. Sent sequentially toward the unit 90. At this stage, since the prize ball does not stay in either of the both ball guide passages 81, 82, the prize ball is full in either of the both ball guide passages 81, 82. Even if 110 is temporarily turned on due to the movement of the prize ball in either of the both ball guide passages 81 and 82, the control circuit does not determine that the tank is full.

  As described above, when the prize balls sequentially move from the outlets 81b and 82b toward the ball path unit 90, the prize balls are introduced into the introduction part Aa of the ball guide path 92 of the ball path unit 90 (see FIG. 14). ) From the upper inlet portion 92a.

  Here, as described above, the introduction portion Aa is inclined from the left side wall 92q to the right side wall 92f of the casing 91 at the predetermined induction inclination angle described above. For this reason, as described above, each winning ball introduced into the introduction portion Aa generates a ball clog along the curved inner surface of the front upper curved wall portion 92b and the curved inner surfaces of the rear upper curved wall portions 92b. Without being guided smoothly in the direction of inclination of the introduction part Aa, it drops from the lower opening of the introduction part Aa through the space Ab toward the main guide passage part Ac (see FIG. 24).

  As described above, each prize ball falling toward the main guide passage portion Ac sequentially falls into the upper end opening of the main guide passage portion Ac. At this time, the branch wall 92e is positioned higher than the branch wall 92a side end of the lower edge of the rear middle curved wall 92j at the upper end t. The prize ball received on the lower edge of the wall 92j does not branch over the upper end t of the branch wall 92e to the auxiliary guide passage part Ad.

  Thus, each prize ball that has dropped into the upper end opening of the main guide passage portion Ac as described above has the curved inner surface of the front middle curved wall portion 92h and the curved inner surfaces of the rear middle curved wall portions 92j and 92g. In between, it guides in a curved shape forward and downward along the curved inner surface of the rear middle curved wall portion 92j.

  Here, as described above, the lower edge portions of the rear middle curved walls 92j are inclined at the predetermined guide inclination angle. Therefore, each prize ball guided in a curved shape downward and forward along the curved inner surface of the rear middle curved wall portion 92j as described above is along the lower edge portion of the rear middle curved wall portion 92j. The vertical middle portion of the front middle curved wall portion 92h and the rear middle curved wall portions 92j while smoothly moving toward the right side wall portion 92f of the casing 91 without receiving ball pressure due to each other. It is smoothly guided downward through a boundary portion of 92g (consisting of a lower edge portion of the rear middle curved wall portion 92j and an upper edge portion of the rear middle curved wall portion 92g (FIG. 16A). 14 and 24).

  Next, each prize ball guided as described above is guided in a curved shape downward and rearward along the curved inner surface of the front middle curved wall portion 92h (FIGS. 16A, 14 and 24). reference).

  Here, as described above, the lower edge portion of the front middle curved wall portion 92h is inclined at the predetermined guide inclination angle. Therefore, each prize ball guided as described above is along the lower edge portion of the front middle curved wall portion 92h, receives the ball pressure from each other, and does not cause clogging of the balls. Smoothly moving toward the boundary between the front middle curved walls 92h and 92m (consisting of the lower edge of the front middle curved wall 92h and the upper edge of the front middle curved wall 92m) and the rear middle It is smoothly guided in a curved manner forward and downward along the curved inner surface of the rear middle curved wall portion 92g through the side curved wall portion 92g (see FIG. 16A, FIG. 14 and FIG. 24). ).

  Each prize ball guided in this way passes through the rectifying passage portion Ae and is sent out from the outlet portion 92p toward the ball passage unit 100 (see FIGS. 14 and 24).

  Here, as described above, the rectifying passage portion Ae is formed in a converging shape so as to have a rectangular cross section narrowing downward toward the branch wall portion 92e. Therefore, even if the movement of the game ball is disturbed by dropping downward while displacing each game ball in a curved shape back and forth in relation to the shape of each opposing curved wall portion in the main guide passage portion Ac. Each award ball can be smoothly sent out from the outlet portion 92p toward the ball passage unit 100 without causing the clogging in the rectification passage portion Ae, with the disturbance being satisfactorily eliminated (see FIGS. 24 and 24). 25).

  As described above, each prize ball sent out from the exit portion 92p of the ball passage unit 90 toward the ball passage unit 100 passes through the main guide passage portion 101 of the ball passage unit 100 and the ball scattering prevention mechanism via the outlet portion 101b. 106.

