JP7311465B2 - game machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to gaming machines.

As a game machine, a pachinko game machine having a game board, a shooting device, and the like is known. In a pachinko machine, a game ball (game medium) is shot into a game area provided in front of a game board, and the game ball enters a prize winning opening provided in the game area. higher profits are awarded. A predetermined game machine represented by such a game machine includes a rail for guiding a game ball (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2018-89073 A

By the way, in gaming machines, there is a growing demand for larger design parts that decorate the game machines. There was a problem that the

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a gaming machine capable of ensuring the visibility of game balls.

In order to achieve the above object, the gaming machine of the present invention
A design portion projecting forward above the game area;
a game ball passage through which game balls passing through the upper end of the game area are guided,
A horizontal line extending in the short direction of the upper surface of the game ball passage passing through a portion of the lower surface of the game ball passage located directly below the vertex of the upper surface of the game ball passage is used as a reference line,
Among the portions where the vertical lines that intersect the reference line on the lower surface of the design portion, the rearmost portion is the first design portion,
Among the portions where the vertical lines that intersect the reference line on the lower surface of the design portion, the lowermost portion is the second design portion,
The first design portion is located above the reference line, and the distance from the reference line is the radius of the game ball or more,
The second design portion is positioned below the reference line, and the distance from the reference line is equal to or greater than the diameter of the game ball.

According to such a configuration, the second design portion is located below the reference line, and the distance from the reference line is equal to or greater than the diameter of the game ball, so the design portion can be enlarged. In addition, while increasing the size of the design part in this way, by setting the distance between the reference line and the first design part to be equal to or greater than the radius of the game ball, when the game ball is weakly launched (along the bottom surface of the game ball passage) In the case where the game ball rolls over the ball), the visibility of the game ball can be ensured.

According to the gaming machine of the present invention, the visibility of game balls can be ensured.

1 is a front view showing an example of a gaming machine according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. Similarly, it is the figure which looked at the game board from the front side. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line AA shown in FIG. 1; It is an exploded perspective view showing the same, an outer rail, a rail base, and a game board. It is a figure which shows an outer rail equally. It is the figure which looked at the rail base and the outer rail from the back side similarly, Comprising: It is the whole view and a partially enlarged view. It is the perspective view which looked at the upper right part of a rail base and an outer rail equally from the back side. It is the perspective view which looked at the left lower part of a rail base and an outer rail equally from the back side. Similarly, it is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining the relationship between the game ball and the hole. It is a front view of the outer rail and the game board of the same, and is a view for explaining the positions of the holes of the outer rail.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, a pachinko game machine, which is one of game machines, will be described, but other game machines (for example, slot machines, etc.) may be used. In the following description, "front and back" basically means that the player is "front" and the gaming machine is "back" when the player is in front of the gaming machine, and "up and down" means that the game is played. The top side of the machine means "up" and the bottom side means "down", and "left and right" means the left hand side of the player playing and the right hand side means "right".
It should be noted that, within the scope of the invention, the present invention can freely combine each configuration, arbitrarily modify each configuration, or omit each configuration.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of a pachinko game machine 1 according to this embodiment. The gaming machine of the present embodiment performs a game using game balls (game media) rented from a gaming arcade. , a game board 6 forming a game area 4 in which game balls move, a glass unit 8 making the game board 6 visible to the player but not accessible to the player, and a front frame 10 to which the glass unit 8 is attached. I have.

A portion of the front frame 10 surrounding the glass unit 8 is made of a translucent material that transmits light. A plurality of front frame lamps 12 for outputting are provided. In addition, the front frame 10 is provided with a plurality of speakers 14 for outputting production sounds and the like for livening up the game.

An upper plate 16 for storing game balls is provided in the lower center of the front frame 10, and a left part of the inner side surface of the upper plate 16 is for paying out game balls from the game machine to the player. A payout port is provided. A grip unit 20 is provided on the lower right side of the front frame 10. When the player performs an operation to rotate the grip unit 20 clockwise toward the gaming machine, a grip unit (not shown) provided inside the gaming machine is rotated clockwise. A shooting device is operated to shoot game balls into the game area 4.例文帳に追加The shooting device of this embodiment can shoot 99 game balls per minute (1.65 game balls per second).

A supply port for supplying game balls from the upper plate 16 to the shooting device is provided on the right side of the inner side surface of the upper plate 16 . A lower tray 24 is provided below the upper tray 16 for storing surplus game balls when the upper tray 16 cannot store all the game balls.

A performance operation device 26 is provided on the near side of the edge of the upper tray 16, and when the player operates the performance operation device 26, the performance performed by the game machine changes. Specifically, the effect operating device 26 incorporates a push button switch and a rotary switch (jog dial), and can detect an operation of pressing the effect operating device 26 and an operation of rotating the effect operating device 26. It's becoming

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the external configuration of the game board 6 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the game board 6 is provided with a circular outer rail 28, and an area surrounded by the outer rail 28 serves as a game area 4 in which game balls move. In addition, at the left end of the game area 4, an inner rail 30 is provided in an arc shape along the outer rail 28. The outer rail 28 and the inner rail 30 are provided below the game board 6 (not shown). A game ball shot from a shooting device is guided to a game area 4. - 特許庁

In the central part of the game board 6, a liquid crystal display 32 for displaying a performance image or the like for livening up the game, and a performance unit 36 having a display frame 34 formed so as to surround the liquid crystal display 32 are provided.

In this embodiment, the game ball cannot pass through the front side of the liquid crystal display 32, and the game ball shot from the shooting device falls in the left game area 4 or the right game area 4 of the liquid crystal display 32. It is designed to In the game area 4, a large number of game nails (not shown) are nailed so as to intersect the surface of the game board 6, so that the moving direction of the game balls moving in the game area 4 changes at random. .

