JP6582204B2 - Game machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine including a guide member that guides a game ball.

  In many gaming machines, a member other than a nail (game nail) is used as a member for guiding a game ball (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below).

JP 2007-260326 A

  As described in Patent Document 1 and the like, a block-shaped guide member may be disposed in the vicinity of a guide rail (a member that forms a passage until a shot game ball reaches a game area) ( In Patent Document 1 (FIG. 6), it can be seen that such a guide member is arranged under a so-called windmill). In such a gaming machine, the guide rail and the guide member interfere with each other due to a dimensional error of the shape of the guide rail (molding accuracy, installation position accuracy, etc.) (the guide member cannot be disposed). was there. Such a problem may occur when the guide member is disposed close to a gaming member having a curved surface such as a guide rail.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a gaming machine including a guiding member suitable for preventing interference with a gaming member having a curved surface.

A gaming machine according to the invention of claim 1, which has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, includes a gaming member having a curved surface, and a guide member provided at a position where a gaming ball that has entered the gaming area can come into contact. The guide member has an adjacent surface that is close to the curved surface of the gaming member so that a game ball cannot enter between the curved surface and the upper end of the adjacent surface; The distance between the lower end of the adjacent surface and the gaming member is set to be larger than the distance of the gaming member, and the guide member has a ball contact portion that contacts the game ball flowing down to the upper surface; A support portion that supports the ball contact portion from below, and the support portion is not connected to the ball contact portion at a side edge in the front-rear direction on the lower surface of the ball contact portion, On the inner surface of the lower surface of the sphere contact part from the side edge in the front-rear direction Characterized in that connected to the spherical contact portion.

In the first aspect of the present invention, the distance between the other end of the adjacent surface and the game member (guide rail) is set to be larger than the distance between one end of the adjacent surface of the guide member and the game member (guide rail). Yes. Therefore, even if an error or the like occurs in the shape or mounting position of the game member (guide rail), it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation in which both cannot interfere and the guide member cannot be disposed. .
Further, if the support portion is connected to the ball contact portion at a position inside the side edge of the lower surface of the ball contact portion, the support portion also bears the impact of the game ball colliding with the ball contact portion. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the ball contact portion from being damaged by the impact of the collision.

1 is a front view of a gaming machine according to an embodiment of the present invention (a known member such as a launching device (launching handle) is omitted). It is the figure which expanded and showed the X section shown in FIG. The guide member in this embodiment (the guide member arranged as shown in (a)) can be arranged (positioned as shown in (b)) so that the adjacent surface is along the guide rail in other models. It is a figure for demonstrating the effect that there exists property. Arrange the guiding member in this embodiment (the guiding member arranged as shown in (a)) so that the adjacent surface is along a portion where the curvature of the guide rail is different in other models (arranged as shown in (b)). It is a figure for demonstrating the effect that there is a possibility of being able to do. (A) is the top view which looked at the induction | guidance | derivation member from the front (front), (b) is the sectional view on the AA line shown to (a). (A) is the external appearance perspective view which looked at the guide member from the front, (b) is the external appearance perspective view which looked at the guide member from back.

  Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the plane direction is a direction along (parallel) the game area 902, and the front-rear direction is a direction orthogonal to the game area 902 (the player side is the front and the opposite side is the rear). The left-right direction (width direction) refers to the left-right direction in FIG. 1, and the up-down direction refers to the up-down direction in FIG.

  First, the overall configuration of the gaming machine 1 will be briefly described with reference to FIG. The gaming machine 1 includes a game board 90. The game board 90 is formed of a substantially square plywood, and a strip-shaped guide rail 903 made of a thin metal plate that constructs a path for guiding a game ball fired by the operation of the launching device to the game area 902 is provided. It is provided so as to have a substantially arc shape.

  In the game area 902, a display device 91, a first start winning opening 904, a second starting winning opening 905, a big winning opening 906, an out opening 907, and the like are provided. As the display device 91, for example, a liquid crystal display device is used, and a special symbol, a normal symbol, or the like is displayed on the display screen (display unit) of the display device 91. The display screen of the display device 91 is visible through an opening 901 formed in the game board 90.

  In addition, the game area 902 is provided with a plurality of game nails as obstacles that change the flow-down mode of the game balls when the flow-down game balls collide. The game ball flowing down the game area 902 changes into various modes depending on the condition when it collides with the game nail.