  At this time, the ball scattering prevention mechanism 106 is in a state in which the game balls are allowed to escape from the outlets 101b and 102b of the ball passage unit 100 by the longitudinal tilting member 106a. For this reason, each winning ball sent to the ball scattering prevention mechanism 106 as described above passes through the ball scattering prevention mechanism 106 and enters the upper plate 51 from the inlet 51a, and receives the tray of the upper plate 51. Stored in the part 51b (see FIG. 24).

  After that, when the gaming state of the pachinko machine becomes a special gaming state in which, for example, the attacker's big winning opening is opened a predetermined number of times and a large number of gaming balls are paid out as prize balls, the inside of the ball tank unit 60 A large number of game balls are sequentially paid out as prize balls by the ball payout unit 70 in the same manner as described above, and pass through both the ball guide passages 81 and 82 of the vertical passage unit 80 toward the ball passage unit 90. Sent sequentially.

  Then, each prize ball sequentially sent out toward the ball passage unit 90 in this way sequentially passes through the introduction portion Aa and the space portion Ab of the ball passage unit 90 toward the main guide passage portion Ac in the same manner as described above. Then, in the main guide passage portion Ac, it is smoothly guided downward in the front-rear direction without causing clogging in the same manner as described above, and is smoothly sent out to the ball passage unit 100. Each prize ball sent out in this way passes through the main guide passage portion 101 of the ball passage unit 100 and the ball scattering prevention mechanism 106 and is stored in the tray portion 51b of the upper plate 51.

  In such a process, the award ball is filled with the upper plate 51, and then reaches the upper end opening of the main guide passage portion 101 of the ball passage unit 100 and the main guide passage portion Ac of the ball passage unit 90. When it is full, the prize balls that subsequently fall through the space Ab will fall sequentially onto the prize balls that are full up to the upper end opening of the main guide passage part Ac (FIGS. 26 and 27). reference).

  Therefore, each prize ball falling on the prize ball that has been filled up to the upper end opening of the main guide passage portion Ac is positioned above the upper end t (see FIG. 14) of the branch wall 92e. Will come to do. For this reason, each such award ball is branched to the auxiliary guide passage portion Ad side beyond the upper end portion t of the branch wall portion 92e, and enters the upper end opening of the auxiliary guide passage portion Ad (FIG. (See arrow at 27).

  The prize balls that are branched into the upper end opening of the auxiliary guide passage portion Ad in this way enter the curved inner surface (ball passage surface) of the front middle curved wall portion 92s and the rear middle curved wall portions 92r, Between each curved inner surface (spherical passage surface) of 92u, it is guided in a curved shape forward and downward along the curved inner surface of the rear middle curved wall portion 92r.

  Here, as described above, the lower edge portions of the rear middle curved walls 92r are inclined in the opposite direction to the lower edges of the rear middle curved walls 92j at the predetermined guide inclination angle. Yes. Therefore, as described above, each prize ball guided in a curved shape downward and forward along the curved inner surface (spherical passage surface) of the rear middle curved wall portion 92r is below the rear middle curved wall portion 92r. Both the center and the rear middle side of the front middle curved wall 92s are smoothly moved toward the left wall 92q of the casing 91 along the edge without receiving ball pressure from each other and causing clogging. Smoothly guided downward through the boundary between the curved walls 92r, 92u (consisting of the lower edge of the rear middle curved wall 92r and the upper edge of the rear middle curved wall 92u) (see FIG. 16 (b), FIG. 14 and FIG. 28).

  Next, each prize ball guided in this way is guided in a curved shape downward and rearward along the curved inner surface of the front middle curved wall portion 92s (see FIG. 16B, FIG. 14 and FIG. 28). ).

  Here, as described above, the lower edge portion of the front middle curved wall portion 92s is inclined in the direction opposite to the lower edge portion of the front middle curved wall portion 92h at the predetermined guide inclination angle. Therefore, each prize ball guided as described above is along the lower edge portion of the front middle curved wall portion 92s, receives the ball pressure from each other, and does not cause clogging of the balls. Smoothly moving toward the boundary between the front middle curved walls 92s and 92w (consisting of the lower edge of the front middle curved wall 92s and the upper edge of the front middle curved wall 92w) and the rear middle It is smoothly guided in a curved shape forward and downward along the curved inner surface of the rear middle curved wall portion 92u through the side curved wall portion 92u (see FIG. 16B, FIG. 14 and FIG. 28). ).

  Each prize ball guided in this way passes through the rectifying passage portion Af and is sent out from the outlet portion 92y toward the ball passage unit 100 (see FIGS. 14 and 28).