In the left part of the display frame 34, an opening 40 is formed through which game balls falling in the game area 4 on the left side of the liquid crystal display 32 can pass. The liquid crystal display 32 passes through the passage 42 and falls onto a stage 44 provided below the liquid crystal display 32 . The upper surface of the stage 44 is a smoothly curved surface, and a gap is formed between the stage 44 and the glass unit 8 to allow game balls to fall downward from the stage 44, and drop onto the stage 44 from the passage 42. After the game ball hits the stage 44 and reciprocates left and right, it falls downward from the vicinity of the central portion of the stage 44. - 特許庁

A first starting prize opening 46 is provided below the central portion of the stage 44 .
A passage gate 48 is provided in the game area 4 on the right side of the liquid crystal display 32 . In addition, a second start winning opening 50 is provided below the passage gate 48 . This second start winning port 50 has a reduced state (state that does not assist entry/non-assisted state) in which game balls are difficult to enter into the second start winning prize port 50 and an expanded state (entry is assisted) in which game balls easily enter A normal accessory 52 is provided that includes an auxiliary member that can operate between (state and auxiliary state).

In the game area 4 on the right side of the liquid crystal display 32, a large winning opening 54 is provided below the second starting winning opening 50. - 特許庁A special accessory 56 having a movable member that closes the big winning opening 54 is provided in the big winning opening 54 . The special accessory 56 is operable between a closed state in which game balls cannot enter the big winning opening 54 and an open state in which game balls can enter the big winning opening 54 (see FIG. 2). closed). The special accessory 56 is controlled to be open under a predetermined condition in a special game state which is started when a jackpot is won.

Below the big prize opening 54, a big prize passage 58 is provided downward. A normal entrance 62 is provided at the lower end of the big winning passage 58 . Further, a specific path 65 is provided below the big winning path 58 so as to branch downward from the middle of the big winning path 58 . This specific path 65 is provided with a specific accessory 66 having a movable member that closes the specific path 65 . The specific accessory 66 is operable between a closed state in which game balls cannot enter the specific path 65 and an open state in which game balls can enter the specific path 65 (FIG. 2 shows a closed state ). The specific accessory 66 is controlled to be in an open state under predetermined conditions in the special game state. A specific entrance 68 is provided at the lower end of the specific passage 65 . In addition, at the bottom of the game area 4, an out port 69 is provided for collecting game balls that have fallen in the game area 4 without entering any of the winning openings into the inside of the game machine.

The game ball shooting device is constructed so that the game ball shooting force can be changed by adjusting the amount of rotation of the grip unit 20 shown in FIG. Game balls are shot so as to fall in the game area 4 on the left side of the display 32, and when the amount of rotation of the grip unit 20 is large, the game balls fall in the game area 4 on the right side of the liquid crystal display 32. A game ball is launched.

The player adjusts the amount of rotation of the grip unit 20 according to the game situation, and the game ball falls through the left game area 4, or passes through the opening 40, the passage 42 and the stage 44, and enters the first starting winning opening. 46, the game ball is shot (left-handed), the game ball falls through the game area 4 on the right side, and the game ball passes through the passage gate 48, or into the second start winning opening 50. A game ball is shot so that the game ball enters or enters the big winning opening 54 (right-handed hitting).

At the lower right portion of the game board 6 and outside the game area 4, there is provided a state display section 70 that indicates various states of the game machine by lighting and extinguishing lamps and the like. The gaming machine of this embodiment is controlled by a control board including a main board and sub-boards. The functions of each board such as the main board and sub-boards are implemented by hardware such as various processors (CPU, DSP, etc.), ASIC (gate array, etc.), ROM (an example of information storage medium), or RAM. It is realized by software consisting of a given program pre-stored in, for example.

The main board receives an input signal from an input means (first starting winning gate sensor, passing gate sensor, second starting winning gate sensor, big winning gate sensor, normal entrance sensor, specific path sensor, payout sensor, etc.). , various calculations for executing the game are performed, and based on the calculation results, the output means (status display drive device, normal accessory drive device, special accessory drive device, specific accessory drive device, payout device, etc.) Controls motion.

The sub board receives commands sent from the main board and input signals from the effect operation sensor that detects operations on the effect operation device 26, and performs various calculations for executing effects in accordance with the progress of the game. , and based on the calculation result, the operation of the production device (production display device, sound device, production drive device, etc.) is controlled.

In the gaming machine of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the game area 4 is divided into a left-handed area 4a located on the left side and a right-handed area 4b located on the right side. By changing the intensity, the game ball can be dropped in different areas.

A game ball passage 80 that connects the left-handed area 4a and the right-handed area 4b is provided at the upper end (upper portion) of the game area 4. As shown in FIG. A game ball fired from the shooting device with a predetermined firing strength or more passes through the game ball passage 80 and advances to the right hitting area 4b, while a game ball shot from the shooting device with less than the predetermined firing strength is a game ball. It is designed to proceed to the left-handed area 4a without passing through the passage 80. - 特許庁

The game ball passage 80 is formed by an outer rail 28 and a rail 81 provided below the outer rail 28 along the outer rail 28 . Also, the game ball passage 80 is formed including the upper end of the outer rail 28 . In addition, the width of the game ball passage 80 (interval between the outer rail 28 and the rail 81) is longer than the diameter of one game ball and shorter than the diameter of two game balls at the narrowest part. . In addition, the portion where the width of the game ball passage 80 is the narrowest is the top portion of the game ball passage 80, in other words, the portion formed by the upper end (top: vertex) of the outer rail 28 and the portion facing the upper end of the rail 81. In other words, it is a portion located at the upper end of the game area 4 .

In addition, in the gaming machine of the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a substantially rectangular box-shaped design portion (design member) 84 elongated in the left-right direction is provided on the upper portion of the front frame 10. . In addition, the length of the design portion 84 in the left-right direction is more than half the length of the front frame 10 in the left-right direction. In addition, the design portion 84 is arranged so as to protrude forward so that its front surface is positioned forward of the game area 4 and the glass unit 8 .
In the gaming machine of the present embodiment, the glass unit 8 has two transparent plates (glass plates) 8a and 8b arranged in the front-rear direction with their plate surfaces parallel to each other.