  In such a gaming machine 1, a game ball is launched toward the game area 902 by operating a launching device (not shown). When a game ball flowing down the game area 902 wins a winning port such as the start winning ports 904 and 905 or the big winning port 906, a predetermined number of award balls are paid out by the payout device. In addition, the jackpot lottery method, effects, and the like can be applied to those similar to known game machines, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  The gaming machine 1 according to the present embodiment includes a guide member 10. Hereinafter, the guide member 10 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, the guide member 10 is provided in the game area 902. The game ball that has entered the game area 902 may come into contact with the guide member 10. The game ball in contact with the guide member 10 is guided in a predetermined direction by the guide member 10. The guide member 10 in this embodiment is integrally formed of a synthetic resin material.

  The guide member 10 is disposed in the vicinity of the guide rail 903. Since the inner (right side) area of the guide rail 903 becomes the game area 902, the guide member 10 is arranged on the left side in the game area 902. Specifically, the guide member 10 includes an adjacent surface 11 that is a surface on the guide rail 903 side (left side), and the adjacent surface 11 is disposed so as to be close to the inner (right side) surface of the guide rail 903. ing. The guide rails 903 in the present embodiment are arranged in a state where a plate-shaped metal plate is curved, and since the game area 902 side is a curved surface 903a, the adjacent surface 11 is a guide as viewed roughly. The rail 903 has a shape along the curved surface 903a.

  More specifically, the adjacent surface 11 has the following shape. The guide member 10 according to the present embodiment is installed in the vicinity of a portion of the guide rail 903 that is displaced toward the center as it goes downward from a portion that swells to the leftmost side. Therefore, the adjacent surface 11 has a shape such that the lower end is located closer to the center than the upper end. The adjacent surface 11 is set so that the distance (shortest distance) L2 between its lower end and the guide rail 903 is larger than the distance (shortest distance) L1 between its upper end and the guide rail 903. (See FIG. 2). That is, conventionally, the surface of the guide rail 903 on the guide member 10 side and the surface of the guide member 10 on the guide rail 903 side are designed to be completely parallel (the distance between them is constant). In the present embodiment, the distance L2 between the lower end of the adjacent surface 11 and the guide rail 903 is larger than the distance L1 between the upper end of the adjacent surface 11 and the guide rail 903. That is, the opposing surfaces are not completely parallel.

  Thus, in this embodiment, since the distance L2 between the lower end of the adjacent surface 11 and the guide rail 903 is large, the lower end side of the guide member 10 has a larger range that does not interfere with the guide rail 903 compared to the conventional case. Therefore, even if an error or the like occurs in the shape, attachment position, or the like of the guide rail 903, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where both interfere with each other and the guide member 10 cannot be disposed. Further, conventionally, the guide member 10 (adjacent surface 11) has to be formed in accordance with the curved shape of the guide rail 903. That is, the guide rail 903 restricts the shape of the guide member 10 (adjacent surface 11). In this embodiment, since the distance L2 between the lower end of the adjacent surface 11 and the guide rail 903 is large, the restriction can be reduced, and the guide member 10 having the same shape can be replaced with another type of gaming machine. The probability of being applicable to (other models) is increased. That is, the versatility of the guide member 10 is expanded.

  Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 3A, the guide member 10 according to the present embodiment can be disposed with the lower end of the adjacent surface 11 close to the guide rail 903 x in another model. That is, since the distance between the lower end and the guide rail 903x is larger than the distance between the upper end of the adjacent surface 11 and the guide rail 903x, the lower end of the adjacent surface 11 is arranged closer to the guide rail 903x by that amount ((a)). It can also be arranged in a state of being rotated to the right side from the posture shown). In this case, when the distance between the upper end of the adjacent surface 11 and the guide rail 903x is increased by bringing the lower end of the adjacent surface 11 closer to the guide rail 903x, another member such as a game nail is provided between the two. The game ball may be prevented from entering between the adjacent surface 11 and the guide rail 903x.

  In the present embodiment, the portion of the guide rail 903 facing the adjacent surface 11 is a portion having a predetermined curvature, but the adjacent surface 11 is adjacent to a portion having a curvature different from the predetermined curvature in another type of guide rail 903y. The probability that the guiding member 10 can be disposed with the two facing each other increases. In the present embodiment, the adjacent surface 11 is made to face a portion where the curve (curvature) in the guide rail 903 is relatively small (a gentle curve), specifically, a portion where the curve is small compared to a portion swelled to the left most. The guiding member 10 is arranged. For example, as shown in FIG. 3B, the guide member 10 is opposed to a portion having a relatively large curvature (curvature) (a sharp bend) in the guide rail 903y of another model, for example, a portion swelled to the left most. May be placed.