  Here, as described above, as shown in FIG. 14, the rectifying passage portion Af is formed in a converging shape so as to have a rectangular cross section that is narrower toward the lower side toward the branch wall portion 92e. Therefore, even if the movement of the game ball is disturbed by dropping downward while displacing each game ball in a curved shape back and forth in relation to the shape of each opposing curved wall portion in the sub guide passage portion Ad. Each award ball can be smoothly sent out from the exit portion 92y toward the ball path unit 100 without causing the clogging in the rectifying path portion Afe, with the disturbance being satisfactorily eliminated (see FIG. 28). . As described above, each prize ball sent out from the exit portion 92y of the ball passage unit 90 toward the ball passage unit 100 passes through the sub guide passage portion 102 of the ball passage unit 100 and passes through the outlet portion 102b. 106.

  At this time, the ball scattering prevention mechanism 106 is in a state in which the game balls are allowed to escape from the outlet portions 101b and 102b of the ball passage unit 100 by the longitudinal tilting member 106a, as described above. Therefore, each prize ball sent to the ball scattering prevention mechanism 106 as described above passes through the ball scattering prevention mechanism 106 and enters the lower plate 52 from the outlet 51e through the passage 51d of the upper plate 51. Stored.

  In such a process, the award ball is filled in the lower plate 52 under the special gaming state described above, and then the auxiliary guide passage portion 102 of the ball passage unit 100 and the sub-passage of the ball passage unit 90 are filled. The upper end opening of the guide passage portion Ac becomes full, and further, stays from the space portion Ab through the introduction portion Aa to each corresponding portion of the both ball guide passages 81 and 82 of the vertical passage unit 80 with respect to the full tank sensor 110. Then, the full sensor 110 is pushed on by the award ball staying on the pushing surface 111a of the movable lever 111 as described above, and turns on.

  Such a state is maintained for the predetermined time due to the stay of the prize balls as described above. This means that the full tank sensor 110 has a prize ball corresponding to the full tank sensor 110 out of the ball guide paths 81 and 82 of the lower plate 52 to the upper plate 51, the ball passage unit 100, the ball passage unit 90 and the vertical passage unit 80. In other words, it means that each corresponding portion is in a full state due to staying over both the above-described full tank determination paths. Therefore, the control circuit determines that the tank is full.

  Accordingly, for example, if the image display displays that the game ball is to be pulled out from the lower plate 52 based on the determination that the control circuit is full, the player can use the lower plate 52 based on the display. Pull out the game ball inside. Then, as described above, a large number of prize balls staying in the full tank determination path and becoming full are sequentially stored in the lower dish 52 in the same manner as described above. Such a ball removal process is repeated each time the game balls in the lower plate 52 are full.

  Here, in the ball passage unit 90, the lower edge portion of each opposing curved wall portion in the main guide passage portion Ac is as described above with respect to the lower edge portion of each opposing curved wall portion in the sub guide passage portion Ad. Inclined in directions away from the branch wall portion 92e in opposite directions. In addition, the width of each opposing curved wall is set to a value that is greater than twice the outer diameter of the game ball and less than three times.

  For this reason, each time the ball in the lower plate 52 is removed, a large number of award balls staying and filling the both full tank judgment paths are filled in the auxiliary guide passage portion Ad as described above. It is possible to smoothly enter the lower plate 52 while preventing the ball from clogging. The same applies to the main guide passage portion Ac. This means that even if the tank is full as described above, if the ball is removed from the lower plate 52 or the like, the award ball is smoothly sent to the lower plate 52 or the like without causing a ball clogging in the ball passage unit 90. Means that you can.

  In addition, as described above, the full tank sensor 110 is disposed together with the passage unit 80 in the main body frame BF of the gaming machine main body Ba, which is a so-called inner frame, and the full tank sensor 110 is connected to the both ball guide passages of the passage unit 80. 81 and 82 are provided at intermediate portions in the longitudinal direction.

  Therefore, the prize ball is not only staying between the lower plate 52 and the ball passage unit 90 but also corresponding to the full tank sensor 110 in the ball passage unit 90 and the ball guide passages 81 and 82 of the passage unit 80. It is determined that the tank is full only when it stays at the site.

  Therefore, the number of storage in the pachinko machine until the game ball is full can be greatly increased, and as a result, the player can ease the feeling of rushing out of the ball, In recent years, even if the size of the hall is increasing, it is possible to lengthen the time required to exchange the dollar box required for ball removal, and as a result, it is possible to reduce the burden of rushing the exchange of the dollar box. .

  Furthermore, since the distance from the lower plate 52 to each corresponding portion of the both ball guide passages 81 and 82 of the passage unit 80 with respect to the full tank sensor 110 is increased, the frequency at which the player fills up the game ball is reduced. As a result, it is difficult for the ball management error to occur during a special prize game or a so-called electric tulip support game.