The design part 84 includes an LED board (not shown) for illumination provided inside thereof and an exterior member 85 covering it, and a space for housing the LED board is secured inside the exterior member 85. It is Further, a logo representing the model name, etc. is attached to a portion forming the front surface of the design portion 84 of the exterior member 85, and the logo is illuminated by an LED board provided inside.
A speaker or the like may be provided inside the design portion 84 .

A lower surface 86 of the design portion 84 is located at the lowest front portion. Also, the front portion is a plane 87 substantially parallel to the horizontal plane. A lower surface 86 of the design portion 84 has an inclined surface 88 that is inclined with respect to the horizontal surface on the rear side of the rear end of the flat surface 87 . The lower surface 86 of the design portion 84 has a shape in which the rear portion (the portion of the inclined surface 88) is directed upward toward the rear. That is, the design portion 84 has a front portion that protrudes downward more than a rear portion, and a protruding portion 90 is formed. Further, the rear end of the lower surface 86 (inclined surface 88 ) of the design portion 84 is in contact with or close to the glass unit 8 .
The shape of the rear end of the lower surface 86 of the design portion 84 may be formed along the shape of the outer rail 28 . That is, the rear end of the lower surface 86 may be curved so as to be convex upward when viewed from the front. Further, in accordance with this, the shape of the lower surface 86 (inclined surface 88) may be a mortar shape that is concave upward.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the main part in the AA line cross section of FIG. is shown. The cross section shown in FIG. 3 also passes through the upper end (top) of the rail 81 and the upper end (top) of the rear end of the lower surface 86 of the design portion 84 .

The rear end of the lower surface 86 of the design portion 84 is located below the upper end of the game area 4 in the portion corresponding to the upper end of the game area 4 (the front portion of the upper end of the game area 4). In other words, the rear end of the lower surface 86 of the design portion 84 is located below the upper end of the upper surface 80a of the game ball passage 80 (the guide surface 113 of the outer rail 28, which will be described later). The rear end of the lower surface 86 of the design portion 84 is located above the upper end of the lower surface 80b of the game ball passage 80 (the surface of the rail 81 with which the game ball contacts). In addition, the rear end of the lower surface 86 of the design portion 84 is the game ball B positioned at the upper end of the game area 4 (the game ball in contact with the upper end of the upper surface 80a of the game ball passage 80: the outer rail 28 (the guide surface 113) is located above the lower end of the game ball in contact with the top of the ball). More specifically, it is positioned above the center of the game ball B in this state (indicated by the dashed-dotted line C in FIG. 3).

Further, the projecting portion 90 projects downward from the center of the game ball B positioned at the upper end of the game area 4 . In other words, the lower end of the projecting portion 90 is located below the center of the game ball B in this state. More specifically, the lower end of the projecting portion 90 is located below the lower end of the game ball B in this state. In addition, the protruding portion 90 protrudes downward from the upper end of the lower surface 80b of the game ball passage 80. As shown in FIG.

As is clear from the above, the design portion 84 overlaps the game ball B positioned at the upper end of the game area 4 in the front-rear direction (the direction perpendicular to the game board 6 and the glass unit 8). It covers the entire game ball B in this state. In addition, the design part 84 has a part corresponding to the upper end of the game area 4 at the rear end of the lower surface 86 (the front part of the upper end of the game area 4) in the front-rear direction (the direction perpendicular to the game board 6 and the glass unit 8). It does not overlap at least the lower half of the game ball B positioned at the upper end of the game area 4, and does not cover at least the lower half of the game ball in that state. A rear portion of the lower surface 86 is an inclined surface 88 . Therefore, even when the game ball is positioned at the upper end of the game area 4, the player can easily visually recognize the game ball rolling in the game area 4.例文帳に追加Here, it is preferable that at least the lower half of the game ball in this state can be seen from a predetermined position, specifically from the player's eye point, without the player moving his or her face up, down, left, or right. A player's eye point means the position of the player's eyes when playing a game while sitting on a chair. Specifically, for example, the distance between the player's eyes and the glass unit 8 in the front-rear direction is between 30 and 50 cm, and the distance (height) between the player's eyes and the bottom surface of the gaming machine in the vertical direction is When it is between 40 and 60 cm, it is preferable that at least a portion (lower half) of the game ball in that state can be visually recognized. In other words, the game ball B (the game ball B (game It is preferable that the design part 84 does not overlap the straight line up to the part below the center of the sphere B). According to such a configuration, it is possible to secure the visibility of the game medium moving in the game area while enlarging the design portion 84 .

Next, the design part 84, the game ball passage 80, and the upper end of the game area 4 in a cross section cut along a plane parallel to the vertical direction and the front-rear direction passing through the upper end of the game area 4 (top: upper end of the outer rail 28) Various lengths related to the game ball B positioned at the position will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the cross section, the upper surface 80a (first reference line BL1 described later) of the game ball passage 80 is located above the rear end 91 of the lower surface 86 of the design portion 84. As shown in FIG. Note that the rear end portion of the lower surface 86 of the design portion 84 is hereinafter also referred to as a first design portion 91 . The first design portion 91 passes through the upper end of the upper surface of the game ball passage 80, and when the horizontal line extending in the short direction of the upper surface 80a of the game ball passage 80 is the first reference line BL1, the lower surface 86 of the design portion 84 can be said to be the rearmost portion of the portion where the vertical line that intersects the first reference line BL1 can intersect. In addition, the first design portion 91 extends in the short direction of the upper surface 80a of the game ball passage 80 through a portion of the lower surface 80b of the game ball passage 80 located directly below the upper end of the upper surface 80a of the game ball passage 80. When the horizontal line is the second reference line BL2, it can be said that this is the rearmost portion of the portion where the vertical line intersecting the second reference line BL2 on the lower surface 86 of the design portion 84 intersects. In the gaming machine of this embodiment, in the cross section, the vertical interval L1 between the upper surface 80a of the game ball passage 80 and the first design portion 91 is approximately 4 mm. That is, the interval L1 is less than the diameter (11 mm) of the game ball, more specifically less than the diameter. Note that the interval L1 can also be said to be the distance from the first reference line BL1 to the first design portion 91 (the distance on the vertical line).