  If the adjacent surface 11 of the guide member 10 in the present embodiment has a shape along the guide rail 903, the guide member 903 is disposed adjacent to a portion where the curve (curvature) is relatively small. The overall degree of curvature of the surface 11 (the degree of overall curvature of the adjacent surface 11 that does not take into account the convex portions 111 described later) is also reduced. Therefore, in other models, there is an increased probability that the guide rail 903y cannot be disposed so as to face a portion where the curve of the guide rail 903y is large. Although the adjacent surface 11 of the guide member 10 in the present embodiment is disposed to face a portion having a relatively small curvature (curvature) in the guide rail 903, the distance between the lower end of the adjacent surface 11 and the guide rail is large, and the entire The degree of natural curvature is large. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), the probability that the curved portion (curvature) of the guide rail 903y of another model is relatively large, for example, the portion that is swelled to the left most, is increased.

  In the gaming machine 1 according to the present embodiment, when a plurality of guide members 30 are provided, some of the guide members 30 are provided as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 (a), and 4 (a). The other guide member 30 may be provided as shown in FIGS. 3B and 4B. In this way, it is possible to reduce the types of guiding members required as compared with the conventional case (the guiding member 30 can be shared). That is, in the gaming machine 1 according to the present embodiment, at least one guide member 30 is lower than the distance (shortest distance) L1 between the upper end of the adjacent surface 11 and the guide rail 903 and the guide rail. The distance (shortest distance) L2 between the terminal 903 and the terminal 903 is set to be larger.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, since the distance L1 between the upper end of the adjacent surface 11 and the guide rail 903 is made small, it suppresses that dust etc. approach between the guide member 10 and the guide rail 903. Is possible. That is, by increasing the distance L2 between the lower end of the adjacent surface 11 and the guide rail 903, the distance L1 between the upper end of the adjacent surface 11 and the guide rail 903 is improved while improving the flexibility in mounting the guide member 10. Is kept small to prevent dust and the like from entering between the guide member 10 and the guide rail 903. It is good also as a structure which the upper end of the adjacent surface 11 and the guide rail 903 contact (distance L1 is 0).

  On the other hand, the adjacent surface 11 in the present embodiment is not shaped to gradually move away from the guide rail 903 from the upper end toward the lower end. That is, the shape is not a shape in which the gap between the guide member 10 (adjacent surface 11) and the guide rail 903 gradually increases (increases monotonically) from top to bottom. Specifically, it has one or more portions where the distance from the guide rail 903 approaches from the upper end (one end) to the lower end (the other end).

  The adjacent surface 11 in this embodiment has a shape in which a plurality of convex portions 111 that are convex toward the guide rail 903 side are connected (see FIG. 2 and the like). In the case of such a shape, a portion above the convex vertex corresponds to a portion 111a in which the distance from the guide rail 903 approaches from the upper end (one end) to the lower end (the other end).

  The gap between the guide member 10 (adjacent surface 11) and the guide rail 903 gradually increases from one end (the upper end in the present embodiment) to the other end (the upper end in the present embodiment) of the adjacent surface 11. (Because it is normal that the gap between the two is considered to be uniform in the length direction) The position of the guide member 10 and the guide rail 903 may be misaligned, or may be poorly formed. There is a risk of giving an impression that a manufacturing defect has occurred. Also, the impression is not good in terms of design. On the other hand, if one or a plurality of portions 111a that are closer to the guide rail 903 are provided as in the adjacent surface 11 of the present embodiment, the adjacent surface 11 is recognized as one decoration mode. . That is, it is possible to suppress an impression that a manufacturing defect has occurred or an impression that the design property is low (decrease in design property). In particular, as in the adjacent surface 11 of the present embodiment, if the shape is such that a plurality of convex portions 111 that are convex on the guide rail 903 side are connected, it is clear that the intended decoration mode is achieved. It is possible to suppress giving the above impression.

  If the possibility of giving the impression as described above is low, the shape of the adjacent surface 11 may be a shape that gradually moves away from the guide rail 903 from the upper end toward the lower end.