  When the game balls necessary for the game remain in the upper plate 51 through the above-described ball removal process, the player smoothly starts the game again in a state where there is no ball clogging as described above. It will be.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the ball passage unit 90, each game ball introduced as a prize ball from the upper entrance portion 92a to the introduction portion Aa is a lower opening portion of the introduction portion Aa. And then sequentially dropped through the space Ab and received by the main guide passage portion Ac. At this time, the main guide passage portion Ac extends downward from the introduction portion Aa via the space portion Ab so as to face the lower opening of the introduction portion Aa via the space portion Ab. Each falling game ball is received by the main guide passage portion Ac without being branched to the sub guide passage portion Ad side.

  On the other hand, since the step wall portion 92z is formed so as to protrude in the space Ab as described above, it is below the other upper curved wall portion 92j in the main guide passage portion Ac in the space Ab. The game balls that accumulate and stay on the edge portion are collapsed so as to be pushed out toward the auxiliary guide passage portion Ad by the stepped wall portion 92z and branch into the auxiliary guide passage portion Ad.

  Accordingly, each game ball that falls into the space Ab can be sent into the main guide passage Ac and the sub-guide passage Ad without causing clogging in the space Ab.

  Here, in the main guide passage portion Ac, the one-side curved wall portion 92h is formed in a convex shape in a longitudinal section in a downward direction in a direction away from the branch wall portion 92e, and below the one-side curved wall portion 92h. The edge portion is inclined at a predetermined guide inclination angle downward in a direction away from the branch wall portion 92e.

  Further, in the main guide passage portion Ac, the other-side up-and-down curved wall portions 92j and 92g are connected vertically so as to face the concave portion in the longitudinal section with respect to the one-side curved wall portion 92h side. The lower edge portion of the upper curved wall portion 92j of the wall portions 92j and 92g, together with the upper edge portion of the lower curved wall portion 92g, faces the vertical center portion of the one-side curved wall portion 92h and is away from the branch wall portion 92e. Are inclined downward at the predetermined guide inclination angle.

  Accordingly, each of the game balls sequentially received by the main guide passage portion Ac as described above falls down along the curved inner surface of the upper curved wall portion 92j in the main guide passage portion Ac, while the upper curved wall. Guided downward while moving in the direction of inclination along the lower edge of the portion 92j, and then falling downward along the curved inner surface of the one-side curved wall 92h, the lower edge of the one-side curved wall 92h It is guided further downward while moving in the inclination direction along the top. This means that even if there are many game balls that are sequentially received in the main guide passage portion Ac, each of the game balls is based on the curved shape of the upper curved wall portion 92j and the curved shape of the one-side curved wall portion 92h. This means that the guide is smoothly guided in the main guide passage portion Ac without causing clogging based on the predetermined guide inclination angle.

  When the number of game balls received by the main guide passage portion Ac increases and stays in the upper end opening of the main guide passage portion Ac, each staying game ball passes through the upper end portion t of the branch wall portion 92e. Branching into the auxiliary guide passage portion Ad.

  Here, the one side curved wall portion 92s and the other side upper and lower curved wall portions 92r and 92u of the sub guide passage portion Ad are respectively connected to the one side curved wall portion 92h and the other side upper and lower curved wall portions 92j and 92g of the main guide passage portion Ac. Similarly, the lower edge portion of the upper curved wall portion 92r and the upper curved wall portion 92r of the other side upper and lower curved wall portions 92r and 92u and the lower edge portion of the one side curved wall portion 92s are arranged on one side of the main guide passage portion Ac. The lower edge portion of the curved wall portion 92h and the lower edge portion of the upper curved wall portion 92j are inclined in a direction away from the branch wall portion 92e in the opposite direction.

  Accordingly, each of the game balls that sequentially enter the auxiliary guide passage portion Ad as described above falls downward along the curved inner surface of the upper curved wall portion 92r in the auxiliary guide passage portion Ad, and the upper curved wall portion 92r. It is guided downward while moving in the inclination direction along the lower edge of the lower side, and then falls downward along the curved inner surface of the one side curved wall 92s and onto the lower edge of the one side curved wall 92s. It is guided further downward while moving in the inclination direction. This means that even if there are many game balls branched to the sub guide passage portion Ad, each of the game balls is based on the curved shape of the upper curved wall portion 92r and the curved shape of the one-side curved wall portion 92s. It means that the guide is smoothly guided in the auxiliary guide passage portion Ad without causing a ball clogging based on a predetermined guide inclination angle.

  According to the above, even if there are many game balls falling in the space Ab, these game balls are clogged in the space Ab based on the breaking action of the step wall 92z in the space Ab. The main guide passage portion Ac and the sub guide passage portion Ad are sent to the main guide passage portion Ac and the sub guide passage portion Ad. It can be smoothly guided downward without causing ball clogging.