In the cross section, the upper surface 80a (first reference line BL1) of the game ball passage 80 is located above the lower end 92 (rear end of the flat surface 87) of the lower surface 86 of the design portion 84. Note that the lower end portion (rear end portion of the flat surface 87) of the lower surface 86 of the design portion 84 is also referred to as a second design portion 92 below. The second design portion 92 can also be said to be the lowermost portion among the portions where the vertical lines that intersect the first reference line BL1 on the lower surface 86 of the design portion 84 intersect. In addition, the second design portion 92 can also be said to be the lowest portion of the portion where the vertical lines that intersect the second reference line BL2 on the lower surface 86 of the design portion 84 intersect. In the gaming machine of this embodiment, in the cross section, the vertical interval L2 between the upper surface 80a of the game ball passage 80 and the second design portion 92 is approximately 40 mm. That is, the interval L2 is longer than the diameter of the game ball, more specifically, longer than the diameter. Note that the interval L2 can also be said to be the distance from the first reference line BL1 to the second design portion 92 (distance on the vertical line).

Further, in the cross section, the lower surface 80b (second reference line BL2) of the game ball passage 80 is located below the first design portion 91. As shown in FIG. In the gaming machine of the present embodiment, in the cross section, the space L3 in the vertical direction between the lower surface 80b of the game ball passage 80 and the first design portion 91 is about 14 mm. That is, the interval L3 is the radius of the game ball or more, more specifically the length exceeding the radius, more specifically the diameter or more (the length exceeding the diameter). Note that the interval L3 can also be said to be the distance from the second reference line BL2 to the first design portion 91 (distance on the vertical line).

Further, in the cross section, the lower surface 80b (second reference line BL2) of the game ball passage 80 is located above the second design portion 92. As shown in FIG. In the gaming machine of the present embodiment, in the cross section, the space L4 in the vertical direction between the lower surface 80b of the game ball passage 80 and the second design portion 92 is approximately 22 mm. That is, the interval L4 is longer than the diameter of the game ball, more specifically, longer than the diameter. Note that the interval L4 can also be said to be the distance from the second reference line BL2 to the second design portion 92 (distance on the vertical line).

As described above, by positioning the second design portion 92 below the upper surface 80a (first reference line BL1) of the game ball passage 80, the size of the design portion 84 can be increased. By locating below the lower surface 80b (second reference line BL2) of the design portion 84, the size of the design portion 84 can be further increased. In addition, while increasing the design portion 84 in this way, the distance L1 between the upper surface 80a (first reference line BL1) of the game ball passage 80 and the first design portion 91 is set to be equal to or less than the diameter of the game ball (less than the diameter). As a result, when the game ball is hit hard (when the game ball rolls along the upper surface 80a), the visibility of the game ball can be ensured. In addition, while increasing the design portion 84 in this way, the distance L3 between the lower surface 80b (second reference line BL2) of the game ball passage 80 and the first design portion 91 is equal to or greater than the radius of the game ball (the length exceeding the radius). ), the visibility of the game ball can be ensured when the game ball is weakly launched (when the game ball rolls along the lower surface 80b).

Next, the configuration of the outer rail 28 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 9. FIG.
The outer rail 28 is supported by a rail base 100 as a support member that supports the outer rail 28 . By fixing the rail base 100 to the game board 6 , the outer rail 28 is attached to the game board 6 . The rail base 100 is fixed to the game board 6 by screwing, for example. In addition, the game board 6 is formed in a substantially square plate shape from transparent resin.

The outer rail 28 is an elongated thin plate member. In addition, hereinafter, for each length related to the outer rail 28, the length in the length direction (longitudinal direction) is referred to as "length", the length in the width direction (lateral direction) is referred to as "width", The length in the thickness direction (thickness) is called "thickness". In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the length L of the outer rail 28 is 900 mm or longer (at least 800 mm or longer). Further, the width W of the outer rail 28 is approximately 15 mm. Further, the plate thickness T of the outer rail 28 is approximately 0.6 mm. Further, in this embodiment, the outer rail 28 is made of metal, specifically stainless steel (eg, SUS430).

One end (starting end) of the outer rail 28 is formed with a bent portion 110 that is bent into a substantially L shape. A U-shaped portion (curved portion) 112 bent in a substantially U-shape is formed at the other end portion (end portion) of the outer rail 28 .

The bending radius R of the U-shaped portion 112 is approximately 6 mm. In other words, the distance between both ends of the U-shaped portion 112 (the distance between the opposing surfaces of the U-shaped portion 112) is approximately 12 mm. Also, the U-shaped portion 112 has a height H of about 12 mm in the thickness direction of the outer rail 28 .
The curvature of the U-shaped portion 112 is larger than the curvature of the curved surface 126, which will be described later, and is larger than the curvature of the guide surface 113 of the outer rail 28 attached to the rail base 100 (assembled as a game machine). is also getting bigger.

A guide surface 113 is formed on the outer rail 28 between the bent portion 110 and the U-shaped portion 112 . The guide surface 113 is a surface on which a game ball shot from the shooting device hits, and the game ball shot from the shooting device rolls along the guide surface 113 and is guided to the game area 4 .

A substantially rectangular hole 114 is formed in the outer rail 28 . Hole 114 is formed in U-shaped portion 112 of outer rail 28 (at a position corresponding to U-shaped portion 112). Also, the length of the hole 114 is longer than the length of the U-shaped portion 112 . In other words, the hole 114 is formed along the entire length of the U-shaped portion 112 (the direction along the U-shape). Specifically, the hole 114 is formed to extend to a corner portion 115 a formed between the U-shaped portion 112 and the guide surface 113 . In other words, the hole 114 is at least one (preferably both) corners 115a and 115b formed at both ends (boundary between the U-shaped portion 112 and other portions) of the U-shaped portion 112 in the length direction. ).
The hole 114 may be formed beyond at least one of the corners 115a and 115b. Note that the corners 115a and 115b are rounded.