  Further, the convex portion 111 on the adjacent surface 11 of the present embodiment is a curved line (curved surface) having a smooth outer edge as shown in the figure, but protrudes toward the guide rail 903 side, and a part of the convex portion 111 is connected to the guide rail 903. If it becomes the part 111a from which distance approaches, the shape can be changed suitably. For example, the protrusion 111 may have a sharp tip.

  Hereinafter, other configurations of the guide member 10 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 5, 6, etc., the guide member 10 includes a mounting portion 12, a ball contact portion 13, and a support portion 14. The attachment portion 12 is a plate-like portion that is in close contact with the game board 90, and is provided on the upper side and the lower side of the guide member 10. The upper mounting portion 12 and the lower mounting portion 12 are formed with mounting holes 121 that are through holes for fixing the guide member 10 to the game board 90 with bolts or the like.

  The ball contact portion 13 is a portion where a game ball flowing down on the upper surface contacts (collises). Specifically, the ball contact portion 13 in the present embodiment is a plate-like portion that protrudes forward from the lower edge of the upper attachment portion 12. The upper surface of the ball contact portion 13 is inclined so as to gradually become lower toward the center in the width direction of the entire gaming machine 1. Therefore, the game ball that has reached the upper surface of the ball contact portion 13 is guided toward the center in the width direction by the surface. The length of the width of the ball contact portion 13 (the length in the front-rear direction as a whole of the gaming machine 1) is larger than the diameter of one gaming ball and smaller than the diameter of two gaming balls.

  The support portion 14 is a portion that supports the ball contact portion 13 from below. The support portion 14 is connected to the ball contact portion 13 at a location inside the side edge of the lower surface of the ball contact portion 13. Specifically, the location where the ball contact portion 13 and the support portion 14 are connected is present inside the side edge of the ball contact portion 13 on the outer side in the width direction (the outer side in the front-rear direction in the case of the entire gaming machine 1). The upper end edge of the support portion 14 connected to the ball contact portion 13 has a shape along the longitudinal direction of the ball contact portion 13 (the width direction in the entire gaming machine 1). In the present embodiment, the two portions are positioned such that the upper edge of the support portion 14 is positioned at the approximate center in the width direction of the ball contact portion 13 (that is, the approximate center in the direction orthogonal to the direction in which the guide member 10 guides the game ball). They are connected (see FIG. 5B, etc.).

  As described above, the ball contact portion 13 is a portion where a flowing game ball collides. Therefore, during the game, an impact is applied due to the collision of game balls that continuously flow down. In the present embodiment, since the ball contact portion 13 is supported by the support portion 14 from below, the risk of being damaged by the impact is reduced. That is, when the upper end edge of the support portion 14 is connected to the outer side in the width direction of the ball contact portion 13, the impact resistance on the center side in the width direction of the ball contact portion 13 where the game ball easily collides is inferior. . In this embodiment, in order to suppress this, the support member 14 is connected to the ball contact portion 13 at a position inside the widthwise outer side edge of the lower surface of the ball contact portion 13. It has a structure. If the support part 14 is connected to the substantially center in the width direction of the ball contact part 13 as in the present embodiment, the effect of the suppression is high.

  Further, the support portion 14 in the present embodiment has a curved portion (curved portion 141) that is displaced rearward from the bottom toward the top (see FIG. 5B, FIG. 6 and the like). Specifically, when viewed in the width direction of the ball contact portion 13 (the front-rear direction in the entire gaming machine 1), the lower end of the support portion 14 is on the outside in the width direction of the ball contact portion 13 (the front side in the entire gaming machine 1). It is located near the side edge, and a part thereof is curved so as to go inward in the width direction of the ball contact portion 13 toward the upper end from there. From the upper end of the curved portion 141, it extends straight up as it is and reaches the lower surface of the ball contact portion 13.

  Thus, if the support part 14 has a structure having the curved part 141, the curved part 141 exhibits a cushion function, so that the performance of absorbing the impact at the time of game ball collision occurring in the ball contact part 13 is enhanced. Is possible.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  For example, the guide rail 903 in the above embodiment is an example of the “game member” in the present invention. The same technical idea is applied to a configuration in which the guide member 10 is disposed in proximity to a gaming member other than the guide rail 903 (any member that constitutes the gaming machine 1 may be used). Is possible. For example, the same technical idea can be applied to a configuration in which the guide member 10 is disposed in the vicinity of a partition member that partitions the game region 902 and the outer region thereof (in this case, the partition member is a game member in the present invention). Will be equivalent).