  Here, as described above, the stepped wall portion 92z has a predetermined height at the inclined lower edge portion Z1 than the lower edge portion of the rear middle curved wall portion 92j of the main guide passage portion Ac, for example, a game It is formed on the wall portion constituting the upper right side wall portion of the space Ab so as to be positioned above the outer diameter of the sphere multiple times, and at the protruding end surface Z2, for example, a predetermined thickness. Only a value less than half of the outer diameter of the sphere is formed so as to protrude from the inner surface of the wall portion constituting the upper right side wall portion of the space Ab to the sub guide passage portion Ad side.

  Thereby, even if each game ball accumulates and stays on the lower edge portion of the other upper upper curved wall portion of the main guide passage portion Ac in the space portion Ab, the stepped wall portion 92z of the respective game balls is inclined. The game balls stacked on the upper side of the lower edge portion can be favorably collapsed and pushed into the sub guide passage portion Ad so as to be pushed out to the sub guide passage portion Ad side by the step wall portion 92z. Therefore, each game ball falling in the space Ab does not cause a ball clogging in the space Ab.

  Here, in the present embodiment, the introduction portion Aa of the ball passage unit 90 is inclined in the same direction as the lower edge portion of the upper curved wall portion 92j of the main guide passage portion aC and the upper edge portion of the lower curved wall portion 92g. ing.

  Thereby, each game ball introduced into the introduction portion Aa is the same as the lower edge portion of the upper curved wall portion 92j of the main guide passage portion Ac and the upper edge portion of the lower curved wall portion 92g within the introduction portion Aa. Since each of the game balls moves in the direction, the game ball can surely fall into the main guide passage portion Ac from the lower opening of the introduction portion Aa without dropping to the sub guide passage portion Ad side.

  Further, in the present embodiment, as described above, in the ball passage unit 90, the main guide passage portion Ac and the sub guide passage portion Ad have the outer diameters of the game balls at the inclination direction lengths of the respective curved wall portions. It is set to a value larger than twice and smaller than three times. Accordingly, each game ball moving in an inclined manner in the main guide passage portion Ac and the sub guide passage portion Ad moves smoothly without receiving a ball pressure from each other in combination with the predetermined guide inclination angle. can do.

  In the present embodiment, in the ball passage unit 90, the main guide passage portion Ac receives each game ball falling from the lower opening of the introduction portion Aa in the vicinity of the upper end portion t of the branch wall portion 92e. Thus, the upper curved wall portion 92j of the main guide passage portion Ac is formed to face the lower opening portion of the introduction portion Aa. It is formed so as to be located below the lower edge portion of the wall portion 92r. In addition, the branch wall portion 92e is formed at the upper end portion so as to protrude above the lower edge portion of the upper curved wall portion 92r of the sub guide passage portion Ad with a length less than the outer diameter of the game ball. Has been.

  Therefore, the lower edge portion of the upper curved wall portion 92j of the main guide passage portion Ac is located below the lower edge portion of the upper curved wall portion 92r of the sub guide passage portion Ad, and the upper end of the branch wall portion 92e. Since the portion t has a length less than the outer diameter of the game ball and protrudes upward from the lower edge portion of the upper curved wall portion 92r of the auxiliary guide passage portion Ad, each game ball has a branch wall portion 92e. Even if it falls on the lower edge part of the upper side curved wall part 92j from the lower side opening part of the introduction part Aa so that it may be received in the vicinity of the upper end part t, the said each game ball of the branch wall part 92e It can be reliably received by the main guide passage portion Aa without branching to the sub guide passage portion Ad side beyond the upper end portion t.

  In the present embodiment, by adopting the spherical passage unit 90 having the above-described configuration, even if a large number of prize balls stay in the hollow spherical guide passage in a full state, the lower portion of the hollow spherical guide passage is below. For example, if the prize balls staying in the area are moved downward by pulling out the game balls in the tray, even if there are many prize balls falling in the space part, these prize balls will be stepped in the space part. The award that is sent to the main guide passage portion and the sub guide passage portion without causing clogging of the balls in the space portion, and stays inside the main guide passage portion and the sub guide passage portion, based on the action of breaking the ball. The sphere moves smoothly in the bending direction of the curved wall portion and the inclined direction of the lower edge of the curved wall portion inside the main guide passage portion and the sub guide passage portion without causing clogging. It can be guided downward and sent to the upper plate 51 and the lower plate 52.