The width Wa of the hole 114 is preferably 1/2 or less, more preferably 1/3 or less, of the width W of the outer rail 28 (U-shaped portion 112). The width Wa of the hole 114 is preferably 1/5 or more, more preferably 1/4 or more, of the width W of the outer rail 28 (U-shaped portion 112). By setting the width Wa of the hole 114 in this manner, the strength of the U-shaped portion 112 can be maintained high while increasing the flexibility of the U-shaped portion 112 . In this embodiment, the width Wa of the hole 114 is set to 4 mm.

Note that the hole 114 does not have to pass through the outer rail 28 in the thickness direction. In other words, the hole 114 portion should be formed thinner than other portions. Furthermore, in other words, the hole 114 may be a lightening portion that has been lightened in some way. That is, if the portion of the outer rail 28 where the hole 114 of the U-shaped portion 112 is formed has a smaller cross-sectional area in a cross section perpendicular to the plate surface than the portion where the guide surface 113 is formed. good.

A plurality of positioning holes 118 (five in this embodiment) are formed in the outer rail 28 . A projecting portion 128 to be described later is inserted into each hole 118 . The hole 118 has an oval shape with the length being at least twice the width. In this embodiment, the hole 118 has a length La of 5.2 mm and a width Wb of 2 mm.

Also, the holes 118 are arranged in a line in the longitudinal direction. Also, the holes 118 are arranged off the center in the width direction (so as not to cross the center). Specifically, in the width direction of the outer rail 28, the distance Wc from the center of the hole 118 to the edge of the outer rail 28 is set to 2.7 mm. Also, the hole 118 is arranged at a position where a game ball rolling on the guide surface 113 does not hit it. More specifically, all the holes 118 are arranged at positions where game balls rolling on the guide surface 113 do not hit.
The holes 118 are all formed in the guide surface 113, and are not formed in the bent portion 110, the U-shaped portion 112, and the end portion (extended portion 120) of the U-shaped portion 112. Two circular holes 119 are formed in the guide surface 113 of the outer rail 28 in the same straight line as the plurality of holes 118 . These two holes 119 are holes used when processing the outer rail 28, and projections 128, which will be described later, are not inserted into the holes 119. As shown in FIG.

6 to 8 are diagrams showing the mounting state in which the outer rail 28 is mounted on the rail base 100. FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, the rail base 100 is made of a black resin material and has a substantially L shape. The rail base 100 also has a curved surface 126 formed in an arc shape. The curved surface 126 is formed so as to extend from the lower left side of the game board 6 (game area 4), through the upper left side, to the upper right side, and is formed in a shape that is open at the lower right side.

A plurality of (five in this embodiment) protrusions 128 are formed along the length direction of the curved surface 126 (see FIG. 4). The projecting portion 128 is arranged rearward of the center of the curved surface 126 in the front-rear direction. Each projection 128 is arranged at a position corresponding to each hole 118 of the outer rail 28 .

A wall portion 129 projecting toward the game area 4 from the curved surface 126 is formed along the curved surface 126 at the front edge of the curved surface 126 (see FIGS. 8 and 9).

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the left lower portion (one end) of the rail base 100 is provided with a recess 130 having a substantially L-shaped cross section into which the bent portion 110 of the outer rail 28 is inserted. Further, the recess 130 is formed with an abutment surface (abutment surface) 131 against which one end surface (the end surface on the starting end side) of the outer rail 28 in the length direction abuts.
In addition, the concave portion 130 is designed so that the portion other than the one end surface of the outer rail 28 in the length direction of the outer rail 28 does not come into contact with the concave portion 130 . Specifically, of the bent portion 110 of the outer rail 28, the relief portion 110a extending in the direction intersecting (substantially perpendicular to) the guide surface 113 is designed so as not to hit the concave portion 130 (at least in the longitudinal direction of the outer rail 28). It has become.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the upper right portion (other end) of the rail base 100 has an abutment surface (abutment surface) against which the other end surface (terminal side end surface) in the length direction of the outer rail 28 abuts. surface) 135 is formed. A housing portion 137 for housing the U-shaped portion 112 is formed in the upper right portion of the rail base 100 .

The accommodation portion 137 is provided adjacent to the upper right end of the curved surface 126 . The housing portion 137 has a space 137b formed by a wall portion 137a having a substantially U-shaped cross section. In addition, the space 137b is a space that spreads toward the outside of the game area 4 from the curved surface 126. As shown in FIG. The U-shaped portion 112 is accommodated in this space 137b. One end of the wall portion 137 a is connected to the upper right end of the curved surface 126 . The other end 137c of the wall portion 137a is arranged on the virtual extension line of the curved surface 126 (predetermined position when the curved surface 126 is extended according to its curvature). A rib 139 is formed at a position farther from the curved surface 126 than the other end 137c and on the opposite side of the outer rail 28 in the plate thickness direction. The extended portion 120 of the outer rail 28 is arranged so as to be sandwiched between the other end 137 c and the rib 139 .

The bent portion 110 of the outer rail 28 is inserted into the recess 130 of the rail base 100 , and one end face is abutted against the abutment surface 131 . The other end surface of the outer rail 28 is abutted against the abutment surface 135 . When the outer rail 28 is attached to the rail base 100 , the outer rail 28 is stretched between the abutment surfaces 131 and 135 . That is, the length L of the outer rail 28 is set longer than the distance from the abutment surface 131 to the abutment surface 135 (the distance in the direction along the curved surface 126). In the gaming machine of this embodiment, the length L of the outer rail 28 is set 3 mm longer than the distance. In other words, the outer rail 28 has an extra length of 3 mm with respect to the length of the portion where the outer rail 28 is installed (the distance from the abutment surface 131 to the abutment surface 135).