Further, the position where the guide member 10 is provided in the above embodiment is merely an example. Moreover, the attachment structure with respect to the game board 90 of the guide member 10 is an example to the last.
Specific means (game machines) obtained from the above embodiment are listed below.
The gaming machine according to the invention of means 1 comprises a gaming member having a curved surface and a guiding member provided at a position where a game ball that has entered the gaming area can come into contact, wherein the guiding member is the gaming member. The adjacent surface is adjacent to the curved surface, and the distance between the other end of the adjacent surface and the gaming member is set to be larger than the distance between the one end of the adjacent surface and the gaming member. Features.
The gaming machine according to the invention of means 2 is the gaming machine according to means 1, characterized in that the gaming member is a guide rail for constructing a route for guiding a game ball to the gaming area.
The gaming machine according to the invention of the means 3 is the gaming machine according to the means 1 or 2, wherein the adjacent surface has one or more portions where the distance from the gaming member approaches from the one end to the other end. It is characterized by including a part.
The gaming machine according to the invention of the means 4 is the gaming machine according to the means 3, wherein the adjacent surface has a shape in which a plurality of convex portions projecting toward the gaming member side are continuously connected. A gaming machine according to claim 3.
The gaming machine according to the invention of the means 5 is the gaming machine according to any one of the means 1 to 4, wherein the guide member includes a ball contact portion that contacts a game ball flowing down to an upper surface, and the ball contact portion. A support portion that supports the ball contact portion from the lower side, and the support portion is connected to the ball contact portion at a position inside the side edge of the lower surface of the ball contact portion. .
A gaming machine according to an invention of means 6 is the gaming machine according to means 5, wherein the ball contact portion has a shape for guiding the game ball in a predetermined direction, and the support portion is under the ball contact portion. It is connected to the said spherical contact part in the approximate center in the direction orthogonal to the said predetermined direction in the side surface.
The gaming machine according to the invention of means 7 is characterized in that in the gaming machine according to means 5 or 6, the support part has a curved part at least in the partition part.
In the invention described in means 1 and means 2, the distance between the other end of the adjacent surface and the game member (guide rail) is set to be larger than the distance between the one end of the adjacent surface of the guide member and the game member (guide rail). Has been. Therefore, even if an error or the like occurs in the shape or mounting position of the game member (guide rail), it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation in which both cannot interfere and the guide member cannot be disposed. .
If the adjacent surface includes one or a plurality of portions where the distance from the game member approaches from one end to the other end as in the invention described in the means 3, the distance between the game members from one end to the other end Compared with the case where only the part is separated, the gap between the guide member and the gaming member (uneven gap) becomes inconspicuous, and it is possible to suppress a decrease in the design of the gaming machine. For example, if it is set as the adjacent surface which has the shape where the some convex part which becomes convex on the game member side was continuously connected like the invention of the means 4, the effect which suppresses the designability fall is high.
If the support part is connected to the ball contact part at a position inside the side edge of the lower surface of the ball contact part as in the invention described in the means 5, a game that collides with the ball contact part. Since the support part bears the impact of the sphere, it is possible to suppress the damage of the sphere contact part due to the impact of the collision. If the support portion is connected to the sphere contact portion at the approximate center of the lower surface of the sphere contact portion as in the invention described in the means 6, the effect of suppressing damage to the sphere contact portion is high.
If the support portion has a curved portion as in the invention described in the means 7, it is possible to improve the performance of absorbing the impact by the support portion.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Game machine 10 Guiding member 11 Adjacent surface 111 Convex part 13 Ball contact part 14 Support part 141 Bending part 90 Game board 902 Game area 903 Guide rail

Claims (1)

A gaming member having a curved surface;
A guide member provided at a position where a game ball that has entered the game area can contact;
With
The guide member is
An adjacent surface that is close to the curved surface of the gaming member so that the game ball cannot enter the curved surface;
The distance between the lower end of the adjacent surface and the gaming member is set larger than the distance between the upper end of the adjacent surface and the gaming member,
The guide member is
A ball contact portion in contact with the game ball flowing down to the upper surface;
A support portion for supporting the ball contact portion from below;
Have
The support portion is not connected to the ball contact portion at the front and rear side edge on the lower surface of the ball contact portion, and is located on the inner side of the front and rear side edge on the lower surface of the ball contact portion. A gaming machine characterized by being connected to the ball contact portion at a point.

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