  In carrying out the present invention, the front middle side curved wall portions 92h and 92m and the rear middle side curved wall portions 92j and 92g of the main guide passage portion Ac and the sub guide passage portion Ad described in the above embodiment are provided. Each of the front middle curved walls 92s and 92w and the rear middle curved walls 92r and 92u is not limited to the curved shape described in the above embodiment, and may be a bent portion having a bent shape. In general, it may be a protruding portion having a protruding shape.

In carrying out the present invention, in the ball passage unit that is formed so as to extend in a vertically hollow shape in the vertical direction and guides each game ball entering from the upper inlet portion (92a) downward,
An introduction part (Aa) for introducing each game ball from the upper entrance part;
A hollow sphere guide passage portion (92) extending downward from the introduction portion via the space portion (Ab),
The hollow sphere guide passage part is
Each gaming ball that extends downward through the space portion so as to face the lower opening portion from the introduction portion and falls downward from the lower opening portion of the introduction portion through the space portion is lowered. A main guide passage portion (Ac) that is received so as to be directed toward the head,
Along with the branch wall portion (92e) in parallel to the main guide passage portion, it extends downward from the introduction portion through the space portion, and is associated with an excess of received game balls in the main guide passage portion. A sub guide passage portion (Ad) for receiving excess game balls so as to be branched from the main guide passage portion and guided downward;
The main guide passage part is
Of the peripheral wall portions (92c, 92d, 92f, 92e), one opposing wall portion (92c) of the opposing wall portions (92c, 92d) facing each other in the width direction of the branch wall portion is the other opposing wall. One side curved wall portion formed so as to be curved in a longitudinal section in a direction away from the portion (92d), and at a lower edge thereof, a predetermined downward direction in a direction away from the branch wall portion. Formed as a one-side curved wall portion (92h) inclined at an inclination angle;
The other-side up-and-down curved wall portion that is vertically connected and formed at the other opposing wall portion so as to have a longitudinally curved curved shape in a direction away from the one-side curved wall portion (92h), The other side upper and lower curved wall portions (92j, 92g) facing the central portion in the vertical direction of the one side curved wall portion together with the upper edge portion of the lower curved wall portion (92g) at the lower edge portion of the curved wall portion (92j). Is formed as
The other side upper and lower curved wall portion is at the lower edge portion of the upper curved wall portion, together with the upper edge portion of the lower curved wall portion, at the predetermined guide inclination angle in a direction away from the branch wall portion. Inclined downwards,
The space portion is a portion of the main guide passage portion side wall portion, and the main guide passage portion is directed toward the inside of the directly upper wall portion at a directly upper wall portion of the lower edge portion of the other upper curved wall portion (92j). A protruding stepped wall portion (92z) may be formed so that the received game ball is not retained.

  According to such a configuration, each game ball introduced from the upper inlet portion into the introduction portion sequentially falls through the space portion from the lower opening portion of the introduction portion and is received by the main guide passage portion. It is accepted. At this time, since the main guide passage portion extends downward from the introduction portion via the space portion so as to face the lower opening of the introduction portion via the space portion, each game ball falling as described above Is received by the main guide passage portion without being branched to the sub guide passage portion side. At this time, if there are many game balls received by the main guide passage portion, these game balls are stacked and retained upward on the lower edge portion of the other upper curved wall portion of the main guide passage portion.

  On the other hand, since the step wall portion protrudes in the space portion as described above, the game stays stacked on the lower edge portion of the other upper upper curved wall portion of the main guide passage portion in the space portion. The sphere is broken so as to be pushed out to the side of the auxiliary guide passage part by the stepped wall part and branches into the auxiliary guide passage part.

  Therefore, each game ball falling into the space portion can be sent into the main guide passage portion and the sub guide passage portion without causing a ball clogging in the space portion.

  Here, in the main guide passage portion, the one side curved wall portion is formed in a longitudinally curved curved shape downward in a direction away from the branch wall portion, and the lower edge portion of the one side curved wall portion is Inclined downward at a predetermined guide inclination angle in a direction away from the branch wall.

  Further, in the main guide passage portion, the other side upper and lower curved wall portions are vertically connected at the other opposing wall portion so as to have a longitudinally curved curved shape in a direction away from the one side curved wall portion. The lower edge portion of the upper curved wall portion of the other side upper curved wall portion is opposed to the vertical center portion of the one side curved wall portion together with the upper edge portion of the lower curved wall portion and away from the branch wall portion. Are inclined downward at the predetermined guide inclination angle.