In the attached state, the excess length of the outer rail 28 is absorbed by the U-shaped portion 112 . That is, first, in the attached state, the outer rail 28 is arranged along the curved surface 126 of the rail base 100 . At this time, substantially the entire surface (rear surface) of the outer rail 28 opposite to the guide surface 113 is in contact with substantially the entire curved surface 126 . In other words, the guide surface 113 is a surface (substantially parallel surface) along the curved surface 126 . Further, the U-shaped portion 112 bends so that the distance between both ends of the U-shaped portion 112 (the distance between the corner portions 115a and 115b) is reduced, thereby absorbing the excess length of the outer rail 28. FIG. Then, the outer rail 28 is stretched between the abutment surfaces 131 and 135 .
6 and 7, the end 28a of the outer rail 28 is shown penetrating the abutment surface 135, but in reality, the end 28a abuts against the abutment surface 135 and stops. It does not penetrate the surface 135 . In other words, the portion penetrating through the abutment surface 135 in FIGS. be done. Note that the U-shaped portion 112 does not come into contact with the wall portion 137a of the housing portion 137 even in the attached state (the state in which the extra length is absorbed and bent).

In the gaming machine of the present embodiment, the extra length of 3 mm of the outer rail 28 is set shorter than the distance between both ends of the U-shaped portion 112 (the distance between the facing surfaces of the U-shaped portion 112: about 12 mm). . More specifically, the extra length is set to a bending radius R (approximately 6 mm) or less of the U-shaped portion 112 (half or less of the interval between both ends of the U-shaped portion 112). Therefore, the excess length can be effectively absorbed by the U-shaped portion 112 .
The extra length of 3 mm as a reference value (design value) is set longer than the tolerance of the outer rail 28 . In the gaming machine of this embodiment, the tolerance of the length L of the outer rail 28 is set to ±0.8 mm. Therefore, even if the outer rail 28 is manufactured as short as possible (when the tolerance is −0.8 mm, which is the lower limit), the excess length of 0 mm or more (in this example, the extra length of 2.2 mm). A reference value for the extra length is set so that In other words, the length L of the outer rail 28 is set to a length that has an extra length even including the tolerance. Also, even if the outer rail 28 is manufactured with the maximum length (when the tolerance is +0.8 mm, which is the upper limit), it is less than the bending radius R of the U-shaped portion 112 (both ends of the U-shaped portion 112 The reference value of the extra length is set so that the extra length (3.8 mm in this example) is less than half the distance.

Also, in the attached state, each of the plurality of protrusions 128 of the rail base 100 is inserted into each of the plurality of holes 118 of the outer rail 28 . Here, the length La of the hole 118 is set to a length that does not come into contact with the projecting portion 128 in the attached state. Further, the width Wb of the hole 118 is set to a length that allows contact with the projecting portion 128 in the attached state.

The projecting portion 128 restricts the movement of the outer rail 28 in the width direction by contacting the hole 118 in the width direction of the outer rail 28 . That is, the protruding portion 128 serves as a restricting portion (restricting means) that restricts the movement of the outer rail 28 . The projecting portion 128 and the hole 118 function as a positioning portion (positioning means) that determines the position of the outer rail 28 in the width direction.
Note that the restricting portion may not have a shape like the projecting portion 128, and may be a pin or the like, for example. Specifically, for example, a split pin as a restricting portion is provided so as to pass through the hole 118 (so that the leg of the split pin straddles the hole 118), and both legs of the split pin are attached to the rail base 100 or the game board. The split pin may restrict the movement of the outer rail 28 by being fitted into the board 6 or the like.

On the other hand, in the attached state, the protruding portion 128 is prevented from contacting the hole 118 in the longitudinal direction of the outer rail 28, so that the outer rail 28 is not restricted from moving in the longitudinal direction. . In other words, the repulsive force of the outer rail 28, which is housed between the abutment surfaces 131 and 135 and is shortened in length, is applied to the abutment surfaces 131 and 135, and the projecting portion 128 (Mostly) don't participate. Thereby, the positioning of the outer rail 28 in the longitudinal direction can be stably performed by the abutment surfaces 131 and 135 . Furthermore, in the game machine of the present embodiment, the relief portion 110a of the bent portion 110 of the outer rail 28 does not hit the concave portion 130 in the longitudinal direction of the outer rail 28, so the length direction of the outer rail 28 can be more stably positioned by the contact surface 131 and the contact surface 135 .
If an external force other than the repulsive force from the abutment surfaces 131 and 135 is forcibly applied (for example, by human power) and the U-shaped portion 112 is forcibly contracted, in the longitudinal direction of the outer rail 28, The hole 118 and the relief portion 110a may be adapted to contact the rail base 100. As shown in FIG.

The length (height) of the projecting portion 128 in the plate thickness direction of the outer rail 28 is set to be equal to or less than the plate thickness of the outer rail 28 . That is, the protruding portion 128 does not protrude toward the game area 4 from the guide surface 113 of the outer rail 28 .

Further, even when the outer rail 28 moves to the front side of the game machine (the width direction of the outer rail 28) to the maximum extent with respect to the rail base 100, the front end face of the outer rail 28 does not touch the wall portion 129 of the rail base 100. They are designed not to come into contact with each other. In other words, the wall portion 129 does not have the function of restricting the movement of the outer rail 28 . On the other hand, the length (height) of the wall portion 129 in the plate thickness direction of the outer rail 28 is set to be greater than the plate thickness of the outer rail 28, so that the end face of the outer rail 28 cannot be seen by the player. have a function.
However, the wall portion 129 may restrict movement of the outer rail 28 .