  Therefore, each of the game balls sequentially received in the main guide passage portion as described above falls downward along the curved inner surface of the upper curved wall portion in the main guide passage portion, and the lower edge of the upper curved wall portion. It is guided downward while moving in the inclination direction along the part, and then falling downward along the curved inner surface of the one side curved wall part and in the inclination direction along the lower edge of the one side curved wall part. It is guided further downward while moving. This means that even if there are many game balls that are sequentially received in the main guide passage portion, each of the game balls is based on the curved shape of the upper curved wall portion and the curved shape of the one-side curved wall portion. This means that the guide is smoothly guided in the main guide passage portion without causing clogging based on the guide inclination angle.

  According to the above, even if a large number of game balls stay in the hollow ball guide passage in a full state, the game balls staying below the hollow ball guide passage are, for example, game balls in a tray. If there is a lot of game balls that fall into the space part by moving downward, these game balls will cause clogging of the balls in the space part based on the breaking action of the stepped wall part in the space part. The game ball that is sent to the main guide passage portion and the sub guide passage portion and stays in the main guide passage portion is further curved in the main guide passage portion and in the bending direction of the curved wall portion and the curved wall portion. It can move smoothly and be guided downward without causing clogging of the balls in the direction of inclination of the lower edge portion. Note that game balls staying in the auxiliary guide passage can be guided downward.

Here, the peripheral wall portion (92c, 92d, 92q, 92e) of the auxiliary guide passage portion is one of the opposing wall portions (92c, 92d) facing each other in the width direction of the branch wall portion (92c, 92d). 92c) is a one-side curved wall portion that is formed to have a longitudinally curved curved shape in a direction away from the other opposing wall portion (92d), and the branch wall portion at the lower edge portion thereof Is formed as a one-side curved wall portion (92s) that is inclined downward at the predetermined guide inclination angle so as to be away from the one-side curved wall portion of the main guide passage portion.
The other opposing wall portion of the sub guide passage portion is connected to the upper and lower sides so as to have a longitudinally convex curved shape in a direction away from the one side curved wall portion (92s) of the sub guide passage portion. Side upper and lower curved wall portions, and the lower curved portion of the upper curved wall portion (92r) and the upper edge portion of the lower curved wall portion (92u) together with the one side curved wall portion of the auxiliary guide passage portion. It is formed as the other side up and down curved wall part (92r, 92u) facing the up-down direction center part,
The other side upper and lower curved wall portion of the sub guide passage portion is formed at the lower edge portion of the upper curved wall portion (92r) together with the upper edge portion of the lower curved wall portion from the branch wall portion. You may incline below at the said predetermined | prescribed guide inclination angle so that it may leave | separate in the opposite direction to the said other side up-and-down curved wall part of a guide channel | path part.

  According to such a configuration, when the number of game balls received in the main guide passage portion increases, each game ball branches off via the upper end portion of the branch wall portion under the action of breaking the step wall portion. Enter the sub-guide passage.

  Here, the one side curved wall portion and the other side upper and lower curved wall portion of the sub guide passage portion are formed in a curved shape in the same manner as the one side curved wall portion and the other side upper and lower curved wall portion of the main guide passage portion, The lower edge portion of the upper curved wall portion and the lower edge portion of the one side curved wall portion of the other side upper and lower curved wall portions are the lower edge portion of the one side curved wall portion and the lower edge portion of the upper curved wall portion of the main guide passage portion. Is inclined in a direction away from the branch wall portion in the opposite direction.

  Accordingly, each of the game balls that sequentially enter the auxiliary guide passage portion as described above falls on the lower inner edge of the upper curved wall portion while falling downward along the curved inner surface of the upper curved wall portion in the auxiliary guide passage portion. Then, it is guided downward while moving in the inclination direction along the direction of the curve, and then moves downward along the curved inner surface of the one side curved wall portion and moves in the inclination direction along the lower edge of the one side curved wall portion. However, it is guided further downward. This means that even if there are many game balls branched to the sub-guide passage, each of the game balls is guided by the predetermined guide based on the curved shape of the upper curved wall portion and the curved shape of the one-side curved wall portion. It means that the guide is smoothly guided in the sub-guide passage without causing the clogging of the balls based on the inclination angle.

  For this reason, under the above-described configuration of the sub-guide passage portion, the sub-guide passage portion can be guided downward smoothly and guided downward by the sub-guide passage portion without causing clogging.

  Thereby, even if a large number of game balls stay in the hollow ball guide passage in a full state, the game balls staying below the hollow ball guide passage pull out the game balls in the tray, for example. So, even if there are many game balls that fall into the space part if they move downward, these game balls will not cause clogging in the space part based on the breaking action of the stepped wall part in the space part. The game balls that are sent to the main guide passage portion and the sub guide passage portion and stay in the main guide passage portion and the sub guide passage portion are moved inside the main guide passage portion and the sub guide passage portion. It can move smoothly and be guided downward without causing clogging in the bending direction of the curved wall portion or the inclined direction of the lower edge portion of the curved wall portion.