Here, the relationship between the game ball B rolling along the outer rail 28 and the holes 118 and the like will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing essential parts of the outer rail 28 and the rail base 100, showing a cross section taken along a plane perpendicular to the guide surface 113 and the curved surface 126. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 9, the hole 118 and the projecting portion 128 are formed at positions where the game ball B rolling along the outer rail 28 does not hit. More specifically, the hole 118 hits the game ball B even when the outer rail 28 moves to the maximum in the width direction (for example, even when it moves to the upper side in FIG. 9 to the maximum). It is formed in a position where there is no In other words, it can be said that the protrusion 128 regulates the movement of the outer rail 28 in the width direction so that the hole 118 does not hit the game ball B. In FIG. 9, the projecting portion 128 projects from the guide surface 113 toward the game area 4, but even if the projecting portion 128 is formed to project in this way, the amount of projection of the projecting portion 128 is is preferably set so that the projecting portion 128 does not hit the game ball B.

As shown in FIG. 9, the guide surface 113 (curved surface 126) in the width direction of the outer rail 28 becomes an inclined surface toward the play area 4 (inward in the radial direction of the outer rail 28) toward the front side. ing. In other words, the guide surface 113 is an inclined surface that makes it difficult for the game ball to flow forward (to make it easier to flow along the rear side).

According to the gaming machine of the present embodiment, the rail 28 includes a U-shaped portion 112 bent in a substantially U-shape and a hole 114 formed at a position corresponding to the U-shaped portion 112. The hole 114 is the length of the entire U-shaped portion 112 in the direction along the U-shape of the U-shaped portion 112. Therefore, the U-shaped portion 112 absorbs variations in the length of the rail 28 that occur during manufacturing, and the rail 28 can be stably and accurately attached. Further, by forming the hole 114 at a position corresponding to the U-shaped portion 112, the U-shaped portion 112 can be made softer than the guide surface 113 portion, and the U-shaped portion 112 can be made softer than the guide surface 113 portion. It can be easily deformed. Therefore, when the rail 28 is attached to the rail base 100, the rail 28 can be accurately attached while the guide surface 113 is moderately stretched and excess force is released to the U-shaped portion 112. - 特許庁Therefore, the motion of the game ball rolling along the rail 28 can be stabilized, and a comfortable game can be provided.

In addition, by setting the length of the hole 114 to the length that extends over the entire U-shaped portion 112, it is possible to make the degree of application of force in the U-shaped portion 112 uniform. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the deformation of the rail 28 from becoming distorted due to excessive force being applied to a part of the U-shaped portion 112, and the rail 28 can be attached more accurately. Also, it is possible to prevent the rail 28 from being damaged due to excessive force being applied to a part of the U-shaped portion 112 . Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the hole 114 extends to at least one of the corners 115a and 115b formed at both ends in the length direction of the U-shaped portion 112, the load is concentrated. The flexibility of the corners 115a and 115b, which are easily broken, can be increased, and the corners 115a and 115b can be prevented from breaking.

In addition, since the hole 114 has a length (4 mm) of 1/3 or less of the width W of the rail in the width direction of the rail 28, the rigidity of the U-shaped portion 112 can be set within an appropriate range. . In other words, the rigidity of the U-shaped portion 112 can be set to a certain level or higher, and it is possible to prevent the U-shaped portion 112 from excessively absorbing the force applied to the rail 28 . Therefore, it is possible to prevent the tension of the guide surface 113 from becoming too weak, and to stabilize the movement of the game ball.

In addition, a plurality of (five) holes 118 are formed in the guide surface 113 to enable positioning, and all of the holes 118 are formed in positions where game balls rolling along the guide surface do not hit. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the game ball from rolling over the hole 118 and vibrating. Therefore, the movement of the game ball can be made more stable.

As shown in FIG. 7, an elastic member 150 made of an elastic material (for example, rubber) is arranged at the end of the guide surface 113 on the side of the U-shaped portion 112 . In the vicinity of the U-shaped portion 112 , the outer rail 28 is sandwiched between the elastic member 150 and the curved surface 126 . The elastic member 150 has a collision surface 151 with which the game ball guided along the guide surface 113 to the end side (right hitting area 4b) collides. The elastic member 150 is adapted to reduce the impact when the game ball collides with the member of the game machine.

Further, as shown in FIG. 10, all of the plurality of holes 118 (plurality of projecting portions 128) are located on the left side (shooting device side) of the upper end (upper vertex) P1 of the play area 4 (outer rail 28: guide surface 113). ). In addition, the number of holes 118 (protrusions 128) is greater on the lower side than on the upper side with the vertical center of the game area 4 (outer rail 28: guide surface 113) as a boundary. In other words, the number of holes 118 (protrusions 128) is greater on the lower side than on the upper side with the left end (left vertex) P2 of the game area 4 (outer rail 28: guide surface 113) as a boundary. Specifically, for example, one or two holes 118 (projections 128) are provided above the center in the vertical direction of the game area 4 (outer rail 28: guide surface 113). Three holes 118 (protrusions 128) are provided on the lower side.
The upper end (upper vertex) P1 and the left end (left vertex) P2 of the game area 4 (outer rail 28: guide surface 113) are not provided with holes 118 (projections 128).

Some of the plurality of holes 118 (plurality of projecting portions 128) may be provided on the right side of the upper end (upper vertex) P1 of the game area 4 (outer rail 28: guide surface 113). In this case, the number of holes 118 (protrusions 128) is preferably larger on the left side than on the right side of the center of the game area 4 (outer rail 28: guide surface 113) in the horizontal direction. In other words, the number of holes 118 (projections 128) should be larger on the left side than on the right side of the upper end (upper vertex) P1 of the game area 4 (outer rail 28: guide surface 113). Specifically, for example, one hole 118 (protruding portion 128) is provided on the right side of the center in the horizontal direction of the game area 4 (outer rail 28: guide surface 113), and on the left side of the center in the horizontal direction. Three or four holes 118 (protrusions 128) may be provided. In addition, regarding the plurality of holes 118 (projections 128) provided on the left side of the horizontal center, the holes 118 (projections 128) arranged below the vertical center of the game area 4 (outer rail 28: guide surface 113) 128) may be more than the holes 118 (protrusions 128) located on the upper side. For example, when four holes 118 are provided on the left side, three holes may be arranged on the lower side and one hole may be arranged on the upper side. In addition, regarding the plurality of holes 118 (projections 128) provided on the left side of the center in the horizontal direction, the holes 118 (projections 128) arranged above the center in the vertical direction of the game area 4 (outer rail 28: guide surface 113) 128) may be larger than the holes 118 (projections 128) located on the lower side. For example, when three holes 118 are provided on the left side, two may be arranged on the upper side and one may be arranged on the lower side.
In addition, even if some holes 118 (projections 128) are provided on the right side of the upper end (upper vertex) of the game area 4 (outer rail 28: guide surface 113), the game area 4 It is preferable that no hole 118 (protrusion 128) exists at the upper end (upper vertex) and the left end (left vertex) of (outer rail 28: guide surface 113). A game ball traces a stable trajectory by eliminating holes 118 (protrusions 128) at the upper end (upper vertex) and left end (left vertex) of the game area 4 (outer rail 28: guide surface 113). be able to.

Regarding the outer rail 28 (the guide surface 113), the range from the starting end (lower left end) to the left end (the leftmost portion: the 9 o'clock position in front view) P2 is defined as a first range H1, and from the left end to the upper end. (Uppermost portion: 12 o'clock position in front view) When the range up to P1 is defined as a second range H2 and the range from the upper end to the terminal end (upper right end) is defined as a third range H3, each The number of holes 118 (protrusions 128) in the range may be related as follows.
That is, even if the number of holes 118 (projections 128) is greater in the second range H2 than in the third range H3 and greater in the first range H1 than in the second range H2, good. That is, the first range H1>second range H2>third range H3 may be satisfied. Further, the number of holes 118 (projections 128) may be greater in the second range H2 than in the third range H3, and the first range H1 may be greater than or equal to the second range H2. That is, the first range H1≧second range H2>third range H3 may be satisfied. Further, the number of holes 118 (protrusions 128) may be greater in the first range H1 than in the third range H3, and may be greater than or equal to the first range H1 in the second range H2. That is, second range H2≧first range H1>third range H3. Moreover, even if the number of holes 118 (protrusions 128) is larger in the first range H1 than in the third range H3, and larger in the second range H2 than in the third range H3, good. That is, the first range H1 and the second range H2 may be greater than the third range H3. Further, the number of holes 118 (projections 128) may be greater than or equal to the second range H2 in the first range H1 and greater than or equal to the third range H3. That is, the first range H1≧the second range H2 and the third range H3 may be satisfied. The number of holes 118 (projections 128) in the smallest range of holes 118 (projections 128) may be zero.
Of the outer rail 28 (guide surface 113), the virtual straight line extending in the left-right direction passing through the left end of the game area 4 (outer rail 28: guide surface 113) is defined as the X axis, and the game area 4 (outer rail 28: guide surface 113) 113) In the XY plane whose Y axis is an imaginary straight line extending vertically through the upper end, the portion located in the third quadrant is called the first range, and the portion located in the second quadrant is called the second range. , the portion located in the first quadrant can also be called the third range. In addition, of the outer rail 28 (guide surface 113), the virtual straight line extending in the horizontal direction passing through the center of the game area 4 is set as the X axis, and the virtual straight line extending in the vertical direction passing through the center of the game area 4 is set as the Y axis. In the plane, the portion located in the third quadrant can be called the first range, the portion located in the second quadrant can be called the second range, and the portion located in the first quadrant can be called the third range. .

As described above, the number of holes 118 should be larger on the side closer to the launcher than on the side farther from the launcher. Specifically, it is preferable to use each arrangement described above. According to such a configuration, the number of holes 118 on the side of the launching device (first range H1 side) where the impact received from the game ball is large and the accuracy of the arrangement of the outer rails 28 is particularly required is increased. It is possible to reliably prevent displacement and vibration of the side outer rail 28 . In addition, according to such a configuration, the number of holes 118 on the end side (third range H3 side), which is less impacted by the game ball and has less influence on the game, is reduced, and the outer rail 28 is processed and the rail is reduced. Attachment to the base 100 can be facilitated.

Note that the hole 118 does not have to have the shape shown in the present embodiment, and may have a notch or the like, for example. Also, even in the case of notches, the arrangement of the notches may be the same as in the case of the holes 118 described above. Specifically, for example, all of the plurality of notches may be provided on the left side of the upper end (upper vertex) P1 of the game area 4 (outer rail 28: guide surface 113). Also, in such a case, for example, when there are two notches, one notch is provided above the center in the vertical direction of the game area 4 (outer rail 28: guide surface 113), One notch may be provided below the center in the vertical direction.
In addition, even if several notches are provided in the outer rail 28 in this way, the upper end (upper vertex) P1 and the left end (left vertex) P2 of the game area 4 (outer rail 28: guide surface 113) should be free of notches.

4 play area 28 outer rail (rail)
80 Game ball passage 80a Upper surface 80b Lower surface 84 Design portion 86 Lower surface 91 First design portion 92 Second design portion 113 Guide surface 118 Hole

Claims (1)

A design portion projecting forward above the game area;
a game ball passage through which game balls passing through the upper end of the game area are guided,
A horizontal line passing through the vertex of the upper surface of the game ball passage and extending in the short direction of the upper surface of the game ball passage is defined as a first reference line,
A horizontal line extending in the short direction of the upper surface of the game ball passage passing through a portion of the lower surface of the game ball passage located immediately below the vertex of the upper surface of the game ball passage is defined as a second reference line,
Among the portions where the vertical lines that intersect the second reference line on the lower surface of the design portion, the rearmost portion is the first design portion,
Among the portions where the vertical lines that intersect the second reference line on the lower surface of the design portion, the lowermost portion is the second design portion,
The first design portion is located below the first reference line, and the distance from the first reference line is equal to or less than the diameter of the game ball,
The first design portion is located above the second reference line, and the distance from the second reference line is the radius of the game ball or more,
The gaming machine, wherein the second design portion is located below the second reference line and is at a distance from the second reference line equal to or greater than the diameter of the game ball.

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