  Further, the stepped wall portion is positioned at a lower position (Z1) above the lower edge portion of the other upper curved wall portion (92j) of the main guide passage portion by a predetermined height. Further, it may be formed on the wall portion directly above the space portion.

  Thereby, even if each game ball accumulates and stays on the lower edge portion of the other upper curved wall portion of the main guide passage portion in the space portion, the upper side of the lower edge portion of the step wall portion of the game balls. The game balls that are stacked are collapsed so as to be pushed out to the side of the auxiliary guide passage by the stepped wall, and branch into the auxiliary guide passage.

  Accordingly, each game ball that falls into the space portion is sent into the main guide passage portion and the sub guide passage portion without causing a ball clogging in the space portion, and the balls are moved by the main guide passage portion and the sub guide passage portion. It can guide well downward without causing clogging. As a result, the operational effect of the invention according to claim 1 or 2 can be further improved.

  Further, the stepped wall portion may be formed so as to protrude from the inner surface of the immediately upper wall portion of the space portion toward the auxiliary guide passage portion side by a predetermined thickness at the protruding end surface (Z2). Good.

  Thereby, as described above, the game balls stacked on the upper side of the lower edge portion of the step wall portion can be more reliably pushed out to the side of the sub guide passage portion by the step wall portion and collapsed.

a ... introduction part, Ab ... space part, Ac ... main guide passage part, Ad ... sub guide passage part,
Ba ... gaming machine main body, BF ... main body frame, FD ... front door, Z1 ... inclined lower edge, Z2 ... protruding end surface,
52 ... lower plate, 61 ... ball tank, 73 ... ball dispensing device, 90 ... ball passage unit,
92a ... Upper inlet portion, 92c ... Front side wall portion, 92d ... Rear side wall portion, 92f ... Right side wall portion,
92e: Branch wall portion, 92q: Left wall portion, 92z: Step wall portion.

Claims (7)

In the ball passage device configured to be long and hollow from the top to the bottom so that the game ball can pass,
A main guide passage for receiving a game ball falling through the space from above;
The main guide passage portion is provided so as to be parallel to the main guide passage portion so as to guide the excess game ball downward from the main guide passage portion when the received game balls are excessive in the main guide passage portion. And a sub-guide passage part received by
The main guide passage part is
A projecting portion for changing the falling direction of the game ball falling from above is provided in at least one of the opposing wall portions facing in the width direction of the branch wall portion of the two pairs of opposing wall portions. ,
The protruding portion is inclined downward at a predetermined inclination angle in a direction away from the branch wall portion,
The space portion faces the inside of the wall portion so as not to retain the received game ball of the main guide passage portion in the wall portion facing the branch wall portion of the two pairs of facing wall portions. A ball passage device comprising a protruding stepped wall portion. The sub-guide passage portion is
A projecting portion for changing the falling direction of the game ball falling from above is provided in at least one of the opposing wall portions facing in the width direction of the branch wall portion of the two pairs of opposing wall portions. ,
2. The projecting portion according to claim 1, wherein the projecting portion is inclined downward at a predetermined tilt angle so as to be separated from the branch wall portion in a direction opposite to the projecting portion of the main guide passage portion. The ball passage device described.   3. The ball path according to claim 1, wherein the protruding portion is set to a value that is greater than twice the outer diameter of the game ball and less than three times as long as the length in the inclination direction. apparatus. The stepped wall portion, similar its lower edge, facing the branch wall portion of the space portion so as to be positioned above a predetermined height than the lower edge of the projecting portion of the main guide passage The ball passage device according to claim 1, wherein the ball passage device is formed in the wall portion.   The ball according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined height is set to a value that is greater than or equal to the length in the tilt direction of the protrusion and less than or equal to the sum of the length in the tilt direction and the outer diameter of the game ball. Passage device.   The stepped wall portion is formed to protrude from the inner surface of the wall portion of the space portion toward the branch wall portion by a thickness less than half of the outer diameter of the game ball at the protruding end surface. The ball passage device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. A gaming machine main body in which a game board is assembled to the main body frame;
A front door supported to be openable and closable on the gaming machine body,
A ball tank that is provided on the back side of the main body frame and stores a plurality of game balls;
A ball payout device for paying out game balls supplied from the ball tank via the upper ball passage;
A ball tray projecting toward the front side of the main body frame or the lower part of the front door;
A gaming machine comprising the ball path device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a game ball paid out from the ball payout device is supplied to the ball tray between the ball payout device and the ball receiving tray. .